Christina chats with Melissa, a stepmom who has been through so many of the common stepparent aches, pains, and downright miseries. As her stepkids are entering adulthood, she is beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel and is offering her insights and advice. As a product of divorce herself, Melissa jumped into her blended life trying to make it better and in the process lost her sense of self. She was forced to reevaluate her role in the family - how did she came out on the other si...
May 18, 2022•40 min•Season 4Ep. 28
When you think of stepmotherhood do you think about self-love and confidence? How can showing ourselves more compassion allow us to have more compassion for others? In the stepmom life we're faced with countless situations that cause us to doubt ourselves and to take things personally. In this episode, Christina welcomes fellow social worker and author Megan on to discuss how the way we view ourselves impacts not only our relationships, but our role as a stepmom. How can we improve our confidenc...
May 11, 2022•47 min•Season 4Ep. 27
Christina and Jess discuss the complex feelings that can accompany Mother's Day. Whether you want to be celebrated, dread it and can't wait for the day to end, feel content, fulfilled or everything in between... your feelings are VALID. So what can we do? Christina and Jess talk how they've celebrated (or not) the day, loyalty binds, advocating for your needs, handling gifts and how our partner's play a role. The day doesn't have to be a downer, listen in for a little pep-talk! Happy Mother's Da...
May 04, 2022•53 min•Season 4Ep. 26
Christina welcomes back a fan favorite - her husband's stepmom, Tina! They discuss how the relationship with the ex has changed over the years, the worries of a stepmom and the importance of staying true to yourself even if it means rocking the boat. Tina shares stories about Christina's husband's childhood and how she handled not being liked. With over 30 years of stepmom experience, what's Tina's biggest piece of advice? Listen in! So much more than a podcast!!! @radicalstepmomspodcast Want to...
Apr 27, 2022•1 hr 17 min•Season 4Ep. 25
Meet Lauren, who like all of us didn't plan to be a stepmom but found herself in love with someone who had kids. We never know what we are getting into, and Lauren's story takes the cake. What would you do if you found out your beau had another baby on the way? Lauren shares her journey of navigating three stepkids, three exes and how she keeps her sanity. Listen in as we discuss relationships with the ex, bonding with stepkids, taking care of ourselves and keeping the flame alive with our partn...
Apr 20, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 4Ep. 24
Christina and Megan discuss the expectations we bring into our blended families and what we do when they aren't met. What do we do when the dynamic with the ex isn't as great as we thought it would be? What if our involvement causes more issues? We thought it would be different, so how do we accept this reality? Listen in as Megan shares how her childhood impacted her idea of what it's like to be a stepmom, how she's adjusted her role to fit her family, and how she's found her authenticity. They...
Apr 13, 2022•54 min•Season 4Ep. 23
Christina chats with Meredith a stepmom to two kids and navigates TWO very different exes. Meredith shares her story of strength through relentless custody battles, how she protects her peace, and how she supports her partner through their own trauma recovery. While she never wanted children, she's committed to being a solid influence in her stepchildren's lives. What can we learn from Meredith? Listen in! So much more than a podcast!!! Instagram: @radicalstepmomspodcast Want to schedule a 1:1 s...
Apr 06, 2022•44 min•Season 4Ep. 22
Are you exhausted from carrying the mental load of the household? Do you feel like you're the one managing everyone and even asking for help and delegating seems laborious? Yea - you're not alone. In this episode Christina chats with Laura Danger, an educator, wife and mom who discusses the tension many couples face when there is inequity in domestic labor. They'll talk about the Fair Play Method which is designed to unpack the resentment and assist in effectively communicating the roles and exp...
Mar 30, 2022•57 min•Season 4Ep. 21
Christina chats with Zoie, a stepmom who saw a need within the blended family community and took things into her own hands. How do we explain blended families to our kids? How do we comfort them when they have fears and how do we answer the hard questions? Answer: A children's book that actually makes stepmoms look GOOD! Listen in as Zoie Seay shares about her book 'The Luckiest Child: Becoming a Blended Family', what inspired her and her take on how kids can feel lucky in their blended families...
Mar 23, 2022•43 min•Season 4Ep. 20
Christina welcomes back Maarit from Blended Family Frappe to chat....well everything. Maarit gives an update on her life outside of Instagram and stepmotherhood. They chat disengaging, self awareness, taking care of yourself, stepmom acceptance and plenty more. Grab your beverage of choice and buckle up for some self reflection. Listen in! About My Guest: Maarit is a writer, artist, and former single mama turned stepmama who literally wrote the book on disengaging. Today, she helps blended famil...
