Financial Abuse Recovery Book Resources

This website includes a list of resources to connect with information and tools to supplement the reading of our book, Financial Abuse Recovery: Financial Healing & Empowerment After Surviving an Abusive Relationship.

We hope that this website is useful to all members of The Source for Survivors community, even if you never buy the book! If you do want to purchase the book in print or ebook format, you can do so on Amazon and through various other retailers.

Below, you’ll find a list of resources that focus on the topics of abuse recovery, financial well-being, and career and educational pathways. Please note: 

• The following list of resources is provided for the convenience of readers of our book. The sites to which links are provided are independent from The Source for Survivors. 
• No guarantees are provided regarding the nature, quality, and timeliness of the information available on those external sites. Users should take responsibility for reviewing the content and privacy policies of other sites before determining their relevance to individual circumstances. 
• Please note that The Source for Survivors does not offer 24/7 crisis support. Crisis resources are included below for this type of support. Please visit our Other Resources page for additional resources related to intimate partner violence and mental health. 
• Please keep in mind that, as we emphasize throughout the book, neither the book nor this website is intended to offer individualized advice or guidance. In the list of resources below, you’ll find resource directories for connecting with trained professionals who can offer individualized support and services.  
  
  

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Crisis-Focused Resources 

Before reviewing the other resources below, please make note of the following crisis-focused resources that offer 24/7 support:

• The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers 24/7 support related to mental health crises. 
• The National Domestic Violence Hotline offers 24/7 support via call, chat, and text. 
• LoveIsRespect.org offers a 24/7 hotline (including live chat and text messaging) focusing on support for dating abuse and healthy relationships for teens and young adults. 
  
• RAINN offers the National Sexual Assault Hotline, featuring 24/7 support via phone or chat. 
• The Trevor Project hosts a 24/7 support line via text, chat, or phone, with a focus on supporting youth in the LGBTQ+ population.
  
  

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Resources Related to Abuse Recovery

In this section, we include resources focusing on (1) the dynamics of abusive relationships, (2) the topic of financial abuse, (3) how to connect with mental health services and resources, and (4) information about the long-term healing process following an abusive relationship. 

The Dynamics of Abusive Relationships
*Note: This section was adapted from the Other Resources page of Christine’s Start Here Counseling & Consulting, PLLC, private practice.

• The National Domestic Violence Hotline: This is an important resource for everyone to know because the Hotline offers 24/7 support via call, chat, and text. Additional resources available through the National Domestic Violence Hotline include the following:
  • A searchable database of service providers
  • A website section focusing on Identifying Abuse
  • An interactive safety planning guide
• The Learn More section of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence website. Additional helpful resources from NCADV include the following: 
  • A listing of national resources that support victims and survivors of domestic violence
  • A listing of state domestic violence coalitions across the US
  • A national conference held annually by NCADV
• Resources from the National Network to End Domestic Violence, including the following:
  • A list of FAQs about domestic violence
  • WomensLaw.org, which offers “plain-language legal information for victims of abuse” and is also available in Spanish
  • A Resource Library
  • Toolkits, which include toolkits on the topics of technology safety and privacy, domestic violence & HIV/AIDS, and Transitional Housing
• See a list of Affiliated Centers with the Family Justice Center Alliance, a national resource focusing on co-located community-based resources for victims and survivors of interpersonal violence. The Alliance also has a VOICES Survivor Advocacy Network that provides a forum for survivors to engage in advocacy, education, and empowerment activities. 
• Learn about and download the Power and Control Wheel from the Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs website
• DomesticShelters.org offers a series of Comprehensive Guides, covering topics that include child custody issues, restraining orders, stalking, and spiritual abuse
• HelpGuide.org’s resource on Domestic Violence and Abuse
• The Joyful Heart Foundation, in the “Learn” section of their website, has resources to learn more about sexual assault, domestic violence, and child maltreatment.  
• Psychology Today offers an informational site about domestic violence, which includes  a focus on the impacts of abuse 
• Focusing on teen and young adult relationships: Loveisrespect.org offers resources that include the following:
  • A searchable resource database
  • Information about healthy relationships
  • Resources on how to support someone who is in an abusive relationship

The Topic of Financial Abuse

• Resources on financial abuse from the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV)
  • The Moving Ahead Curriculum developed by NNEDV and The Allstate Foundation
  • NNEDV’s Financial Abuse Toolkit
  • NNEDV’s Independence Project
• Financial abuse resources from WomensLaw.org
• Article from the National Domestic Violence Hotline: What is Financial Abuse?
• Recognizing Financial Abuse, Together resource from The Allstate Foundation, Vox Creative, and hello sunshine
• Peer-reviewed journal article: King, K., Murray, C. E., Crowe, A., Hunnicutt, G., Lundgren, K., & Olson, L. (2017). The costs of recovery: Intimate partner violence survivors’ experiences of financial recovery from abuse. The Family Journal, 25(3), 230-238. Available for open-access reading via NC DOCKS. 

