The Stepmom Diaries Podcast

Dr. Patricia Papernow, a leading expert on blended families and author of acclaimed books on stepfamily dynamics, shares her wealth of knowledge. She discusses how stepfamilies differ from traditional families and outlines five core challenges they face. Patricia dives into children's unique experiences, emphasizing the emotional impacts of loyalty binds and grief. She advocates for building connections through one-on-one time and outlines practical strategies for stepmoms to foster relationships and navigate family dynamics effectively.

Let's Get Real! Being a stepmom can be so hard - and sometimes you want someone to break it down and give you the tough love. The real advice with no sugarcoating. That person is Maarit Miller and in today's episode, we talk to her about all the tough things. The issues like high-conflict relationships, parental alienation, and more. And she's got some great advice for anyone who's struggling. You Can Find Maarit: www.blendedfamilyfrappe.com Instagram The Stepmom Summit: Maarit will also be speaking at The Stepmom Summit August 26-28, 2021. You won't want to miss it. The Stepmom Summit, is a premier, virtual event just for stepmoms. We have 23 of the top experts from around the world who will sharing stories, support, advice, guidance, and connection to help stepmoms from all walks of live navigate their blended families. You can find out more at thestepmomsummit.com. I hope we'll see you there!

Learning How To Step Back Figuring out when it's time to take a step back and learning how to do it is no joke for stepmoms. And today's guest, Dr. Erin Careless, is going to tell you how to do it in a way that helps both you and your stepfamily. Dr. Careless, a self-described recovering people-pleaser, has a PhD in adult education focusing on stepmothering, is a Certified Stepfamily Coach, and the owner of Steplife: Stepmom Coaching and Support. She is also a Director of Adult Learning and Teaching at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She lives just a few feet from the ocean in Nova Scotia, Canada, and the beach is a favourite spot for her and her kids. You can find Erin at https://www.steplife.biz. She's also on Instagram and Facebook. The Stepmom Summit Dr. Careless is also one of the renowned experts speaking at the upcoming Stepmom Summit, August 26-28. You can find out more and get your FREE ticket HERE.

Being a BOLD Stepmom Today's guest is Jessica Frew. She is a wife, ex-wife, mom, stepmom, and BOLD action taker. She has a successful podcast called "Husband in Law" that she records with her husband, Matt, and her ex-husband, Steve. Together they share their stories of love, marriage, coming out, divorce, remarriage, and co-parenting to help others know they are not alone. Jessica is also a speaker at our upcoming Stepmom Summit, where she'll be talking about LGBTQ issues in blended families with religious differences. You will not want to miss it! You Can Find Jessica: On Instagram TheBoldLogic.com Husband In Law Podcast on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts THE STEPMOM SUMMIT Jessica will also be speaking at The Stepmom Summit August 26-28, 2021. You won't want to miss it. The Stepmom Summit, is a premier, virtual event just for stepmoms. We have 23 of the top experts from around the world who will sharing stories, support, advice, guidance, and connection to help stepmoms from all walks of live navigate their blended families. You can find out more at www.thestepmomsummit.com. I hope we'll see you there!

This episode is fit for a queen! In this episode, we talk to Brittany Lynch, the founder & CEO of Stepqueen and the host of top-ranked relationship podcast: Queen of your Castle. Brittany helps stepmoms from around the world to release the jealousy, resentment, anger, and insecurity that come with stepfamily life. With nearly a decade of experience as a Registered Nurse, a post-degree certification in Stepfamily Counselling from the Stepfamily Foundation, Brittany has become a beacon of hope for countless stepmoms who long for a life of peace, acceptance, and security. Brittany is also one of our speakers at the premier virtual stepmom experience, The Stepmom Summit, August 26 – 28 and you won't want to miss her talk! You can find Brittany: At www.stepqueen.com On Instagram Queen of Your Castle podcast on iTunes (or wherever you listen to podcasts) THE STEPMOM SUMMIT Brittany will also be speaking at the virtual The Stepmom Summit August 26-28, 2021 and you can get your FREE ticket HERE. The Stepmom Summit is a three-day, FREE virtual event just for stepmoms. The summit will feature 23 of the top experts from around the world who will share stories, support, advice, guidance, and connection to help stepmoms from all walks of live navigate their blended families. You can find out more at www.thestepmomsummit.com. I hope we'll see you there!

If you're dealing with a high conflict situation, you NEED this episode! In this episode, Megan Hunter, co-founder of the High Conflict Institute and Conflict Playbook, talks to us about why there's more to high-conflict personalities than meets the eye. And how you, as a stepmom, can deal with them. Megan, along with author and speaker, Bill Eddy, LCSW, Esq. developed the high-conflict personality theory. She foundedthe Institute after 13 years in policy, legislation, and judicial training with the Arizona Supreme Court, Administrative Office of the Courts, and the Dawes County Attorney's Office in Nebraska. She is also the founder of Unhooked Books Publishing. Megan has trained professionals across a wide spectrum of professions across the U.S. and 7 countries. She holds an MBA and a B.S. in Business and Economics. She has served as President of the Arizona Chapter of the Association of Family & Conciliation Courts, and the Arizona Family Support Council, and the Nebraska Child Support Enforcement Association. She served 5 years on the Arizona Board of Psychologist Examiners. She is the author and/or co-author of several books, including: Dating Radar, Hiring Radar, BIFF at Work, and The High Conflict Co-Parenting Survival Guide. She's also a mom of 3, mother-in-law of 2, and stepmom of 5. Megan is speaking at The Stepmom Summit August 26-28 and you won't want to miss it. Get on the waitlist and grab your ticket HERE. Connect With Megan At: High Conflict Institute Unhooked Books Instagram: @highconflictinstitute