Mar 16, 2022•53 min•Season 4Ep. 19
Christina chats with Angela, a stepmom to two who grew up wanting to be a mom. She never thought she would be a stepmom navigating long-distant co-parenting, a pandemic, and her own classroom of kids to teach. Angela opens up about her PCOS diagnosis and how she soothes her heart through this chapter. What keeps this radical stepmom strong? Listen in! Mentioned in the Episode: Blog Post: School & Blended Families About My Guest: Angela is a teacher, coach and stepmom to 2 girls (12 and 8). S...
Mar 09, 2022•54 min•Season 4Ep. 18
Christina welcomes Brenda, the founder and Publisher of StepMom Magazine on to chat all things stepmom. Not only has Brenda become a seasoned stepmom, but she's made it her mission to help others through their journey. What commonalities do we all have? How do we know it will be "worth it"? Brenda discusses the most common issue stepmoms face, and offers her piece of advice. Listen In! About My Guest: Brenda Ockun is Founder & Publisher of StepMom Magazine—the how-to guide for any woman who ...
Mar 02, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 17
Christina chats with Jeni, a mental health therapist specializing in maternal mental health. As a mother and stepmom herself, Jeni discusses the intersections of mental health and all forms of motherhood. Self care is drilled into us, but how do we really care for ourselves? Jeni and Christina chat the pressures to be "perfect", mom guilt, the relationships with our partners and our step-kids. Listen in! About My Guest: Jeni is a widow, wife, mom, and stepmom. Her step-kids are 9 and 8, and her ...
Feb 23, 2022•59 min•Season 4Ep. 16
Christina is welcoming back attorney and high conflict parenting coach, Michelle! You may remember her from Season 3: Episode 32 - if not, listen to that one too! On this episode, Michelle is answering listener's questions. What is the best way to manage a high conflict ex who is constantly presenting with double standards? What do you do when the ex refuses to respond to an email? She'll answer these and many more! High conflict is no picnic, but there are strategies you can implement to protec...
Feb 16, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 4Ep. 15
Christina chats with Kelly, a stepmom and licensed clinical psychologist to unpack that complicated question of: Am I supporting my partner or am I enabling them? It feels like a fine line, right? They chat the many factors that contribute to a stepmom's motivation to jump in to "support": mental health, our shit, their shit, the damn patriarchy! When do we know when our support isn't actually serving anyone? Listen in! Mentioned in This Episode: Emotional Labor Article About My Guest: Kelly is ...
Feb 09, 2022•1 hr 17 min•Season 4Ep. 14
Christina welcomes back seasoned stepmom, Laurie Short. You may remember her from Season 3: Episode 25! In this episode, Laurie gives the pep-talk all stepmoms need to hear. Stepmotherhood is not easy, but we have to keep the long-view perspective. How do we keep focus on the little moments? How do we take care of ourselves? How do we not let the hard stuff ruin our spirit and sense of purpose? Listen in and feel inspired - you got this mama. We're right there with you. About My Guest: Laurie is...
Feb 02, 2022•46 min•Season 4Ep. 13
Christina and Stevie discuss heartache, finding love, and how the stepmom role changes and challenges you. Topics Discussed: Fertility & Miscarriage "Ours Baby" - sharing news with SK's and the ex Preparing for baby - transitions for the SK's Sharing your big moments with the ex & SK's and the complicated feelings that follow When the ex becomes a stepmom Listen in as Stevie shares her inspiring story of loss, grief, love and her journey of Step/Motherhood. About My Guest: Stevie went fr...
Jan 26, 2022•1 hr 23 min•Season 4Ep. 12
When second marriages are statically "doomed" Christina and Brooke discuss what it takes to make a blended family successful. Brooke shares her experience of being a long-distance stepmom, how she handles "mini wife syndrome" and how she nurtures the relationship with her stepkids and her "ours babies". Listen in as Brooke and Christina break down the hardships, the joys, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way to turn their struggles into confidence. About My Guest: In the 7 years Brooke ...
Jan 19, 2022•59 min•Season 4Ep. 11
Christina chats with Ann, a parent coach who offers a unique holistic approach to parent work that includes emotional support, home management skills, AND effective discipline. Ann may not be a stepmom, but through her work with blended families she offers insights into how stepmoms can find their voice in their home, how to navigate discipline, and how stepmoms can overcome barriers to bonding with stepkids. Stepmotherhood IS motherhood and Ann offers an empowering perspective on how we can lea...
Jan 12, 2022•57 min•Season 4Ep. 10
Christina invites her husband, Jacob back on to answer your questions! Do they ever feel like blended life is too hard? What made them fall in love? How do they handle the tough conversations and how does Jacob feel when Christina shares her stepmom hardships? While the two answer questions they also recognize and celebrate the growth they've experienced over the years. There's always room for improvement, but it's important to recognize how far you've come. Listen In! So much more than a podcas...
