As part of the Court Series, Christina chats with Stacy the supervisor of Pacific Northwest Guardian ad Litem in Washington State. She answers what exactly a GAL does, what to know and how to prepare if you happen to work with one. Stacey not only shares her professional wisdom, but also shares her personal blended family story. Listen in to hear her insights as a bio mom, an ex-stepmom and how she now supports her partner as a step-parent. Enjoy! About My Guest: Stacy is the owner and superviso...
Sep 15, 2021•58 min•Season 3Ep. 31
One of the many stressors of blended family life can be navigating the court system. In this episode, Christina chats with Diane Broderson a Family Law Attorney in Washington State. Diane shares her expertise on navigating Family Court and things you can do to be prepared. What are her "must haves" for Parenting Plans? What should you avoid? What's a good holiday schedule? When should you modify the Parenting Plan or Custody Order? Diane also shares her experience as a stepmom and bio mom. What ...
Sep 08, 2021•1 hr 31 min•Season 3Ep. 30
Communication is key, right? How do we talk about different parenting styles? Or if our partner has zero boundaries with the ex?? In this episode Christina chats with Gabby, a bio-mom to 2 and a stepmom to 1. Gabby shares her personal journey of divorcing her toxic ex-husband and later meeting her new love. Using her wisdom as a Relationship Coach Gabby shares how to have the hard conversations with our partners, and provides insights into how she improved her own co-parenting relationship with ...
Sep 01, 2021•58 min•Season 3Ep. 29
Christina chats with Maarit from Blended Family Frappè who shares her story of how she decided not to have an ours baby with her beloved husband. What did she consider? What were her fears? How does she feel now, years later? Christina also opens up about the decision to have her daughter and the crossroads her and her husband are now at in deciding if they'll close the door to having more children. Deciding to bring a baby into the world can be complicated, and for stepmoms we have unique consi...
Aug 25, 2021•57 min•Season 3Ep. 28
Genet joins to give an update on what's she's been up to and really, just to say hi and have some fun! Christina and G answer listeners' questions and discuss the decisions they wouldn't make again, how to handle a "Sour Patch" ex ... to name a few. Then they dive into a little truth or dare. Listen in for some real and raw honesty and lots of laughs! Cheers! Find Genet on Instagram: @g_heaven11 So much more than a podcast!!! Instagram: @radicalstepmomspodcast Want to schedule a 1:1 session or b...
Aug 11, 2021•1 hr 27 min•Season 3Ep. 27
Christina chats with Caley, a stepmom who knows the woes of ineffective attempts at co-parenting. We chat how and when to make the shift to parallel parenting, how to navigate the differences in households, stepkid jealousy and so much more. When do you choose to confront the ex? How do you handle comments like, "well, my mom..."? Grab your beverage of choice and listen in! So much more than a podcast!!! @radicalstepmomspodcast Want to schedulea 1:1 session or become a Radical Member? Head to my...
Aug 04, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Season 3Ep. 26
Christina chats with Laurie, a seasoned and full-time stepmom. Just after their wedding day, Laurie became a full-time stepmom when her stepson's mom moved out of the country. Laurie shares her story of bonding with her stepson, the teen years, being called "mom" and how she kept her marriage strong with a non-traditional "honeymoon" stage. Laurie has wisdom, wit and a massive heart which led to her pouring her story onto paper. In her book, Grace-filled Stepparenting: help and hope for this uni...
Jul 28, 2021•52 min•Season 3Ep. 25
Christina chats with Karen, a mom who can speak to the complexities of sharing custody of her daughter, navigating a relationship with a stepmom and...this is where it gets juicy... what happens when you fall back in love with your ex and now YOU'RE THE STEPMOM to your child's half sibling? WHAT?! That's right, listen in as Karen shares her story of love, being a mom, divorce and reuniting with her ex. Listen in as they discuss high conflict, being a stepmom, custody schedules, half-sibling dyna...
Jul 21, 2021•48 min•Season 3Ep. 24
Christina welcomes Beth to chat about co-parenting dynamics and how a rocky start can lead to shared vacations. Beth discusses how she's navigated being the third mom figure while finding freedom in her role as a stepmom. We discuss fertility, being child-free and how to survive stepmotherhood while also being an introvert! Listen in! About My Guest: As a Certified Stepparent Coach, owner of The Inclusive Stepmom (www.theinclusivestepmom.com), and coach inside of Stepmomz, the first mobile app f...
Jul 14, 2021•56 min•Season 3Ep. 23
Christina chats with Erin who opens up about her journey through stepmotherhood, including the decision to leave her relationship and ultimately her official role as "stepmom". We all have our threshold. The invisible line of when too much is too much and we're presented with the choice to walk away. Erin shares when she knew it was time to leave, how her relationship with her stepkids has evolved, the challenges she's faced and what she wants other stepmoms to know. A chapter has ended, but Eri...