How to Connect with Mental Health Services and Resources
*Note: This section was adapted from the Other Resources page of Christine’s Start Here Counseling & Consulting, PLLC, private practice. 

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Visit the Learn section of the 988 Lifeline website for information about mental health and suicide prevention. 
• Mental Health America offers information about categories of mental health-related topics.
• Mental Health First Aid offers an extensive list of links to online mental health resources.
• The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) offers information (including statistics, fact sheets, and information about accessing help on their website. 
• Visit the Educational Resources section of the Anxiety & Depression Association of America website
• SAMHSA offers resources and information about mental health in their section on “What is Mental Health?
• Below you will find links to databases to connect with trained mental health professionals in local communities across the United States:
  • Counselor Find (Hosted by the National Board for Certified Counselors)
  • Therapist Locator (Hosted by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy)
  • The Therapy Directory (Hosted by Psychology Today)

Information about the Long-Term Healing Process Following an Abusive Relationship
*Note: This section was adapted from the Other Resources page of Christine’s Start Here Counseling & Consulting, PLLC, private practice. 

• As readers will see throughout our book, we believe self-compassion is a powerful tool along the healing journey. Visit the Self-Compassion website of Dr. Kristin Neff at https://self-compassion.org/ for extensive information about self-compassion. 
• Download the free Pathway for Survivors Mini-Journal developed for The Source for Survivors
• The See the Triumph Campaign, Co-founded by Christine 
• Download a free pdf version of the Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services Treatment Improvement Protocol Series, #57, developed by SAMHSA, through the National Library of Medicine
• Resources from HelpGuide.org:
  • Emotional and Psychological Trauma
  • How to Cope with Traumatic Events
• Article from the Cleveland Clinic: How to Heal from Trauma
• Article from domesticshelters.org: Stages of Recovery After Trauma
  
• Article from NIH News in Health: Dealing with Trauma
  
• Article from the NIMH: Coping with Traumatic Events
  
• Article from UPMC: Phases of Trauma Recovery: How to Reclaim Normalcy After a Crisis
  
  

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Resources Related to Financial Well-Being

Download our sample budgeting Excel file with the sample budget for survivors.

Sample Budget for Survivors

This sample budget is available as a free download. No payment is required to receive this download. Click "Buy Now" to enter your name and contact information, and then the download will be sent to your email address after you've submitted the form.



The budget is intended to be downloaded and adapted by individual users as appropriate to reflect their individual needs and experiences. We ask that this resource be properly cited with used in any training, educational, or similar resources or programming.


Background: This sample budget is designed to accompany the book, Financial Abuse Recovery, by Christine Murray and Eileen Martin. Please note that this budget is intended to serve as an example, but that as is the case with all of the information provided through the Financial Abuse Recovery book and through The Source for Survivors in general, the information provided is not intended to be individualized or personalized advice or guidance. Please visit the book's website, www.sourceforsurvivors.info/financialabuse, to connect with informational resources and directories for connecting with more individualized services.


The free budget download is in the format of an Excel file. Please provide the information requested to be provided with access to the file. No purchase necessary. This budget is copyright of The Source for Survivors (2024).

Request Your Copy

Financial literacy quizzes

• Financial Literacy Test Center from the National Financial Educators Council
• Financial literacy quiz from the Council for Economic Education
• Financial literacy quizzes from the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center
• Financial literacy quiz from Investopedia

Financial literacy courses and resources

• The MoneyW!SE program from Working in Support of Education (W!SE) is a 12-week financial literacy course for survivors of domestic violence. 
• FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) offers free online Smart Investing Courses
• The National Foundation for Credit Counseling offers free online financial literacy courses on the topics of Money 101, Understanding Your Credit Score, and Improving Your Credit Score. 
• The National Association of State Treasurers offers the Enrich platform, which focuses on personal finance tools and information.
• The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Division of Extension offers the Money Matters online program. The Online Self Study only option is available regardless of whether people live in Wisconsin. 
• Khan Academy and Capital One partnered to develop a free, self-paced online financial literacy course. 
• McGill University offers a free, online Personal Finance Essentials course.

