Carolyn Armitage spent decades building a career in wealth management while privately carrying the emotional effects of childhood trauma. For years, she compartmentalized those experiences, believing she could simply push through them while focusing on work, achievement and daily life.

After an emotional breaking point following her mother’s funeral, Carolyn began exploring deeper forms of healing, including somatic therapy and psilocybin, a natural psychedelic compound found in over 200 species of mushrooms. That process helped her better understand how unresolved trauma had shaped her nervous system, relationships and sense of self over the course of her life.

In this episode of The Healthy Advisor, host Diana Britton speaks with Carolyn Armitage, founder and CEO of Wealth Management Consulting and RIA Circle, about her experience with trauma recovery, emotional healing, and psychedelic-assisted therapy. Her experience led her to produce a recent documentary, “Journeys,” a two-hour film addressing the ethics behind the use of psilocybin to navigate trauma.

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Carolyn Armitage is a longtime leader in the wealth management industry with experience spanning advisory work, executive leadership, consulting, and investment banking. Having built and led multiple wealth management firms throughout her career, she brings a broad perspective shaped by her work as an advisor, operator, and consultant. Her background includes building high-performing teams, guiding firm growth, and helping organizations create long-term value through strategic leadership and integration.

After beginning her career as a financial advisor, Carolyn developed a strong understanding of the challenges advisors face firsthand. Over the years, she expanded her expertise through leadership roles across both large and boutique firms, helping organizations improve operational structure, advisor engagement, and enterprise value. Her experience has made her a trusted consultant to RIA leaders and wealth management executives navigating growth, succession, compensation design, and strategic planning decisions.

Carolyn has held leadership positions with several major firms and organizations, including HD Vest, now Avantax, ING Advisors Network, now part of Voya and Cetera Group, and Thrivent Advisor Network. She also led the Large Enterprise Business Management Consulting Team at LPL Financial. Prior to leading Thrivent’s independent RIA platform, TAN, Carolyn worked with ECHELON Partners, where she provided investment banking and consulting services to some of the industry’s largest and most established firms.

Her experience across advisory services, consulting, investment banking, and firm leadership gives her a deep understanding of the wealth management value chain and the complex business, family, and legacy decisions firm leaders often face.

Michael Kitces has spent years studying what actually drives satisfaction among financial advisors, going beyond firm performance metrics to focus on personal wellbeing and career fulfillment.

His latest research, the 2025 Advisor Wellbeing Study, reveals how advisor happiness has shifted in recent years and what factors are shaping those changes. Drawing from responses across the industry, the study highlights both encouraging trends and emerging concerns.

One of the most notable findings is that overall wellbeing has improved, largely due to more stable work environments and stronger market conditions. But not all advisors are experiencing that progress equally, as younger professionals report lower optimism and a weaker sense of purpose.

In this episode of The Healthy Advisor, host Diana Britton speaks with Michael Kitces, Chief Financial Planning Nerd at Kitces.com, about what truly drives advisor wellbeing. He explains how experience, autonomy, compensation structure, and firm dynamics all play a role in shaping long-term satisfaction and career direction.

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Michael E. Kitces is the Head of Planning Strategy for Focus Partners Wealth, a private wealth management firm located in St Louis, Missouri, that oversees more than $50 billion of client assets. In addition, he is the co-founder of the XY Planning Network, AdvicePay, fpPathfinder, and New Planner Recruiting, former practitioner editor of the Journal of Financial Planning, and the publisher of the e-newsletter The Kitces Report and the popular financial planning industry blog Nerd’s Eye View through his website www.Kitces.com, dedicated to advancing knowledge in financial planning.

Michael is also a popular speaker on financial planning and practice management topics, and can be seen presenting at 50-70 regional and national conferences for financial advisors every year.

Michael is one of the 2010 recipients of the Financial Planning Association’s “Heart of Financial Planning” awards for his dedication to advancing the financial planning profession. In addition, he has variously been recognized as financial planning’s “Deep Thinker,” a “Legacy Builder,” an “Influencer,” a “Mover & Shaker,” part of the “Power 20,” and a “Rising Star in Wealth Management” by industry publications. These awards were presented to honor Michael’s active work in the financial planning community. Michael is also a co-founder of NexGen, a community of the next generation of financial planners that aims to ensure the transference of wisdom, tradition, and integrity from the pioneers of financial planning to the next generation of the profession.