Jul 07, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Season 3Ep. 22
Christina chats with Michaele-Lynne, a stepmom to two teenage girls and a mom to her 3 year-old ours baby. Michaele-Lynne discusses her battle between disengaging and being a people pleaser, and how writing about stepmotherhood has helped her process the hard times and the good times. We chat the teen years, hands-off discipline, and raising an ours baby. What helps us grow through what we go through? Listen in! About My Guest: Michaele-Lynne and her husband of four years live in Rochester, NY w...
Jun 30, 2021•57 min•Season 3Ep. 21
Meet Casey, a “late in life” lesbian, who left her husband at 32 after having an affair with her now partner. Casey explains how they've been living through the pandemic while in the throes of a custody battle and blending their family. What can be done when the ex refuses to go through with the second parent adoption? How are LGBTQ families represented in the blended world? What needs to change legally and in the way we perceive families? "With no “dads” in the picture, it’s just so. Many. Mom....
Jun 23, 2021•54 min•Season 3Ep. 20
Many stepmoms have felt the pressures and expectations to fit into an already established family unit. Do you want to spend every holiday with the ex? What if you don't want the photo-op blended life? What if it's feeling a little too "sister-wife" and you're needing to create some boundaries? Meet Miranda, a stepmom who had to alter the expectations placed on her to fit her own comfort level. How has she advocated for herself to create the life she wants? Listen in! About My Guest: Miranda is a...
Jun 16, 2021•56 min•Season 3Ep. 19
Christina welcomes the lovely Naja Hall to discuss how to manage a high conflict ex on social media, navigating the impacts of child support, insecurities and more. Naja is a force, and her stepmom energy is inspiring. Listen in and learn how to be "unbothered". About My Guest: Naja is a stepmom to 3 and knows the hardships of parental alienation and unsuccessful attempts at justice in family court. She used her experience and drive to create her platform for blended families, Blended and Black....
Jun 09, 2021•50 min•Season 3Ep. 18
Grab your beverage of choice and get excited... Christina welcomes back Genet and she's ready to give an update on where she's at in her stepmom journey. It's no secret, blended family life is hard and being a stepmom is one one of the hardest things we've taken on. What keeps us strong? When is too much, too much? How do we know if we're making the right choice, and for the right reasons? Genet is keeping it real and raw, listen in. So much more than a podcast!!! Instagram: @radicalstepmomspodc...
Jun 02, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Season 3Ep. 17
How has our own childhood impacted our experience as a stepmom? On this episode, Christina welcomes Lindy who shares her story of being a stepdaughter turned stepmom. What was her experience like being in a blended family? How has her relationship with her own stepmom shaped how she is with her own stepdaughters? Listen in as Lindy also shares about her fertility struggles, how her partner supports her in her role and her advice for new and seasoned stepmoms! Enjoy! About My Guest: Lindy works i...
May 26, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 16
Christina welcomes one of her best friends on to discuss his blended life. Doug is a bio dad AND stepdad who has a lot to share about stepping up, managing a high conflict ex, parenting differences and keeping it about the kids. He shares what it's been like to be the bio dad and support his wife as a stepmom, and what he's needed to be successful as a stepdad. Talking to Doug is like chatting with another stepmom - he GETS it! Listen in! So much more than a podcast!!! Instagram: @radicalstepmom...
May 19, 2021•1 hr 23 min•Season 3Ep. 15
Christina chats with Kelly, a mom to 2, a stepmom to 3, and add two ours babies makes SEVEN kids! Kelly shares her stepmom story and how she manages the many hats she wears. Does her role as a stepmom impact her identity as a bio mom? How has she transitioned into motherhood with her ours babies? How does she take care of herself when she's always caring for others? What does a blended family need to be happy and healthy? Listen in! So much more than a podcast!!! Instagram: @radicalstepmomspodca...
May 12, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Season 3Ep. 14
In this special episode, Christina chats with her husband's stepmom to hear about her 30+ years experience in this role. She shares how quickly she dove in, how she navigated insecurities, the teen years and how an act of disengaging saved her family. Christina and Tina discuss the parallels of their lives and the similarities of every stepmom journey. Tina is definitely a radical stepmom who's been through the trenches. If you're looking for a success story...listen in! So much more than a podc...
May 05, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Season 3Ep. 13
As stepmoms we are presented with the privilege of influencing and teaching our step-children. Some topics carry more weight than others. In this episode, Christina chats with Avril, a stepmom and social justice advocate to discuss raising antiracist children, and the steps white parents can take to look at their own beliefs and biases. We are at a deep and urgent need for change in our society, and it starts with the conversations we have at home. Lean into any discomfort or curiosity, and list...
