Financial Advisor Certification Now Mandates 'Trauma-Informed Stock Picking'; First Advisor Reports 'Inability to Discuss Market Crashes Without Triggering Client PTSD'
The National Association of Financial Advisors (NAFA) announced Wednesday it will require all licensed financial planners to complete its new “Trauma-Informed Stock Picking Certification” by October 1, 2026, or face automatic suspension of their fiduciary license. The $4,200 certification exam costs $1,800 less than Harvard Business School’s MBA, according to NAFA CEO Brenda Kowalski, who described the program as “the first time in history someone has tried to monetize the emotional side of losing your retirement portfolio.”