melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com After graduating Chapman University, Paulina Lagudi moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in filmmaking. Since then, she’s written, directed and produced multiple short films and is releasing her family feature film MAIL ORDER MONSTER this November. In this interview, we discuss Her own personal experience with a blended family Why she created Mail Order Monster What the movie is about Interesting facts about each cast member The ov...
Nov 05, 2018•30 min•Ep. 186
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com I continue the co host series with another listener, Ashlee Garland. She has a blended family of 7, so 5 kids, one of whom is special needs. She’s got a whole lot going on yet continues to have a positive attitude through it all. We discuss Her personal story What it’s like raising a special needs child in a blended family Her step children’s challenges having dealt with an absent mother How she manages to keep a positive attitude And...
Oct 29, 2018•50 min•Ep. 185
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com This is the first in a new series of shows where I am joined by a co host. This is not just any co host though, this is one of our own listeners. This week, I am joined by Amy Novakovich, who is a mother and stepmother, as well a business owner and podcaster. You’ll see that we had so much to talk about, including: An introduction to her own blended family What it’s like raising toddlers and preteens at the same time Some preteen chal...
Oct 15, 2018•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 184
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Anna DeAcosta is the creator of The Mindful Stepmom series of guided-audio meditations, designed to help stepmoms cope with common challenges and feelings faced along their journey. Having worked for years in medical and family care-giving research, Anna understands that there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to families. She's an adult child of alcoholism and divorce, and understands that the challenges we face as moms ...
Oct 01, 2018•31 min•Ep. 183
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Listener questions show. Please send your questions to melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com or post in the private facebook group. This episode, a stepmom whose boyfriends son is less than excited about their relationship. Then, a stepmom who is frightened of her stepson. Last, a question about whether the relationship comes first or the kids. Enjoy! Support Songfinch Use BLENDED for your $20 discount! Join the Private Facebook Group List...
Sep 24, 2018•15 min•Ep. 182
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Some updates on what’s been going on in my life lately. Also, setting realistic expectations for yourself and your family. Is your perfectionism causing you to be unrealistic? If you want to feel happier and have less stress, you need to listen to this episode! Join the Private Facebook Group Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes Connect with me on Facebook Connect with me on Twitter Send questions or feedback to melissa@blendedfamilypodca...
Sep 17, 2018•13 min•Ep. 181
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Join me as I answer some listener questions that came up in the private facebook group! A stepmom who questions her daughters erratic behavior from one home to the other. What to do with picky eaters in your blended family. Challenges of a blended family home where both parents are widows Send your questions to me so I can answer them for you! The last show of every month is dedicated to listener questions! Support my sponsor Songfinc...
Aug 27, 2018•20 min•Ep. 180
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com How well do you coparent with your ex? Is this an area that you think could be improved? Healthy co parenting really helps children thrive. My top ten tips for better co parenting with your ex are Put your anger aside Get better at communicating Compromise Respect the other parent Be considerate and share Make important decisions together Establish a relationship with your ex’s new partner Pick your battles Give your ex room to parent...
Aug 20, 2018•21 min•Ep. 179
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Josh is a corporate America escapee who, after 20 years successfully climbing the ladder as a design engineer and manager, realized that it was leaning on the wrong wall. He first realized that his 401k he believed in so much wasn't going to retire him no matter what he did. After feeling misled about money, he started looking around and saw that he had spent years working really hard making his employer a lot of money yet had little ...
Aug 06, 2018•23 min•Ep. 178
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com I answer some listener questions today from our private facebook group! First, a stepmom dealing with a high conflict bio mom who wants to tell her how to run her household. Then, a stepmom who loves her role, but is being made to feel like she is overstepping. And last, a bio mom who is interfering with a stepmoms plan for bedroom arrangements for her kids. Maybe some of you can relate with the challenges these stepmoms face! Support...
