Avoidance around inheritance is really common — and it's rarely about the money itself. It's usually about grief, identity, or guilt. Sarah may be associating the inheritance with loss rather than gain, which makes it emotionally loaded to discuss.

Before going into any practical framing, I'd suggest opening by acknowledging the loss first. Something like: "Before we talk about anything practical, how are you doing with everything around your father's passing?" — this signals that you're not here just to manage assets, you're here to support her through a human experience.

Once she feels heard, avoidance typically drops significantly and she'll be more open to the practical conversation.

That guilt is one of the most common emotional patterns in inheritance situations — it has a name: inherited wealth guilt. It comes from conflating the money with the loss, as if accepting the inheritance means endorsing the death rather than honouring the relationship.

A reframe that often works: ask Sarah what her father wanted for her. Most people, when they think about it, know their parent wanted them to be secure and free from worry. The inheritance isn't a transaction — it's an act of love that outlasts a life. Framing it that way tends to separate the guilt from the practical reality.

Of course. I'll play Sarah. Begin the session naturally — I'll respond as she might, based on the avoidant and guilt-laden profile you've described. When you're ready, just open the conversation as you would in real life.

— Lydia is now in Roleplay mode —