Apr 28, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Season 3Ep. 12
Talking about puberty and sex with our kids doesn't have to make us break out in an anxious rash. In this episode, Christina chats with sexuality educator Sarah Spoule to answer questions like: what is the typical age to have the "sex talk"? How do we talk to our kids about their bodies and boundaries without shaming? How do we navigate these conversation when there's differences in households? Listen in as Sarah shares how to makes these conversations less scary, and more normalized. About My G...
Apr 21, 2021•49 min•Season 3Ep. 11
Christina and the lovely Kimberly King chat how blended life changes after an ours baby and how despite it's challenges, we feel we were meant to be stepmoms. Kim shares her story of moving to a new country with her family (including the ex) and the complexities of being in a interracial/multicultural marriage. What considerations does a stepmom have when blending cultures and family values? What has helped her the most in bonding with her stepkids? What's her "why?" when things get hard? Listen...
Apr 14, 2021•52 min•Season 3Ep. 10
Let's chat disengaging, discipline, stepmom wins AND fails, being a child-free stepmom navigating infertility and... co-sleeping! This episode is jam packed with nuggets of insights and wisdom that will leave you saying, "Yeeesssss!." Listen in as Christina chats with Karen, a stepmom who has learned what "stepping back" means to her and how boundaries saved her from resentment. About My Guest: Karen is a 31 year old wife, stepmom to her 8 year old son and a fur mom to a 1 year old rescue mutt. ...
Apr 07, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Affairs. They happen, right? Listen in as I chat with Erika about her journey into stepmotherhood. How did she meet her current partner? How has she navigated being viewed as "the other woman"? What is her relationship like with the the kids? The ex? We talk about it all! We can't choose who we fall in love with, or the timing. Sometimes things get a little messy. Listen in! About my Guest: Erika is a rock-climbing, skiing, hiking, National Park geek who lives in Wyoming with her incredible husb...
Mar 31, 2021•57 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Christina chats with Lisa who tells her story of never wanting to have children, and how jumping into stepmotherhood has impacted her. Lisa shares that while she remained childfree by choice, a hysterectomy at 32 stirred up some difficult emotions. What has helped her along the way? What words of advice does she have for other stepmoms? Listen in! So much more than a podcast!!! @radicalstepmomspodcast Want to schedule 1:1 session or become a Radical Member? Head to my website! www.radicalstepmom...
Mar 24, 2021•55 min•Season 3Ep. 7
In a blended family navigating the schools and teachers can be super frustrating. Add a pandemic and remote learning, and it's even more complicated. How do you tell the teachers about the different households? How do you make sure everything is being communicated? What about teacher conferences? In this Episode, Christina chats with Betty, Mallory, Eric And Cassidy all who work in schools and have blended families of their own. They share their insider wisdom and what blended families can do to...
Mar 17, 2021•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 6
In this episode Christina and Amanda discuss their similarities of raising a stepchild who has ADD/ADHD. They chat how their kids were assessed, the interventions, how they participate in their education, the behavioral challenges and the unique layer it adds to their stepmom journey. For the stepmoms also navigating ADD/ADHD, and IEP or behavioral issues - this one is for you. About my Guest: @sopranoamanda on Instagram So much more than a podcast!!! Instagram @radicalstepmomspodcast www.radica...
Mar 10, 2021•1 hr 21 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Christina chats with Dr. Michelle Logvinsky, a licensed clinical psychologist (AND stepmom) to unpack the terms "high-conflict" and "narcissism". Michelle discusses her profession and how it overlaps with your personal life, and the struggles stepmoms face when dealing with the traumas of a high-conflict "co-parent". What are best practices when interacting with a high conflict person? Boundaries? They discuss it all! About the Guest: Dr. Michelle Logvinsky, PsyD. https://www.drmichellelogvinsky...
Feb 24, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Christina chats with the lovely and inspiring Sarajane Case from Enneagram & Coffee! Sarajane shares how she manifested becoming a stepmom, self-care tips and how knowing your Enneagram type can help in your blended family! Christina is a Type 2 and Sarajane is a 7! What's yours?! About the Guest! Sarajane Case is an author, speaker, podcaster, and now youtuber based out of Asheville, NC. She's been featured in publications like Apartment Therapy, The Every Girl, Parade Magazine and was name...
Feb 10, 2021•47 min•Season 3Ep. 3
In this episode Christina welcomes Elise Buie a family law attorney who has deep understanding of complex family issues, not only because she’s an attorney but because she’s also a stepmom! Elise shares how being a stepmom influenced her career in family law, and vice versa. She gives her advice/tips for those preparing for mediation/court, discusses the current custody issues during a pandemic, her thoughts on parallel parenting vs. co-parenting and best practices for managing a high conflict e...
Jan 27, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Season 3Ep. 2