Terri Kallsen has had an outstanding career in financial services over the last 30 years. During her tenure at Charles Schwab, she led 7,000 employees and managed $1.6 trillion in assets, played a key role in transforming Wealth Enhancement Group as COO and over the last two years, she has been instrumental in building Rise Growth Partners, the RIA investing company started by former United Capital CEO Joe Duran. And this year, she’s serving as chair of the CFP Board, a huge undertaking.

Terri has done this all while raising three children, moving three times and being a mentor to many women and young professionals in the industry. The path was not always easy. Through it all, running has been a constant for Terri, and a form of therapy through stressful times. She has completed 21 marathons, 50 half-marathons and numerous triathlons, and she brings the same endurance, discipline and vision from the course to her approach in wealth management.

In this episode of The Healthy Advisor, host Diana Britton interviews Terri Kallsen, managing partner and head of partnerships at Rise Growth Partners and chair of the CFP Board, about her journey through leadership, ethical crossroads, and personal resilience. Terri reflects on integrity, fiduciary duty and building a career aligned with her true north.

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Terri Kallsen, CFP, is an accomplished wealth management executive known for leading strategic initiatives and driving innovative solutions across both large institutions and rapidly growing RIAs. As Managing Partner and Head of Partnerships at Rise Growth Partners, a minority investor and strategic advisor to leading firms, she leads enterprise transformation for partner firms—supporting strategic planning, organic growth initiatives, client experience innovation, and platform and performance reporting enhancements. 

Before joining Rise, she served as Chief Operating Officer at Wealth Enhancement Group (WEG), where she oversaw advisor teams, platform and digital strategy, high-net-worth offerings, and trust services. Prior to WEG, she was Executive Vice President of Investor Services at Charles Schwab, where she led 7,000 employees and $1.6 trillion in assets under management. 

Known for her innovative thinking and commitment to advisor advocacy, Terri is a respected speaker and writer who has been featured in Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, MSNBC, CNN, and other leading outlets. 

She has been recognized numerous times for her dedication to mentorship, empowering women in the workplace, and advisor advocacy:

– San Francisco’s Financial Woman of the Year in 2019

– InvestmentNews Women to Watch 2024 Female Trailblazer of the Year Finalist

– Named by Financial Planning as one of 20 People who will shape wealth management in 2025

– InvestmentNews Top Financial Professionals in the US | Hot List 2025

Terri currently serves as Chair of the CFP Board of Directors. She also sits on the Hollins University Board of Trustees. 

She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University in Minnesota and a Master of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Terri earned her CFP certification in 2005 and is also a Certified Wealth Strategist. She received her Finance CFO Certificate at the University of Chicago Executive Education Program.

Throughout his career, RJ Moore has led some of the largest wealth management firms in the industry through challenging times. He’s held CEO positions at Cetera Financial Group, Legal & General Investment Management America, and ABN AMRO La Salle Bank. He’s also the former president of LPL Financial.

But perhaps his biggest challenge came during the summer 2023, when he was diagnosed with Stage IV melanoma. His doctor called, saying the skin cancer had spread to much of his body, including his brain, heart, lungs, the lymphatic system and liver.

When he got the news, RJ made a conscious decision not to view the cancer as something he had to fight or battle. What if the adversity could become a turning point for gratitude, perspective and a deeper connection with others?

In this episode of The Healthy Advisor, host Diana Britton speaks with RJ Moore, partner at Private Advisor Group, about his unexpected journey with melanoma. He shares how the diagnosis reshaped his view of life, leadership, and daily priorities. 

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RJ Moore is a Partner at Private Advisor Group and helps lead the overall governance of the firm. He brings over 30 years of experience in financial services to the team.

Prior to joining Private Advisor Group, RJ has held CEO positions at Cetera Financial Group, Legal & General Investment Management America, and of ABN AMRO La Salle Bank. He was also President of LPL Financial.

RJ earned a Master of Business Administration in Finance and Financial Management Services from Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management and a Bachelor of Arts of Business Administration from the University of Texas.

He is the former chair of Invest in Others and has also served on the boards of The Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Chicago Historical Society, and Jane Addams Hull House. In addition, he is an ardent supporter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Navy Seal NSW Family Foundation. In 2024, RJ was honored at the AIM Steps Against Melanoma Foundation walk.

RJ lives in San Diego with his wife, Sarah. Outside of work, he enjoys visiting family and friends across the U.S., spending time in Palm Springs, and reading Historical Biographies.

