I read an interesting article recently released by Independent Financial Adviser (IFA), written by Marcello Bertasso of PPS Mutual. They spoke of the role we, as financial advisers, play when it comes to the handling of our clients’ mental health and overall wellbeing. Potentially now more than ever.

We’ve had short-term impacts on the share market and wider economy, periods of complete isolation and lockdown, unable to continue on with our daily routines, unable to see friends and family, some working from home, others not so lucky and forced to reduce hours and income, or be stood down completely. Some businesses have been completely devasted and left with no workforce.  

It has naturally been a stressful time for most. This brings to light our role and relationship we have with our clients puts us in a position where we are able to provide much support, in different ways. And we don’t take this lightly. Whether wealth accumulation or wealth protection, we are all working with our clients to achieve various objectives, and it’s about ongoing counseling to some extent, providing ongoing reassurance that they/you remain on the right course, even if we are required to make adjustments unexpectedly. Providing the conversations that can help alleviate that financial stress, knowing your strategy is at work, or simply having a friendly face on zoom to talk to, when you’ve otherwise not been able to get the same levels of human interaction.

One of Hewison Private Wealth’s core internal values is Family, and we consider our wider Hewison network to be part of it. When they say we’re all in this together, we take it literally.

Relative to the rest of the world, Australia is doing remarkably well now in combating this pandemic and hopefully we continue to see improvement. I, personally, have valued all of the ongoing conversations with clients during this time and I especially hope that all of our valued clients have felt the support of Hewison’s.

Bit of a different take on the usual blog topics, but reading the underlying concept of Marcello’s article, I thought it was a great message in the difference we can make and wanted to come up with my own take on it.

We may be helping you with your financial or insurance arrangements, but we are also well and truly on a journey with you (some recent, some 20+ years) to achieve your goals, which includes the ride! If a particularly stressful time is anticipated or in fact unforeseen, having mechanisms in place to help deal with it will put you in good stead. In the most part, our financial and insurance strategies are at play when it comes to financial goals; but small positive changes can also have a great impact in managing your overall mental wellbeing during stressful times – it could be as simple as increasing physical exercise, reducing alcohol intake, or embracing other activities such as different forms of mindfulness. Whatever works for you!

It has been great to see Australia, and for those of us in Melbourne in particular, start to see some real positive changes occurring. Hopefully, in the not too distant future, this pandemic will be a memory, but our support doesn’t end there. Life goes on and I’m sure with it will come further challenges. But we view our relationship with our clients of utmost importance and are here for you, supporting you and working with you, towards your future, however we can!