Jul 30, 2018•18 min•Ep. 177
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Blended families require a lot of balance. Many parents struggle because they don’t know which should come first, their relationship with their partner, or their children. There are different factors you can look at, but ultimately, the attention you spend both on your partner and your kids needs to be carefully managed. You will also find that this balance can shift around over the years at different stages of your children's lives. ...
Jul 23, 2018•22 min•Ep. 176
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com How well do you resolve conflict in your life? We all have conflict in our relationships, but oftentimes, we don’t know how to resolve them in a healthy way. Conflict is a normal part of every relationship, and so we need to learn how to deal with it in a way that helps us grow together. In this show, my top ten tips to fighting fair, plus I’ll share what you might be doing wrong! Maintain Control Take a break Pick and choose your bat...
Jul 16, 2018•33 min•Ep. 175
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Charla Miller is a successful author who used traumatic events in her life to propel her forward. She wrote a book called, Wonder and Beauty: My Journey From Heartbreak to Healing Through the Wonder of Horses. Her story is paving the way for others to see that their pain from loss isn't the ending but a launching point to even greater connection to those they love and so much more. Charla returns to talk about the reunification with h...
Jul 02, 2018•42 min•Ep. 174
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com The blame game is something we all play. It’s easy to point fingers at someone else, but is it really helpful to the situation? In this episode, learn why playing the game holds you back, as well as learn how to stop playing it. GoFundMe for Florida tragedy click here Support my sponsor Teami Blends Tea here Use the promo code BLENDED for 20% off your purchase of $34.99 Join the Private Facebook Group Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes ...
Jun 18, 2018•19 min•Ep. 173
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Andrea Santiago Malcolm is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Sex Therapist. In that time, she has found she really loves working with couples who are ready to own and revitalize their sexuality with a mix of real talk and a sense of humor. She believes that sex is natural, important, and nothing to be embarrassed about! Andrea is also a Cancer survivor and enjoys helping others navigate that space as well. She’s a stepmo...
Jun 04, 2018•29 min•Ep. 172
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com There are many cases where a new partner wants their mate to sever ties with an ex. Whether you are a stepparent wanting this, a bio parent struggling with this, or an ex dealing with it, it can be tricky. You’ll hear two listener questions which show examples of this in the show, plus my advice to them. There are many reasons why this happens, and many reasons why it’s best to overcome it. Join the Private Facebook Group Listen and R...
May 21, 2018•17 min•Ep. 171
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Kristen Skiles is an Air Force wife and [step]mom to a beautiful 7-year-old. She runs on coffee, wine, and Amazon Prime, and she blogs at stepmomming.com where she provides comfort and guidance for overwhelmed stepmoms, encouraging and helping them to write their own happily ever afters. Kristen wholeheartedly believes that [step]momming is what you do, it’s not who you are. In this episode, we talk about Her personal story Her relati...
May 07, 2018•40 min•Ep. 170
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Whether your divorce happened recently or long ago, you might find that you have a child who remains angry. There are many reasons for this, which I talk about in this show. It’s important to learn the reasons so that you can help them move past it in a healthy way. I also tackle some listener questions on the topic. Join the Private Facebook Group Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes Connect with me on Facebook Connect with me on Twitter...
Apr 23, 2018•23 min•Ep. 169
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Feeling guilt is something we all struggle with. Parents tend to feel guilty over every mistake, decision, or circumstance of their lives. Yet, feeling that guilt doesn’t change situations or make anyone feel better. What can you do? Use my 5 step process to help you ease out of guilt so that you start feeling better today! Identify the issue causing the guilt Determine whether the guilt is healthy or unhealthy Forgive yourself Apolog...
Apr 09, 2018•16 min•Ep. 168
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Michelle Thompson is an attorney and Certified Financial Planner™ helping blended families reach their financial goals. Prior to joining IRC Wealth, she had her own law practice where she focused on estate planning, primarily serving blended families. In this interview, we discuss Her personal story Why she decided to help blended families in her career What families need to set up The difference between a trust attorney and a financi...