RJ Moore is solely an investment advisor representative of Private Advisor Group, and not affiliated with LPL Financial.

This month, Jamie Hopkins’ new book, “Your Retirement Sketchbook,” co-written by Bonnie Treichel, hits bookstores, and a lot of advisors know Hopkins as a retirement planning expert. Less known is his own personal story, which includes the passing of his father in a job-site accident when he was 8 years old.

“This has impacted so many things in my life—my desire to be a dad, a sense I would die early, a fear of heights and a scarcity mindset for years around money,” he writes in the book.

In this episode of The Healthy Advisor, host Diana Britton chats with Jamie Hopkins, CEO of Bryn Mawr Trust and co-author of “Your Retirement Sketchbook,” about those fears and how childhood loss shaped his approach to retirement planning and life. He also explains the importance of financial advice access for underserved workers, the career decision that helped him be more present with his children, and why protecting health and relationships should matter as much as building wealth.

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Jamie P. Hopkins is CEO of Bryn Mawr Trust Advisors and CWO of WSFS. A Wall Street Journal best-selling author, educator, and executive speaker, Jamie has previously served on numerous advisory boards around the financial services industry, such as Wing.app, Wealth.com, C2P, IncomeLab, and was a national trustee member of NAIFA. He currently sits on the advisory board of Focal, an AI startup. Jamie is also the founder and president of the 501(c)(3) non-profit, FinServ Foundation, and was recognized as the 2021 RIA Thought Leader of the Year by WealthManagement.com and Top 10 Investopedia 100 Top Financial Advisor for 2023. Jamie has also taught financial planning courses and created course content at Creighton University and American College of Financial Services since 2012.

In 2018, Melissa Caro’s perfectly healthy 72-year-old mother was suddenly diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, and within 24 hours she became her sole caregiver, her financial planner, her life coach and her healthcare advocate. At the same time, her 87-year-old stepdad was falling apart and spiraling into dementia, and her husband was in the hospital with severe back problems.

As a Type A personality, she struggled significantly during this time. During one doctor’s visit for her mother, a nurse reminded her to take care of herself.

In this episode of The Healthy Advisor, host Diana Britton speaks with Caro, founder of My Retirement Network, a financial education resource for clients and the advisors who serve them, on how she navigated caregiving while managing her career and other responsibilities.

She discusses the emotional complexity of caregiving, the gap in financial literacy for those without advisors, and how her experience shaped her mission to help people understand their finances during life’s most challenging moments.

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Melissa Caro is a Certified Financial Education Instructor, CFP, and the founder of My Retirement Network, a digital media platform dedicated to promoting financial literacy. With a mission rooted in the belief that knowledge empowers people to create the future they envision, Melissa brings decades of experience in finance and education to her work. She has witnessed firsthand the positive impact that understanding finances can have on people’s lives, far beyond just numbers.

Melissa’s goal is to make financial literacy accessible and meaningful for everyone. My Retirement Network was created to bridge the gap between complex financial concepts and the everyday decisions that shape financial futures. The platform empowers individuals at every stage, whether they’re planning for retirement, starting a career, or teaching their children about money, to understand and take control of their financial well-being. Through education and awareness, Melissa supports people on their journey to building a stronger, more informed financial foundation.

After facing divorce, financial hardship and even losing her home in a wildfire, Bridget Venus Grimes rebuilt her life and career around helping other women do the same, taking control of their finances, finding community and redefining success on their own terms.

In this episode of The Healthy Advisor, host Diana Britton sits down with Grimes, president of WealthChoice and co-founder of Equita Financial Network, to explore her journey from Wall Street trader to pastry chef to financial planner for breadwinner women.

From personal struggle to powerful purpose, Grimes reveals how she built a network to uplift female advisors and how coaching, balance, and connection helped her thrive through life’s toughest seasons.

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Bridget Venus Grimes, CFP, is President of WealthChoice, a wealth management firm for women executives, and Co-founder of the SEC-registered investment advisor Equita Financial Network, a community of women-led financial planning firms. Bridget began her career in 1987, trading stocks for private hedge funds in New York City, before pursuing her passion for financial planning for women.

Bridget believes in empowering women to take confident steps toward a better life. She authored the best-selling book Corner Office Choices: The Executive Woman’s Guide to Financial Freedom and has written countless articles for major US media channels. Her commitment to women’s financial education extends not only to women professionals but also to fellow financial planners. She has spoken at major industry conferences and co-hosted the Financial Planning Association’s Women’s Knowledge Circle.

