On May 19, 2026, at 6 p.m., the Finnish and American Women’s Network will host an exclusive evening titled “Transform Your Money Mindset” at The Residence of the Consul General of Finland, located at 857 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10065. The event will feature Lassander in conversation with Jenni-Helena Niemi, alongside live music by Ida Metsberg. Guests are asked to RSVP by May 16, 2026, at rsvp@fawnet.org.

The evening centers on Lassander’s new book, Money Values: How to Be Financially Mindful, published by Prometheus and distributed by Simon & Schuster. The publisher describes the book as an exploration of how people’s relationship with money affects their routines, relationships, well-being, and connection to the wider world, while offering strategies for aligning financial choices with personal values.

Lassander’s work stands apart from conventional personal finance advice because it does not begin with productivity, wealth accumulation, or optimization. Instead, it begins with a more intimate question: What is money actually for?

That question appears at the heart of her recent Psychology Today essay, “What an Eight-Year-Old Taught Me About Money,” in which Lassander recounts a breakfast-table conversation with her son that challenged her to examine not just how much she earned or spent, but why she worked, what mattered to her, and how she wanted her life to contribute to the world. In the essay, she argues that people often talk about budgets, salaries, and prices, but rarely pause to ask what money is meant to serve.

For readers navigating financial anxiety, rising costs, career pressure, and the broader uncertainty of modern life, Lassander’s message is timely. She writes that financial stress can narrow attention and make thoughtful decision-making harder, while values-based reflection can offer clarity when money worries become overwhelming.

Her professional background gives that message unusual depth. According to Psychology Today, Lassander has worked as Chief Specialist on Behavioral Insights for the Prime Minister’s Office of Finland, has been part of the research consortium for Finland’s Basic Income Experiment, holds a Ph.D. in psychology, is a Marie Curie alumna of Yale University, and has been a visiting researcher at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

On her own website, Lassander describes herself as a psychologist and psychotherapist based in Helsinki who writes about behavior, belief, money, health, and meaning. Her stated focus is not only personal change, but how people can improve life for their communities and the wider world.

That broader lens is central to Money Values. Rather than framing money as merely a tool for individual success, the book connects psychology, personal finance, and social policy. Its themes include childhood experiences with money, habit formation, financial stress, emotional resilience, conversations with partners and children, and the role financial resources can play in building healthier communities.

Early critical response has noted the book’s distinctive approach. Simon & Schuster highlights a Publishers Weekly review calling Money Values “a measured guide” and “a distinctive alternative to performance-oriented wealth-building programs.” Library Journal also describes the book as combining psychology and social policy research to explore how emotions, upbringing, and society shape people’s thinking about money.

For the Finnish and American Women’s Network, the May 19 event offers more than a book talk. It creates a cultural and professional space for a conversation that many people experience privately but rarely examine publicly: how money shapes identity, stress, family life, ambition, and belonging.

The choice of venue adds another layer of meaning. Hosted at the Residence of the Consul General of Finland in New York, the evening brings a Finnish voice on financial well-being into a transatlantic setting, inviting Finnish and American audiences to reflect together on values, work, and the social pressures that influence how people define success.

Lassander’s message is especially resonant because it does not shame people for worrying about money. Nor does it pretend that mindfulness alone can solve structural financial strain. Instead, her work suggests that people can begin by asking better questions: What do I want my money to support? Which choices reflect my values? Which habits are inherited, reactive, or driven by fear? And what kind of life am I building through the financial decisions I repeat every day?

In an era when money conversations are often reduced to income, inflation, debt, investing, or status, Lassander invites a more reflective approach. Her work asks readers and event guests to consider money not only as a number, but as a mirror—one that can reveal what people protect, pursue, avoid, and ultimately value.