Dec 29, 2021•1 hr 26 min•Season 4Ep. 9
Christina and Genet chat holidays, G gives an update on what she's been up to, and they discuss plans for the upcoming year. They also answer questions submitted by listeners. Does G feel taken advantage of after she invested so much time into being a stepmom? When is it a good time to schedule with a stepmom coach? And more! Listen in! So much more than a podcast!!! @radicalstepmomspodcast Want to schedulea 1:1 session or become a Radical Member? Head to my website! www.radicalstepmomspodcast.c...
Dec 22, 2021•1 hr 30 min•Season 4Ep. 8
Christina and Marykate discuss the complexities surrounding the relationships with Mother In Laws. Marykate shares her story of navigating her high conflict MIL, the ways it impacted her relationship with the ex and the boundaries necessary to honor herself, her partner and her step-daughter. We may not get to pick our family, but we have a choice in our boundaries. If you have a difficult relationship with your in-laws, this one is for you. Listen in! About My Guest! Marykate is a 25 year old s...
Dec 15, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Christina chats with Kisha who shares her unique story of how she stepped up when the ex wouldn't and the double standards that followed. Listen to this stepmom's story of being labeled the "homewrecker", being a full-time stepmom, and how she supported her stepson through his heartache, teenage years and beyond. Listen in! Find her on Instagram: @kisha.paloma.lani So much more than a podcast!!! Instagram: @radicalstepmomspodcast Want to schedule a 1:1 session or become a Radical Member? Head to...
Dec 08, 2021•58 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Christina chats with Scarlett who shares her journey of blending families, raising teens and going from fulltime to minimal contact. When the kids left the house to live with their mom, how did Scarlett and her husband cope? What lessons did she learn along the way? What has she done to rebuild the relationships with her kids? Listen in to a story of vulnerability, redefining your role as "stepmom" and learning to enjoy the blended family you have. Enjoy! Mentioned in this episode: Christmas Joy...
Dec 01, 2021•57 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Christina chats with Kelly who shares her story of becoming a full-time stepmom and navigating chronic illness, infertility and grief. How do you move through the emotions of wanting an "ours baby" with your partner, while managing your health and being a full-time stepmom? Kelly shares her insights on how she handles seeing baby announcements and picture-perfect holiday photos. Stepmoms can be both happy and grieving; let's normalize these emotions. Listen in! About My Guest: Kelly Palmquist, L...
Nov 24, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Season 4Ep. 4
In this episode, Christina chats with Alan, a dad who shares his story of high-conflict, alienation, family court, self-representation and out of state custody. Like many dads, Alan wasn't seen as an equal parent by his son's mom and had to overcome numerous obstacles to remain in his son's life. Alan has now become an advocate for dads around the world, amplifying their voice and their rights as parents. To the stepmoms who support their partners through the worst of it - this one is for you. G...
Nov 17, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Season 4Ep. 3
We know and understand our side of the story, but what about the ex/bio-mom perspective? In this episode Christina chats with Katie, a single-mom who unpacks the feelings behind her previous high-conflict tendencies. Katie shares the hard work she's done to find peace within herself and her co-parenting relationship. Why does the ex react like that? Does she really hate you? Listen in! About My Guest: Katie is a Coparenting Coach and Mom of two young children, who has been co-parenting for almos...
Nov 10, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Welcome to Season FOUR! Christina kicks off the season with psychotherapist Deana Panza to discuss the important topic of boundaries. Boundaries is a big word that gets thrown around a lot, but what does it mean? What doesn't it mean? How do we enforce boundaries with those we love without disrupting all the "blending"? Deana and Christina discuss hot issues like no kids in the bedroom, resentment and the relationship with the ex. Listen In!! About My Guest: Deana is a psychotherapist, speaker, ...
Nov 03, 2021•54 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Welcome to the Season Three Finale!! Christina chats with Sam and Jenny, the husband and wife who are the definition of blended! They are both bio-parents, stepparents, she adopted and they foster! There is never a dull moment with a house full of kids, co-parenting with multiple exes and yup - a high conflict one to boot. Listen in as this inspiring couple shares their love story and how even through the tough stuff, they never doubt the life they've built together and the dreams they have to f...
Sep 29, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Season 3Ep. 33
Christina chats with Michelle, a high-conflict resolution coach and attorney who helps parents disengage from high conflict relationships, getting them out of court, and stepping back into their lives. When you're attempting to parent with a high conflict person, you feel like you're walking on eggshells. How do you protect your peace? What are the best ways to communicate? What shouldn't you do? How do you define your boundaries and disengage? Listen in! About My Guest: Michelle uses her unique...
Sep 22, 2021•49 min•Season 3Ep. 32