Bridget splits her time between Arizona and California and enjoys boating, golf, entertaining, anything French, and, most of all, cooking. She holds a B.A degree in German language and literature and a minor in Art History from Mount Holyoke College.

For 35 years, Mark Singer owned an independent financial planning firm, Safe Harbor Retirement Planning, in the Boston area, a Commonwealth Financial Network affiliate. During that time, he was living life at full speed—running three businesses, exercising, playing golf, boating, spending time with grandchildren—until he had a life-changing stroke in October 2022.

He lost his ability to speak, swallow, eat and perform the most basic functions. His recovery forced him to slow down and retire from the business earlier than he expected.

In this episode of The Healthy Advisor, host Diana Britton talks with Mark Singer, a retired financial advisor, about how the stroke reshaped his view of success and identity. His story points to the strength of resilience, perspective and compassion, both in business and in life.

Diana and Mark discuss:

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Author Mark Singer has been recognized for his vision and creativity within the world of financial planning. He is the author of two books, and the most recent, The Six Secrets to a Happy Retirement, is available on Amazon.com. Drawing upon his over three decades as a founder of one of the leading retirement firms in Boston, the book profiles the financial, emotional, and physical issues associated with the transition into retirement.

He retired from his role as president of Safe Harbor Retirement Planning in 2022, and had served as the Retirement Guide to thousands of investors since 1986. Mark’s approach was to focus on each individual client and ask the questions that other advisors and investors often overlook.

Mark is a frequent speaker and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, ABCNews.com, FoxNews.com, and Bloomberg Radio, as well as locally (Boston) on NECN and WRKO. 

Mark is also a multiyear recipient of Boston Magazine’s 5 Star Wealth Manager Award.

Ryan Marcus has a passion for helping the wealth management industry better serve the neurodivergent community. He argues that the industry is not serving them in an intentional way.

Neurodivergence refers to divergence in mental or neurological function from what is considered typical or normal. It’s frequently used with reference to autistic spectrum disorders.

The issue is personal to Ryan, whose nephew, Nicholas, is on the spectrum. That experience revealed how unprepared the wealth management industry is to serve this growing community, even as trillions in wealth shift to younger generations.

In this episode of The Healthy Advisor podcast, WealthManagement.com Executive Editor Diana Britton speaks with Ryan Marcus, chief business development and engagement officer at Binah Capital, about what he’s learned from his nephew, why authenticity matters, and how advisors can embrace practical, human changes that make a big impact.

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A recognized connector in the wealth management industry, Ryan Marcus has over two decades of experience leading strategy and client engagement across respected firms such as United Capital, RBC Advisor Services, and MarketCounsel Consulting. He has driven growth by aligning people, ideas, and opportunities, with a focus on enhancing client experience and deepening relationships. Known for building trust and offering strategic insight, Ryan has shared his perspective through industry panels and publications. His work continues to shape how firms think about client service, business development, and scalable infrastructure in an evolving regulatory and competitive landscape.

Lisa Erickson spent 37 years in financial services, ultimately leading the Public Markets Due Diligence team at U.S. Bank, which manages over $500 billion in client assets. In addition to her business acumen, she was best known for her selflessness, positivity and character.

But earlier this year, Lisa chose to retire early after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a movement disorder of the nervous system. She now enters a new phase of her life, having to deal with this illness.

That wasn’t the first personal hardship she’s faced. In 2020, she lost her husband, Chris, to a sudden and aggressive illness.

In this episode, WealthManagement.com Executive Editor Diana Britton is joined by Lisa Erickson, retired head of the Public Markets Due Diligence team in U.S. Bank’s Wealth Management’s Asset Management Group, who opens up about these personal struggles. These past few years have tested her strength in unimaginable ways, but they’ve also revealed lessons about grief, faith and finding purpose in the face of adversity.

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About Our Guest:

Lisa Erickson is a seasoned financial professional who recently retired as Head of the Public Markets Due Diligence Team at U.S. Bank’s Wealth Management group, where she helped manage over $500 billion in assets. Beyond her successful career, she’s faced profound personal challenges, including the sudden loss of her husband and her own Parkinson’s diagnosis. Through it all, Lisa remains committed to living with gratitude, faith, and resilience, inspiring others with her courage and openness.

If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at [email protected].