Our perception of a thing often depends on how we look at it. That coffee cup in front of you appears to be in different places, depending on if you shut your left or right eye. A car coming at us on the other side of the road seems to move a lot faster than one travelling alongside us. These are common examples of what’s called a parallax.  

Money can be the same. Our perspective, our attitudes, even the way our brains work can affect our comfort with it and the decisions we make.

At the end of 2019, in the early days of what would be a global pandemic, financial advisor Jodie Stauffer decided to apply that idea to a new firm — Parallax Planning & Wealth. As someone with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), she wanted to help people like herself. Stauffer started posting tips online.

“I wanted to help people navigate an incredibly stressful time,” she said. “The lockdown made impulsive spending worse, and money habits were breaking down under stress.”

The more she opened up, the more her personal story resonated.

“People started saying, ‘You get it. Your story resonates with me,’” she said. Therapists familiar with ADHD began referring clients. What began organically became a specialization: helping people who think differently about money. Traditional financial advice rarely works for people with ADHD, a condition that affects an estimated 4%–6% of adults in Canada — about 1.8 million people, according to the Canadian ADHD Resource Alliance.

For some, basic tasks like opening mail can be overwhelming. Unexpected messages can trigger anxiety.

Stauffer knows that feeling firsthand. She had worked in finance for roughly seven years before being diagnosed with ADHD about 18 years ago, holding roles from bank manager to in-branch planner. She admits she faced challenges managing some parts of her finances.

“Even with my financial background, I struggled,” she said. “Once I understood my brain and how ADHD affected me, it was like a complete 365-degree shift in how I viewed and managed my finances — and my life.”

Her diagnosis came unexpectedly. At the time, she was seeking answers for her daughter, who was being assessed for ADHD. The psychiatrist noticed similar patterns in Stauffer and suggested she be evaluated, too.

“That’s really common for women,” she said. “Your child gets diagnosed, and suddenly you’re sitting there thinking, ‘Wait a minute, all those things sound like me.’”

For years, she kept that private. “I never disclosed my ADHD at work, because there was so much stigma,” she said. “I’d seen people in finance have their careers stall after asking for accommodations. Things their employers were fine with before suddenly became problems after a diagnosis.”

An ideal fit

Stauffer’s clients include doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs and retirees — many highly accomplished but struggling to keep their financial lives on track. Some are women who have recently lost a spouse and are managing money on their own for the first time.

“Often, they’re not even sure what’s been going on with their finances, and now they have to figure it all out,” she said. “That’s when compassion and patience matter more than anything.”

Last December, Stauffer signed on with Money Coaches Canada. Sheila Walkington, the firm’s co-founder and CFO said Stauffer’s approach was an ideal fit for clients.

“In getting to know Jodie and her specialty around ADHD, we realized a lot of our clients — even if they’re not diagnosed — experience anxiety around money,” Walkington said. “They’re timid about asking for advice and need hand holding. That made her approach a perfect fit.”

Shorter meetings and actionable steps are key strategies for these clients.

“Long explanations overwhelm them,” Walkington said. “Quick tips, reassurance and clarity on cash flow — that’s what makes a difference. Jodie’s specialty in helping people understand where their money goes ensures retirement planning and other long-term strategies are based on accurate numbers.”

Stauffer’s approach avoids spreadsheets and form-heavy meetings. Instead, she uses colour-coded steps, visual layouts and hands-on strategies, often in short, focused sessions.

“With ADHD, 20 or 30 minutes on a single topic can be more productive than a two-hour meeting,” she said. “It’s about breaking things down so people can actually act on them.” She also asks clients to commit to at least a one-year relationship. “It’s not about producing a document,” she said. “It’s about making an impact — changing how someone feels about their money and helping them move forward.”

Stauffer said she joined Money Coaches Canada because the firm shares her values.

“They believe, like I do, that it’s less about the money and more about the people,” she said. “As a fee-for-service, advice-only planner, we have the time, we have the energy and we have no vested interest in quickly selling you a product,” she said.

That independence, Stauffer added, is important for clients with ADHD, who benefit most from tailored strategies and patient, step-by-step guidance.

Still, Stauffer acknowledges affordability is a barrier.

“There’s a huge gap in support for people who can’t afford professional help,” she said. “I do some pro bono work, but there needs to be more low-cost options. It’s about making people feel like they’re not broken — that there’s a way forward that works with how their brain works.”