From Beauty Queen To Stepmom Coach . . . Welcome to Supersized August! Where you'll get TWO episodes a week in the leadup to The Stepmom Summit August 26 – 28th. I mentioned the summit to you last week, but I cofounded it with Beth McDonough of The Inclusive Stepmom and we have got an incredible lineup of 23 the world's top experts on all issues affecting stepmoms. High conflict exes, self-care, boundaries, outsider syndrome. You name it, we've got the experts talking about it. You can get on the waitlist HERE – which is also where you can register once registration opens up. You will NOT want to miss it! In today's episode, we chat with one of our Stepmom Summit speakers, Kimberly King, about her experience in a multi-cultural stepfamily and how she's dealt with the challenges of blended family life while living in a foreign country. Born + raised in Southern California to immigrant parents, Kimberly is a Certified Stepfamily Coach, using her knowledge and personal experiences to help blended families navigate their way toward a peaceful and happy home. As a biracial woman in an interracial and multicultural marriage and family, the former beauty queen turned chef and stepfamily coach is a wealth of knowledge. When she's not helping stepfamilies, you can find her in the kitchen cooking up delightful dishes or doting on her adorable 2 year old. The Kings have recently traded city life for island life with a move from Los Angeles to Jamaica. Kimberly knows what it's like to have all the odds stacked against you in a blended family. Connect With Kimberly: www.honestlymum.com Instagram @honestly.mum

Navigating The Teen Years It's been a hot minute since we had a guest and we have got a great one for you in this episode! We will be talking all about how to make it through the teen years and how you can support the teens in your life. Dr. Courtney Conley is an author, therapist, parent coach, and author who specializes in working with adolescents. Courtney's passion stems from her own emotional turmoil during her teenage years. Her mission is to equip adolescents with the inner tools needed to successfully navigate their teenage years. She partners with parents to support young people. Courtney's book, Your Daughter Doesn't Have to Be Miserable: An Approach to Supporting Your Teenage Daughter Through Depression, teaches parents strategies to connect with and help their struggling teen. She currently resides in a suburb of Washington D.C. where she continues to serve adolescents and their families in her private practice, Expanding Horizons Counseling and Wellness. You can find her at www.courtney-conley.com and on Instagram at @dr.courtconley The Stepmom Summit Dr. Conley will also be speaking at The Stepmom Summit August 26-28, 2021. I am so excited and proud to be co-founder and sponsor of The Stepmom Summit, which will be a three-day, FREE virtual event just for stepmoms. We have 23 of the top experts from around the world who will sharing stories, support, advice, guidance, and connection to help stepmoms from all walks of live navigate their blended families. You can find out more at www.thestepmomsummit.com. I hope we'll see you there!

Yes, There IS A Formula To Love Your Blended Family Life Do you ever wish there was a formula for being a stepmom? Steps you could follow that would help you succeed? Guess what? There is! And that's what we are talking about today in this bonus episode! When I became a stepmom, I looked for the right resources. But nothing out there really spoke to my personal situation. So I started doing research. And learning. And realizing I had already made a pretty good amount of mistakes. So I sat down to try to figure out what exactly I had done wrong and what I should have done differently. And out of that, the BLENDED Family Formula was born. When I started pulling together all the elements, I realized there were seven areas that if I could get a handle on, would make all the difference in my stepmom journey. And you know what? It did. It's not a silver-bullet solution because, let's face it, that doesn't exist. BUT. If you can get an understanding of these seven areas of blended family life, you'll develop the skills and confidence to take on whatever your stepfamily throws at you. Resources Mentioned In This Episode: Don't forget . . . The doors to the The BLENDED Family Formula Course are now OPEN! You can learn more and join HERE.

"Boundaries" Is Not A Bad Word Have you heard the term boundaries before? I hadn't before I became a stepmom. But over the years, I've realized how important they are to my health – and to my family. And that's what we're going to talk about today. Have you heard the term boundaries before? I hadn't before I became a stepmom. But over the years, I've realized how important they are to my health – and to my family. And that's what we're going to talk about today. Resources Discussed In This Episode: Episode 4 of The Stepmom Diaries Podcast: This episode will give you all the deets on why stepmom self-care looks different and how you can make sure you're putting your needs back on the front burner. Episode 10 of The Stepmom Diaries Podcast: This episode features and interview with Magriet Steyn and dives into mindful meditation and why it's such a great tool for stepmoms to use to take care of themselves. I've got a fantastic exercise on boundaries included as part of a FREE Masterclass, called, "The Three Stepmom Lies Keeping You From A Blended Family Life You Love." You can register for the masterclass HERE. And Don't forget . . . The BLENDED Family Formula Course – The next class is open! And you can join HERE!