It all starts with you

The ripple effect of taking charge of your financial wellbeing.

Money plays a critical role in our lives, but few of us realise just how much it can impact our health. Sometimes the topic of personal finances can feel overwhelming, but starting with one small financial habit at a time could be all you need to improve your situation - and in turn positively impact your overall health and happiness. Indeed, financial wellbeing involves the process of learning how to successfully manage financial expenses and conversely, your health.

Our relationship with our finances is central to our physical and emotional wellness. Financial wellbeing is about feeling secure and confident that you can pay the bills, deal with the unexpected and stay on track for a fulfilled financial future. When people feel in control of their money, individuals and communities are healthier, businesses start to boom and the economy benefits.

Calm & control

Experiencing financial pressure, can be extremely stressful, and those suffering problems may find that their mood, focus, and sleep are impacted as stress takes its toll. Financial problems can impact how we feel and perform at work and how we communicate with others. We also know that living with a preexisting mental health condition can affect someone’s ability to plan and make decisions, making it even more difficult to manage any lingering money troubles.

Worrying about cashflow can be so consuming that people may try to ignore their financial circumstances altogether. While this might provide some short-term relief, it will only cause more strife further down the line. Whatever monetary matters you may be experiencing, don’t try to tackle the whole issue at once – break it down into short-term and manageable goals. By building levels of financial wellbeing up slowly, you can start to take action with assurance, calm, and control.

Boost self-esteem

When it comes to money problems within a relationship or when family is involved, it can often be (but is not always) the female who takes the strain. While times are changing, women today are still adversely impacted by the gender pay gap and are more likely to take career breaks to raise a family or look after elderly relatives. Some women in the so-called ‘sandwich generation’ - where they are caring for elderly parents while still raising their own children - often face a dilemma when it comes to moving wealth between generations. Furthermore, females have a longer life expectancy than males, therefore planning for the future is essential.

ALEXIS LIVANES, Partner, Eight Wealth International, Financial Wellness Accredited Alexis has over 18 years of experience as a financial planner in the UK, Australia and Singapore and is passionate about helping clients, especially women, to understand their relationship with money. To get in touch, contact Alexis.Livanes@ sjpp.asia or join the Facebook group Alexis Financial Wellness Retreat. Alexis is also hosting ANZA’s Discovering Balance Series: Exploring the relationship between mental, physical, and financial wellness.

Financial education and autonomy are the biggest drivers of financial wellness for women. Although this may sound daunting, with a little guidance, achieving financial literacy around personal and household wealth can be empowering. We should all look out for friends and family. If there are signs that someone is struggling with money and mental health, you should encourage them to reach out for professional support.

The ‘St. James’s Place Partnership’ and the titles ‘Partner’ and ‘Partner Practice’ are marketing terms used to describe St. James’s Place representatives. Members of the St. James’s Place Partnership in Singapore represent St. James’s Place (Singapore) Private Limited, which is part of the St. James’s Place Wealth Management Group, and it is regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore and is a member of the Investment Management Association of Singapore and Association of Financial Advisers (Singapore). Company Registration No. 200406398R. Capital Markets Services License No. CMS100851. St. James’s Place Wealth Management Group Ltd Registered Office: St. James’s Place House, 1 Tetbury Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 1FP, United Kingdom. Registered in England Number 02627518.

ANZA members Mark and Fiona Greaves moved from Melbourne to Singapore with their dogs Bentley, 7, and Watson, 5, in 2021. Here Mark shares how Bentley has supported him personally, and also provides care as a therapy dog to the local community.

“It was 2016 and a normal weekend in Melbourne when my wife Fiona announced that she wanted to make a cheesecake. We jumped in the car to head to the shops, but little did she know I had a hidden agenda. I’d always loved dogs and had been badgering Fiona to get one for years with no joy. However, I’d been doing some sneaky research on breeds that were hypoallergenic and didn’t shed, and I had a proposition for her.

Fiona didn’t question it when I suggested we visit a slightly different supermarket - one that took us past a pet shop - and thankfully, the puppy I’d spotted a few days previously was still there. Only three-months old, with rusty orange fur and white stripes, was half-poodle-half-schnauzer (Schnoodle), Bentley. Just as he had done before, he extracted himself from his two sisters and made a beeline for me, snuggling up to my ankles and jumping on my lap. He came home with us that day (along with the ingredients for the cheesecake!).