Apr 02, 2018•39 min•Ep. 167
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com This week, some updates on me, and a first listen to the anniversary gift that Songfinch created for my husband! I also tackle some tough listener questions. One mom is unsure of how a man can love her and her kids, a man who is tired of getting disrespected by his step daughter, and a woman whose boyfriends daughter is using manipulation to come between her and her boyfriend. Send in your questions to melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com...
Mar 26, 2018•26 min•Ep. 166
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Connection is such an important element of relationships. There are four main types of connection that are necessary for strengthening your relationship. They are emotional, physical, intellectual, and soul. In this episode, I explain what they all are, and how to improve them. Plus I give you my favorite bonding exercises. The better balance you can achieve, the more fulfilled you will be as a couple. Join the Private Facebook Group ...
Mar 12, 2018•21 min•Ep. 165
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Carla was trained in the Netherlands in Clinical Psychology, Holistic Therapies, and Family Constellations, and owns HeartBased Solutions, a holistic practice for individuals, parents, and families. Currently, she is a Ph.D. candidate in the USA. For over 20 years, Carla has been an internationally recognized teacher, therapist and facilitator in the areas of relationships, heart-based parenting, women empowerment, inherited family tr...
Mar 05, 2018•43 min•Ep. 164
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com I will answer your questions on this episode of the blended family podcast! First, a mom who needs help explaining to her son why his dad is absent. Then, a question on whether or not a relationship could work with a couple who doesn’t share the same faith. Next, a struggling stepdad who feels pushed to the side when bio dad came back around. And last, a mom who is frustrated with her ex who doesn’t take proper care of the kids when h...
Feb 26, 2018•19 min•Ep. 163
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com There are many reasons why a family may find themselves in the position of raising a child without the other biological parent. There could be a death, therefore leaving someone a widow or widower, left to raise their kids alone. Unfortunately, there are lots of absent parents out there because those parents have made a choice to abandon their kids, leaving the other parent to pick up the pieces. There are parents who are serving time...
Feb 19, 2018•20 min•Ep. 162
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com With Valentine's Day this week, I thought it might be good to share some tips to appreciate and nurture your relationship. Couples in blended families are often so overwhelmed with stress and chaos, that they neglect to put in the work to help their relationship grow. In this show, I’ll give you an exercise to help you see your partner in a different light. I also give you my 5 top tips for appreciating your relationship which are Dat...
Feb 12, 2018•16 min•Ep. 161
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Erik Newton is a former family law attorney who describes himself as someone who’s “been through a thousand divorces and still believes in love.” Ushering couples through divorce wasn’t easy for Erik, a romantic from birth, but it turned out to be the ideal medium through which to understand the entire life cycle of a relationship. As a result, Erik has a unique, real-world comprehension of what makes one marriage thrive and another f...
Feb 05, 2018•40 min•Ep. 160
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Childhood depression and anxiety is on the rise. We are living in a world that can be difficult for adults to navigate, and even more difficult for our younger generation. It’s important to know the signs of depression in adolescents, as it can look quite different from adult depression. In this episode I talk about My own children's struggles with depression and anxiety Why kids today suffer more with depression than we did Signs of ...
Jan 29, 2018•21 min•Ep. 159
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com I’m answering some tough questions sent in by listeners. First, a woman who says her grown stepkids are jealous of her, and she’s having trouble with that around holidays. Next, a question about what to do with old albums and keepsakes, especially when moving to a new place with a new partner. Then, a listener concerned about the drama the ex wife brings to her relationship. Last, a meddling mother in law who chooses the ex wife over ...
Jan 22, 2018•20 min•Ep. 158
melissa@blendedfamilypodcast.com www.blendedfamilypodcast.com Do you stand in your power? Unfortunately, many of us do not know how to do this. Standing in your power means that you honor yourself. It means that you know what you want and do not want, you know what you like and do not like. You stand strong for what you believe in and desire, and you don’t back down from your beliefs and desires just to please other people. You become the person responsible for your own happiness. Use my 5 step ...
Jan 15, 2018•23 min•Ep. 157
