RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – Rick Kahler, MS, CFP®, CFT™, CeFT®, has been inducted as the fourth-ever member of the Financial Therapy Hall of Fame. The honor was presented June 5 at the annual Financial Therapy Association meeting in Austin, Texas.
Kahler founded Kahler Financial Group in 1983, becoming the first client-centered, fee-only financial planning firm in South Dakota. He is also a co-founder of the Financial Therapy Association, a Distinguished Adjunct Faculty Professor at Golden Gate University, a co-author of nine books, a public speaker, and the founder of Advanced Wellbeing, LLC, a financial coaching and therapy practice in Rapid City.
“This honor is a marker on a path,” Kahler said. “There is no finish line in this work… I am grateful for the many colleagues, mentors, and clients who have shaped my journey.”
Kahler helped pioneer the field of financial therapy, co-creating what is believed to be the first financial therapy workshop in the U.S. in 2007 alongside Dr. Ted Klontz. The workshop later gained national attention after being featured in The Wall Street Journal and ABC’s 20/20.
In 2009, Kahler joined other professionals and academics in forming what became the Financial Therapy Association. The group later launched the Certified Financial Therapist designation in 2015, with Kahler among its first recipients.
Over his career, Kahler has co-authored nine books exploring the intersection of psychology and personal finance, including Coupleship Inc. and several titles with the Klontz family of researchers.
More information is available at advanced-wellbeing.com.
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.
Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.
Copyright 2026 KOTA. All rights reserved.