I’ve had some amazing podcast guests the last few months, and have even more coming up in the next few months - but I thought I’d take a beat and record a quick bonus episode for you to talk about some of the things going on in my world and some things I’ve been working on for you. It can be hard to find resources that apply to your specific stepmom situation. I've got access to so many resources that are helpful for stepmoms, so I wanted to highlight just a few that are coming up that you...

Last episode, we had a great chat with Katie Davie about coparenting - and it's such an important topic, we're continuing the discussion this week. Coparenting, both in your household and with your partner's ex, can be loaded with stress. Today's guest, stepmom Mikki Gardner, talks about what "conscious parenting" is and how you can be more intentional in your relationship with your spouse - and their ex.  About Mikki Mikki Gardner is the host of the Co-Parenting With Confidence Podcast...

Supporting your spouse as they coparent with their ex can be one of the hardest parts of stepmom life. Today's guest, Katie Davie, has found a way to help coparents that doesn’t require the high conflict coparent to even be a part of the process. She founded Coparenting Peacefully in 2021, where she helps coparents, biological parents, and stepparents become the best versions of themselves - and protect their peace.  Katie has an undergraduate degree in psychology, has studied at the High...

Have you ever wished stepmom life could just be easier? This week’s guest is going to tell us how you can “let it be easy.”  A few weeks ago in Episode 56, I got to chat with one of my business mentors, Amy Porterfield, about her stepmom life and this week I'm talking to one of my other business mentors (and really one of my favorite people around), Susie Moore, who's got some amazing lessons around mindset.  Susie grew up living on welfare in a variety of women’s shelters, often on the...

In this episode, I'm bringing back my guest from Episode 27, Megan Hunter, to talk about high-conflict relationships. This is a topic that just can't be discussed enough and as CEO of the High Conflict Institute, Megan's expertise is unmatched.  About Megan: Megan Hunter, MBA, is co-founder and CEO of the High Conflict Institute and founder/publisher at Unhooked Books. Megan is a keynote speaker and trainer on high-conflict interactions and disputes, and conflict influencing. She is the...

In this episode, we’re talking about something we haven’t tackled yet: relationships and marriage after 60. Settling down in your later years presents totally different blended family issues than what you face in your younger or midlife years.  There are 73 million people over the age of sixty in the United States, or twenty-two percent of the total population – and that number is only growing. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, by 2050, the number of people aged sixty-five to eighty-nine...

This is a special episode because I am interviewing one of my favorite business mentors, Amy Porterfield - who also happens to be a stepmom. And Amy doesn't hold back. She talks all about how she balanced stepmom life with building her multimillion-dollar business. And how she dealt with the struggles of not feeling like a "real mom." And she gives us a sneak peek into her brand new book, Two Weeks Notice - a handbook for any woman who's thought about starting her own business. The book is...

How Do You Move Forward When Things Get Tough?  Balancing all the stepfamily things can be really overwhelming. And if you're like me, sometimes you just want to crawl back into bed and hit the "fast forward" button until things are calmer. Except they don't ever really get calmer, do they?  Today’s guest, Michelle Wolfe, is in tune with that emotion. She’s the host of the Muve Forward podcast, investor, and founder of MUVE Life Activewear.  If you like The Stepmom Diaries, can you do me a...

Helping kids learn about money is difficult, but is even more complicated in stepfamilies. Today's guest is money expert and author Bobbi Rebell, CFP®. Bobbi is the founder of Financial Wellness Strategies and the author of Launching Financial Grownups: Live Your Richest Life by Helping Your (Almost) Adult Kids Become Everyday Money Smart. She is a financial wellness advocate, the host of the Money Tips for Financial Grownups podcast, and the founder of GrownupGear.com. Bobbi was previously a...

It's the new year, so everyone is making resolutions. Instead of an actual resolution - because let's face it, I usually give up on those within a few days of the new year - I again decided to choose a word for the year.  In this episode, we'll talk about my word and why it doesn't mean what you think it might mean. Plus, how you can make sure 2023 is your best year yet!  If you enjoy The Stepmom Diaries podcast, would you do me a big favor and head HERE to leave me a review? It just takes...

It's the eve of the holiday weekend for millions of stepfamilies around the world. And if you're like me, even when you're having a great holiday season you still have some level of anxiety as you deal with the complications that come with being part of a blended family. That's what we're talking about in this episode - and you'll come away with some tips for how to cope with the challenges and actually enjoy your holidays.  If you enjoy listening to the podcast, could you do me a solid and...

Today's episode features author Jo Dodd talking about her journey to kids book author and her most recent book, "Dear Mama Bear With The F*ed Up Hair." She's got some great lessons about family and why you don't have to hold it together all the time. And her book is perfect for moms and stepmoms who are struggling to hold it all together. About Jo Jo Dodd is an author, coach and mom of four. In 2020, after a 6-month furlough, she took a bold leap, stepping away from a leadership role in...

