The Experts
in Romance
&
Finance
 |
|
|
 |
||
561-372-1155
The Experts in Romance and Finance
Jill C. Morris, PhD, LMHC, LMFT
Dr. Jill Morris is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She specializes in the brief, systemic treatment of children, adolescents, and adults. She has developed a substantial specialty in relationship and couple counseling. She has been serving the Boca community since 1994, and she is currently enlarging the scope of her practice to include educational seminars and workshops. Prior to completing her doctorate in Family Therapy at Nova Southeastern University, she earned a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Florida Atlantic University and a Master’s degree in Education. Having earned an undergraduate degree in Fine Arts, she was an art teacher in several private schools prior to developing her clinical practice. Jill is a clinical member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and the American Counseling Association. She is also certified by the Supreme Court of Florida as a Family Mediator. Jill’s dissertation topic addressed family communication about sexuality. Her professional experience in this area included consulting as the regional clinical coordinator and supervisor with nationwide research-based adolescent pregnancy prevention program and as the former director of education and public affairs for Planned Parenthood. She has also been working with a major pharmaceutical company as a key opinion leader. Jill has presented locally and nationally on topics related to sexuality, family communication, divorce, depression, personality disorders, and gender roles. She has been featured on WPBT’s “Kid’s Health Matters.” She is included in the 21st edition of Who’s Who of American Women, Who’s Who in Science and Engineering, and Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare. Jill is the founder and director of the Sage Institute for Women and Families, a nonprofit organization providing counseling to low to middle income individuals and families. She has served on several boards of community organizations, including the National Organization for Women and National Council of Jewish Women. Born in Philadelphia, but a Floridian since 1971, she is the mother of two daughters.
Ralph S. Robbins, CFP
I began my career in the financial planning business as an avocation as opposed to a vocation. When my daughter was born in 1984 I realized my fledgling family’s need to establish financial goals with respect to savings and insurance. My interest in finance grew as I began to unearth the intricacies of the investment markets and the opportunities therein. Moreover, as my understanding grew, I discussed these matters with friends and family and soon realized how few really understood the power of compound interest, the value of diversifying investments, the importance of taking advantage of tax law, and intricacies of various forms of insurance. The “business” of financial planning was in its nascency at the time (The College of Financial Planning was formed in 1982). Most people up to that point received financial advice either through a stock broker from a major Wall Street firm or an insurance company. Very few in either profession had expertise in that of the other (as is much the case still today) and therefore the public rarely received coordinated, comprehensive advice (never mind unbiased!). I began to explore opportunities in the profession of financial planning and found that indeed it was difficult to find a firm that had a shared vision of providing an educational approach to saving and investing. In 1993 I was finally able to strike out on my own and became a Certified Financial Planner in 1994. Since then I have had privilege of serving hundreds of clients in various capacities. Some require assistance with retirement planning, some with investment management, some with estate or tax planning. Still others seek help with planning for long-term care or life insurance and some, unfortunately, require assistance in arranging affairs when placing a loved one in a nursing home. The common thread that runs throughout all of my client relationships is that nothing is done in a vacuum. All aspects of a family’s or individual’s financial circumstances are considered when making important decisions. For example: When considering investment strategies I examine carefully the tax consequences of decisions we make. When planning for long-term care or life insurance needs I look at the availability of all assets and discuss carefully and fully the goals of the client. Similarly, when structuring a plan for nursing home placement, I explore not only the income, gift, and estate tax issues involved but the emotional issues as well. The greatest satisfaction I receive from my work is the look in a client’s eye which lets me know that the light bulb has been lit. That some concept that was undecipherable is now understood, that some problem once deemed insurmountable was now within resolve, or that some anxiety they had been experiencing is now ameliorated.