How to Connect with Financial Professionals 

• FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) has an article on qualifications for registered financial professionals. 
  • The FINRA website also offers searchable databases to look up FINRA Disciplinary Actions and Research a Broker or Firm. 
• The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors has a Directory of Fee-Only, Fiduciary Financial Planners on their website. 
• The CFPR (Certified Financial PlannerTM) Board of Standards has a directory of local CFPR professionals on its website. 
• The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) offers a searchable Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website. 
• Find a Financial Therapist Directory from the Financial Therapy Association.

Debt and Credit

• The National Foundation for Credit Counseling (https://www.nfcc.org/) offers an online agency finder directory of nonprofit credit counseling services. 
• AnnualCreditReport.com is the government-authorized resource for accessing your free credit report. The three major credit bureaus in the United States are as follows:
  • Equifax
  • Experian
  • TransUnion
  • As we noted earlier, the National Foundation for Credit Counseling offers a free online financial literacy courses on the topic of Improving Your Credit Score. 
• Article, How to Get Out of Debt with the Debt Snowball Plan, from Ramsey Solutions
• Article, Debt Avalanche: Meaning, Pros and Cons, and Example, from Investopedia
• Article, How do I get and keep a good credit score?, from the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
• Tip Sheet from the US Federal Reserve Board: 5 Tips for Improving Your Credit Score
• Article, Bankruptcy Basics, from the United States Courts
  
  

Other Financial-Related Resources

• The US Government has an online tool for finding government benefits and financial help.
• Futures Without Violence offers information about access to healthcare for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. 
• Article, Making a Budget, from the US Federal Trade Commission
  

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Resources Related to Career and Educational Pathways

Career Development Resources

• CareerOneStop is a career exploration and training resource sponsored by the US Department of Labor
• The National Career Development Association (NCDA) is a founding Division of the American Counseling Association. On the NCDA website, you can find a  directory for career counselors in your local area. 
  • NCDA also offers a listing of Internet Sites for Career Planning. 
• SCORE is a nonprofit organization that partners with the US Small Business Administration to offer resources, including local volunteer mentors, to individuals interested in starting a new small business
• Visit your local public library to find out about career development programs and resources they offer. 
  

Career assessments 

• The American Library Association maintains a listing of resources for career assessments. 
  
• Included in NCDA’s listing of Internet Sites for Career Planning is a section focusing on Self-Assessments. 
  
• CareerOneStop offers online career matching assessments. 
  
• The website, Truity, offers a number of career interest assessments. 
  
• My Next Move is a US Department of Labor-sponsored resource that offers tools for learning about career options, including the online assessment, the O*NET Interest Profiler. 
  

Negotiation and self-advocacy

• The American Library Association maintains a listing of articles focusing on job interviewing skills. 
  
• Article, Top 10 Negotiation Skills You Must Learn to Succeed, from the Harvard Law School Program on Negotiation
  
• Article, 6 Strategies to Improve Your Negotiation Skills, from Harvard Business School Online
  
• Article, Ask an Expert: How Do I Advocate For Myself at Work, from Harvard Business Review
  
• Article, How to Advocate for Yourself in the Workplace (With Tips), from Indeed.com 
  
• Article, What is Self-Advocacy and Resiliency: Essential Traits for Women in Leadership, from Emory University Continuing Education
  

Pursuing Education as an Adult Learner

• The Women’s Independence Scholarship Program, Inc. offers scholarships to female survivors of intimate partner violence. 
  
• VAWnet, hosted by the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, offers a listing of academic scholarships for domestic violence survivors and advocates. 
  
• CareerOneStop offers a directory of Community Colleges across the US. 
  
• CareerOneStop also offers directories of other job skill training programs. 
  
• Many local colleges and universities have offices dedicated to supporting adult learner students. These offices may have different names, such as “Office of Adult Education” or “Adult Learner Services.” If you have a hard time determining if a college or university you are considering has an office like this, the Admissions Office and/or Career Development/Career Services Office at that campus should be able to direct you to any relevant resources that are available. 
  
  

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