It's our FIFTIETH episode, can you believe it?!? And it's a goodie - I'm talking to one of my OG business besties about mom life, the hot mess express, and rage rooms. My guest is Nikki Oden, a lawyer and mom coach who teaches working moms how to battle burnout, own their days, and lose the mom guilt. She is the founder of Your Ideal Mom Life® and host of the Love Your Mom Life podcast. Nikki’s work has been featured in TODAY Parents, The Boston Globe, Cafe Mom, Thrive Global, Authority...

The holidays are approaching and I don't know about you, but I'm already tired. Stepmom life is exhausting on a good day and it can be hard to figure out how to feel restored. That's exactly what we're talking about in this episode. I'm talking to Nancy Colier, author of The Emotionally Exhausted Woman: Why You're Feeling Depleted And How To Get What You Need. Nancy tells us what the $14 billion self-care industry has gotten wrong and how we can truly take care of ourselves. It's an...

Ever wondered if stepdads face the same challenges as stepmoms? Well, we find out in this episode, when we chat with Franco Zavala, also known as the "Professional Stepdad."  Franco is an actor, host of The Professional Stepdad Podcast and YouTube Show, 60-second storyteller, and stepfather of five, who loves sharing wisdom, insight, and anecdotes about fatherhood. Driven by his passion to affect real change, Franco is on a mission to challenge the current narrative around the meaning and...

We're back and in this episode, we're talking about why it's been a tough fall this year. And I'm opening up about the recent death of my beloved dog, Charlie. Why it's so hard to lose our fur-babies - and the surprising lessons he taught me about stepfamily life and relating to my stepchildren. If you enjoy The Stepmom Diaries, would you head over to iTunes or wherever you listen and leave me a review? It will help me reach even more stepmoms like you! 

Part TWO of TWO Episodes With Dr. Papernow! This episode is the second installment featuring Stepfamily Magazine's Clinical & Research Advisor and Advisory Board member, AND Stepmom Summit keynote speaker, Dr. Patricia Papernow. We started talking and there was so much to cover, it took two episodes! About Dr. Papernow Dr. Patricia Papernow is widely recognized as one of the world’s foremost experts on “blended families.” She is the author of Surviving and Thriving in Stepfamily...

Part ONE of TWO Episodes With Dr. Papernow!  This episode is the first of two featuring Stepfamily Magazine's Clinical & Research Advisor and Advisory Board member, AND Stepmom Summit keynote speaker, Dr. Patricia Papernow.  We started talking and there was so much to cover, it took two episodes! About Dr. Papernow Dr. Patricia Papernow is widely recognized as one of the world’s foremost experts on “blended families.” She is the author of Surviving and Thriving in Stepfamily...

The Stepmom Summit Speakers Series Continues! In this episode, we're going deep with Dr. Erin Careless on what it means to set some boundaries and "step back." We also talk about finding stepmom resources and why it's so important to look for tools that are evidence and research-backed.  Erin is one of the experts speaking at this year's Stepmom Summit and is the Chair of Stepfamily Magazine's Advisory Board. Erin became a stepmom when she met her partner Matt in 2014. That same year, she...

What Do Stepmoms Have In Common With Endurance Athletes? Today's guest is another speaker at our second upcoming (and FREE) Stepmom Summit, August 25 - 27th. You can head HERE to make sure you are on the waitlist and can snag your spot when tickets open up on August 9th!  Sarah Freeman, CEO of Sarah Freeman Coaching, is a passionate endurance athlete, podcast host, step-mum, wife, and a brave, badass, big-hearted woman. Her mission is to guide women endurance athletes and step-mums to embody...

Blending Families - And Households In this episode, we're talking to Tamara Harris of Design Your Way Home. Tamara is an interior designer who breaks down decorating into easy-to-follow steps so you can confidently turn your house into a home you love, without frustration, overwhelm or regret-purchases.  Tamara is also a stepmom - and a speaker at this year's Stepmom Summit August 25 - 27th, where she'll be talking about the challenges of blending households as a stepfamily - and how to...

What happens when the people who are supposed to support you through thick and thin fall down on the job? Today we are talking about how tricky it can be to handle it when your friends don't support your life choices.   

It's summertime and the travel is . . . wild?!  These days, whether you're traveling for the holiday long weekend or for a summer vacation, there are lots of factors that can make your trip better - or worse. Flight delays, rental car hiccups, and, of course, traveling with kids. And stepkids.  Traveling with kids can present all kinds of unique challenges, so this episode is all about making sure you're prepped for making the most out of your trip, wherever you're going and however you're...

How Do You Change Your Stepmom Outlook? What do you say when people ask if you enjoy being a stepmom? I recently had someone ask me if being a stepmom was hard and the answer I blurted out surprised me. And it made me realize that I could use some mindset work myself. But guess what - changing your outlook and mindset can be harder than it sounds - and that's what this episode is all about. 

Always a student!  In the course of my stepmom coaching experience, and as the co-founder of Stepmom Summit and the co-owner/co-Editor In Chief of Stepfamily Magazine, I’ve helped thousands of stepmoms find peace with their journey. And what I’ve learned along the way is that the problems that every stepmom faces really boil down to 7 key issues and responses. And if stepmoms understand these issues, they can deal with literally anything that comes up in stepmom life. So I brought it all...