Positives of pets

We didn’t want him to run wild so we sent Bentley for professional training at The Alpha Canine Group (thealphacaninegroup.com.au). The staff pointed out that with his gentle temperament and love of people, Bentley would make a great therapy dog: a pet who can help soothe, regulate, and provide relief and stability to humans in need of support.

I didn’t have to think twice. Back in Melbourne I was a member of the Australian Army for 35 years, retiring as a Warrant Officer Class One. My last posting was as a Career Manager, managing the careers of over 2,000 soldiers which I loved. In this role I’d had many conversations with soldiers about their mental health, and as I was myself diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress

Disorder (PTSD) a couple of years after returning from Afghanistan in 2010, I was aware of the positives of pet ownership.

Fiona and I loved the idea that Bentley might be able to help others, so we signed him up for both therapy dog and service dog training straight away.

To make the grade, Bentley and I both had to go through some tests together. As part of Responsible Pet Ownership, an initiative run by the Victoria government, we were monitored by officials. They looked at how we interacted together; Bentley's behaviour around other dogs, people, and those in wheelchairs; and how he reacted to loud noises and crowds. I did give him a bit of a pep talk beforehand! Eighteen months later, we officially started to go out with Responsible Pet Ownership to offer therapy dog and support dog services to schools and kindies in the area. In addition, Bentley received the same status as a guide dog for the blind.

Play & cuddles

Initially, we’d stop by for 40-minutes to an hour. Sessions were carried out by the teachers and myself, and were all about meeting Bentley, feeling safe around a dog, knowing how to behave around a dog and - of course - it was a chance for the kids to play and get a cuddle from Bentley. We also visited the dementia ward of an old people’s home - it was pretty hard stopping the residents from giving him chocolate! As he’s such a chilled out dog it was always so much fun. I never had to worry about Bentley misbehaving and I can tell when he gets tired as he just lays down very still.

When Fiona and I moved to Singapore, there was no question that Bentley and

Therapy Dog v Service Dog

A therapy dog is trained to provide comfort and affection to people in schools, hospices, disaster areas, retirement homes, hospitals, nursing homes, and more

A service dog is certified and trained to help people with disabilities, such as visual impairments, mental illnesses, seizure disorders, diabetes, and so on his baby brother Watson would come with us. The dogs actually adapted to expat life much better than I did, especially as we arrived during the pandemic and the transition was tough. On difficult days I’d be dragged out of the house on walks where I’d be forced to explore my new surroundings and chat to other dog owners. I wouldn’t have managed the move without our pets.

I first met Adele and Stasha from Animal Assisted Interactions Singapore (AAISG), a social enterprise specialising in animalassisted interactions and interventions, at a Pet's Day Out event in Bishan in 2022. When I explained the community work I was doing back in Australia with Bentley, they were fascinated and keen to find out more. Now we work together to bring the same therapy dog training and consequent support for the community to Singapore. Today AAISG runs a preparatory course and a 10-hour mentorship programme to accredit dogs and their handlers as "Caring Canine Teams". We have about 20 teams with dogs of all breeds, shapes and sizes. Places we’ve visited on the AAISG- designed programmes include a senior centre in the East, The National University of Singapore, Nexus International School, Bukit Batok Polyclinic, Singapore General Hospital and Sengkang General Hospital. It’s so rewarding to witness the comfort that Bentley brings, but it can also be very emotional. Sometimes he will single out a child or adult and try to snuggle up to them - somehow he just knows who needs the extra love.

Time & education

While AAISG (aai.sg) take dogs into the community to provide the same care to those in need as back in Oz, therapy dogs and service dogs are sadly not officially recognised here. Efforts are being made to address this, but for now it’s believed that there are less than five guide dogs for the blind in Singapore. For this reason, I sometimes have difficulty going to certain places around the island with Bentley in tow, which can be frustrating. Hopefully, time and education will bring about change.

I didn’t initially get Bentley as a pet to assist with my PTSD, but his presence has been invaluable. From the day we brought him home, I noticed an instant difference in my physiology. He instinctively knows when I’m going to get stressed before I do, helps me to relax, and he’s the perfect model for my side-business making doggy clothing (barkberrymanor.com. au). Apart from when he went through a phase of stealing socks, he’s brought nothing but joy and happiness to my life. I would be lost without him.”

Show Support

Mark and Bentley are participating in the March On fundraiser, an initiative by Soldier On to raise awareness to prevent veteran suicide. The aim is to complete 96km - half the length of the Kokoda trackhowever, they are aiming to do 500km by 31 March and to raise $5,000. To support the cause, log onto marchonchallenge.org.au/ fundraisers/markgreaves