Earn better.

Welcome to Ladies Get Paid, a weekly newsletter helping women expand their worth, inside and out. Was this sent to you? Subscribe here so you don’t miss the next one.​

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This is for anyone who is ready to earn more and feel better.

I had a coaching session last week that I can’t stop thinking about.

My client — let’s call her “A” — has done everything right. Six years at her company. Promoted to director. On the IPO readiness team. Got flown to the NASDAQ floor. Won their top award and received a Cartier watch on stage.

She told me: “I’m really unhappy. I dread work more days than I look forward to it.”

“A” is the definition of golden handcuffed — half a million in equity on the line. She knows she’s playing small. She knows she’s capable of more. But every time she thinks about making a move, something stops her.

After our session, I reviewed my own business goals for 2026. And I realized: in some ways, I’m doing the same thing.

Yes, I wrote a book called Ladies Get Paid. I’ve coached thousands of women on knowing their worth and asking for more. And yet I still catch myself sometimes undercharging, overdelivering, and hesitating to take up space.

The worst part is, we know we’re playing small. We might even know why. We just don’t know how to change it.

This is part of why I went back to school a few years ago — got a master’s certificate in financial psychology. I needed to understand why knowing better wasn’t enough.

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Here’s what I learned:

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That constant sense of not enough. The guilt when you spend on yourself. The avoidance. The way your throat closes when it’s time to say your number.

These aren’t character flaws. They’re protection.

At some point, your nervous system learned: this is how we stay safe around money. And now, even when you “know better,” your body runs the old program.

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Why knowing isn’t enough

You’ve probably tried to think your way out of this. Affirmations. Journaling. Telling yourself you’re “worth it.”

Maybe it helps — for a minute. But then you’re in the room, about to ask for more, and your throat closes anyway.

That’s because these patterns aren’t just in your head. They’re in your body. They’re in your nervous system. And you can’t think your way out of a nervous system response.

You have to feel your way through.

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The framework that actually works

I’ve developed a 4-part process based on financial psychology, somatic therapy, and what I’ve seen work with thousands of coaching clients:

1. Name it. Get specific about which money patterns are costing you the most. Then trace them to the core fear underneath. (Spoiler: it’s rarely about money. It’s usually about safety, worthiness, or love.)
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2. Feel it. This is the part most people skip — and why nothing sticks. You have to feel the fear in your body, stay with it long enough for it to pass (about 90 seconds), and send it compassion instead of judgment. The block won’t release if it doesn’t trust you.
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3. Release it. Your body stores what your mind processes. If you don’t discharge the activation, it stays stuck. This means literally physically shaking it out — the way animals do after escaping a predator. It sounds woo. But it works.
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4. Rewire it. New neural pathways take about 30 days to form. Not heroic effort — just 5-10 minutes a day of rehearsing a different response to your triggers. Small, controlled exposures that teach your nervous system “this isn’t a threat.”

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A new year, a new worth

What if you went into 2025 with a different relationship to your worth?

Not by grinding harder. Not by forcing yourself to think positive. But by understanding where your money stories came from — and releasing them through your body, not just your mind.

I made something to help.

It’s called “Release Your Broke Baggage” — a free workbook that walks you through all four parts of this framework, plus a 10-minute guided meditation where I lead you through the release practice using my own story.
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Access the workbook

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The goal isn’t to eliminate your money blocks. That’s not realistic — and if you’re already hard on yourself, it’s just another way to fail.

The goal is to change your relationship with them. To recover faster when they flare up. To catch yourself mid-spiral instead of after. To have a half-second of choice where there used to be pure reaction.

Remember, you’re not broken. You’re practicing.

Here’s to a year of expanding your worth — inside and out.

Now go get paid.

x Claire

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Resources ​

Looking for a job? ​LLC of Me​ Dreaming of a new career? ​Pivot Pathfinder​ Preparing to negotiate? ​Earn Better​ Seeking guidance? ​Explore Coaching​

I work with women who want more out of their career, and their life.

I have the capacity to take on a few more clients in January. These are the situations I specialize in (any sound familiar?):
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• The Golden Handcuffs Client: Well-compensated but soul-starved. You want meaningful work but can’t afford to sacrifice financial security—especially with a family depending on you. The thought of starting over feels paralyzing.
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• The Ambitious Achiever Who Hit a Wall: You do everything “right”—stellar performance, great relationships, impressive results—but you’re not advancing as expected. You get to final rounds but don’t close the deal, and you can’t figure out why.
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• The Brave Leaper in Analysis Paralysis: You’re already mid-transition but frozen by overthinking. You have courage but lack clarity, strategy, or confidence. Every option feels like it could be the “wrong” choice.
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• The Expert Stuck in Your Expertise: You have deep knowledge and experience but struggle to translate it into something marketable. You’re caught between your established identity and who you’re becoming.

If any of these resonate, you’re at a critical inflection point that requires both strategic clarity AND the internal tools to execute with confidence. I’d be honored to guide you.

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Why Choose Me

Most coaches give you either strategy OR mindset work. I seamlessly weave together:

1. Practical next steps with the internal alignment work needed to execute them
2. Strategic roadmapping with tools to manage your present so you have bandwidth for your future
3. Market positioning with the confidence to own your worth and negotiate from strength

I don’t push you to quit your job tomorrow or take dramatic leaps. Instead, I help you see your current paycheck as “a venture capitalist funding your transition” so you can shift to a more empowered position.
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I provide gentle support when you’re struggling with fear and self-doubt—and firm accountability when you’re making excuses or avoiding necessary action. I won’t let you stay stuck in planning mode or let perfectionism sabotage your progress.

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The Real Reason My Coaching Works

Here’s what I’ve learned after working with thousands of women: When you say you want a “career change,” what you really need is alignment between who you’ve become and how you show up professionally.

The surface problem is job dissatisfaction. The real problem is identity evolution.

I’ve lived through the messy, complicated reality of major life transitions. I know what it feels like to be successful on paper but lost inside. I understand the fear of making the “wrong” choice when everything feels high-stakes.

My approach is to turn my life inside out—taking what I’ve learned (mostly through struggle) and breaking it down in a way that’s accessible and actionable for you.
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Start with a 30 Minute Session

Hi, I’m Claire Wasserman and I help you expand your worth, wealth, and wellbeing.​ ​ I’d love to support you – learn more here.​ ​