Preparing for the Psychological Side of Retirement with Dr. Joy Lere

In this episode of Money & Meaning, host Jeff Bernier is joined by Dr. Joy Lere, a licensed clinical psychologist and co-founder of Shaping Wealth. They examine retirement as more than a financial milestone, focusing on the shift in identity, purpose, and daily structure that comes with leaving a career. Joy shares how unmet expectations, loss, and identity challenges can shape the transition, along with practical ways to prepare by building a meaningful life outside of work and continuing to contribute beyond a paycheck.    Topics covered:  Retirement as an existential transition, not just a financial one The gap between expectations and reality in life after work Normalizing loss, stress, and emotional complexity in transitions Building a life outside of work before retiring Balancing meaningful work with other areas of life Continuing purpose and contribution beyond a paycheck Identity challenges when stepping away from a long-held role Shifting mindset from “what you do” to “who you are” Identifying needs fulfilled by work and finding alternatives Avoidance and delaying difficult transitions Processing grief and loss in major life changes Holding both joy and grief during life transitions   Useful Links:    Jeff Bernier on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jeffberniercfp_the-money-and-meaning-show-activity-7202103509700227072-h0Qn/  TandemGrowth Financial Advisors: https://www.tandemgrowth.com/  Joy Lere on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-lere-psy-d  Shaping Wealth: https://www.shapingwealth.com/  Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)