138. Your Rich Auntie Speaks: Real Talk About Root Chakra, Money & Power

Cinthia:

Welcome to Mind Power Meets Mystic—the show where practical mind power and mystical wisdom collide with humor and wild curiosity. Yeah, we're not here to play it safe.

I'm Cinthia Varkevisser, your resident spiritual shit disturber. I stir things up with mystic power and bold action.

Michelle:

And I'm Michelle Walters, coach and hypnotherapist. I bring strategy and transformative hypnosis to help you turn subconscious blocks into unstoppable momentum.

Let’s shake up your thinking, dive into your soul, and make bold moves in your life. We’ll take you on a journey of breakthrough and aha moments—exploring spirit, business, love, relationships, and self-expansion.

We’re connecting you with your highest self and flipping fear into strength. So buckle up. We’re doing this one wild, transformative conversation at a time.

Let’s go.

Michelle:

Hello! Michelle Walters here with my podcast pal, Cinthia Varkevisser, for another episode of Mind Power Meets Mystic. We’re excited to be continuing our chakra series. Today, we’re diving back into Chakra One with our guest, Robin Patton.

Robin is a Senior Director of Wealth Management at Choreo’s Orinda, California office. Growing up as the daughter of a schoolteacher and a truck driver, she saw firsthand the impact of financial literacy—an experience that shaped her passion for helping clients navigate with confidence.

With a structured and empathetic approach, Robin builds deep relationships with her clients—understanding both their financial and emotional needs to create tailored long-term strategies. Before joining Choreo through its acquisition of ENSO Wealth Management, she was a Principal and Wealth Manager at ENSO and previously spent six years at Edward Jones.

She’s also a sought-after speaker and writer, regularly sharing insights on financial literacy and wealth-building—especially dedicated to empowering women of color. Welcome, Robin!

Robin:

Thank you. I’m so excited to be here.

Cinthia:

We’re so happy to have you—especially because your background connects so directly with Chakra One. You talk about growing up with working-class parents—your mom a teacher, your dad a truck driver. That salt-of-the-earth foundation totally lines up with root chakra themes: survival, safety, and the beliefs we form as kids that shape the rest of our lives.

I love that you lead with empathy and build deep relationships. Can you tell us about the kinds of clients you work with, and what you’ve seen as some patterns—especially when it comes to financial survival programming?

Robin:

Absolutely. A lot of people in wealth management came from wealthy backgrounds themselves—it’s kind of the default. I didn’t. So when I first started as a financial advisor, I worked with average, hard-working Americans—people who wanted a fair rate of return and to be treated with respect. And honestly, that work made some of the biggest impacts of my career. I treated clients the way I wanted my parents to be treated. That never left me.

Now I work more with high and ultra-high-net-worth clients. It’s a different scope—more estate planning, tax strategy—but I still love the “bread and butter” financial planning. Sitting across from someone building a retirement strategy from scratch? That’s meaningful.

Cinthia:

That’s so cool. So how did you discover financial planning was your thing?

Robin:

Funny enough, I thought about being a financial advisor right out of college—but I wasn’t ready. You need life experience. You need to work crappy jobs, go through your own money struggles and wins. This work is equal parts art and science, and empathy is key. I didn’t start until I was 36, and honestly, that was the earliest I could’ve done it well.

Michelle:

Totally hear that. I went through something similar in hypnotherapy school. Life experience gave me the metaphor bank, the depth, to help others. Do you work virtually now, or do clients come to you?

Robin:

I’m based in San Francisco, but if a client wants to meet face-to-face, I’ll drive to Orinda, no hesitation. There's just something about sitting across a desk. I respect virtual, and it’s necessary for some, but in-person connection is irreplaceable.

Cinthia:

So, I have twin 33-year-old daughters—and their idea of financial strategy is maxing out their 401(k), maybe a Roth IRA. We didn’t give them deep financial literacy growing up—we were getting by, not totally broke, but not thriving either. Do you see clients like them—people in their 30s trying to figure it out?

Robin:

Yes! And you’re right—our society intentionally lacks financial education. The internet and social media have opened up access to information, which is amazing—but it doesn’t undo childhood programming. We’re expecting people to make 30-year retirement plans with no education. It’s wild.

Cinthia:

Exactly. So in your work, do you see correlations between age and root chakra programming? Like, how people handle survival and safety?

Robin:

Oh yeah. I’ve had silent generation clients who grew up in the Great Depression, and you feel it in how they handle money. I’ve worked with people from countries like Argentina, who lost everything during military regimes. Those traumas are burned into how they view risk. You don’t erase that—you work with it. You honor it.

Cinthia:

Yes. My step-grandfather kept silver bars everywhere. Depression mentality.

Robin:

Exactly. And I’m seeing that again now. When the world feels uncertain, people retreat to what feels “safe”—real estate, physical assets. That’s their root chakra speaking.

Michelle:

Let’s shift into what you and I offer together—Mind Power Meets Mystic: The Project.

Cinthia:

Yes! You start off with me. We identify one thing you want to amplify or release. I intuitively guide you to its essence, then give you a 3-point “RX” of practical actions to move forward.

Michelle:

While that’s happening, I’m quietly listening. Then I use your insights—and mine—to create a customized 20–30 minute hypnosis. You walk away with the recording, the Zoom session, and Cinthia’s guidance. It’s transformational.

Cinthia:

Okay, back to the world of finance and media. Robin, tell us about your YouTube channel—Your Rich Auntie.

Robin:

Yes! YouTube’s been huge. There’s light and shadow to it. Great info—and terrible advice. The average person can’t always tell the difference. Some creators are well-meaning but clueless. Others are running outright scams. Sadly, it’s often the Root Chakra they target—survival fear, urgency, quick fixes.

Cinthia:

Scams are everywhere, and people don’t talk about it. There's so much shame.

Robin:

Totally. And it’s not just older people. Gen Z, Millennials—many have no financial experience and get targeted hard. And the worst scams? Some come from corporate entities that toe the legal line but sell trash products. I can’t name names, but some are household names. And they operate behind a polished brand.

Michelle:

And the regulations stop you, a licensed, trained pro, from warning people?

Robin:

Yes. I negotiated that when I joined my current firm—I had to be able to educate. It’s absurd that the Kardashians can hype garbage investments, but credentialed advisors are silenced.

Cinthia:

It’s unethical. We need accessible expert content. The paywalling of knowledge is so wrong.

Robin:

Couldn’t agree more.

Cinthia:

So tell everyone where they can find you and what you’ve got coming up.

Robin:

Sure! I’ve got a speaking event on May 28 for Women in Environmental Sciences. You can find info at robinpatin.com. But the best place to connect with me? My YouTube channel: Your Rich Auntie.

Cinthia:

Because you are my rich auntie!

Robin:

Yes, I am!

Michelle:

We’re so grateful you joined us, Robin. This time flew. We’ll definitely have to do this again.

Cinthia:

To our Mind Power Meets Mystic crew—thank you for listening. Please like, comment, and share the show. We love hearing what you want more of. We’re infinitely curious, and we’re here for it all.

Robin:

Thank you so much.

All:

Bye!