The Stepmom Diaries Podcast

You're not broken. You're overwhelmed.

This episode is for those moments when you're trying so hard to keep it together, but inside you're screaming. The mental load is crushing you, your patience is hanging by a thread, and even the dog's breathing feels like too much . . . 

If that rings a bell, let...

What if you could take that familiar whisper of "You don't quite belong" and give it the heave-ho?

Picture this: at your stepdaughter's sorority Parents Weekend, everyone's wearing their "sorority mom" pins . . . everyone but you. That familiar whisper starts: "I wonder if they notice I don't belong here." But then something incredible happens: you pause, breathe, and choose a different thought. This epis...

"You're not the problem. You're just doing it alone."

If you attended the Stepmom Summit last weekend, you wrapped up in a high - feeling seen and understood. But it's over now, and you're back in a house that doesn't feel like yours with zero space to land. Today we're talking about why "trying harder" isn't the answer, and what you actually need to create lasting change in your stepfamily life.

In T...

Every stepmom has that moment where reality hits and you think: "Wait… I didn't sign up for this."

In today's episode, I sit down with Alicia Krasko - stepmom coach, podcast host, and CEO of the Stepmom Side Community. Alicia's story will sound familiar: she we...

"You don't have to do this alone. You don't have to guess, or feel guilty. You just have to say yes to support that actually gets it."

Ever feel like you're walking on eggshells in your own home? Like no one truly sees how hard you're working to hold it all together?

In this powerful mini episode, I'm ...

If you've ever found yourself tangled in the emotional mess of a high-conflict ex, today's conversation is for you.

My guest, Priscilla Smith, knows exactly what it's like to live in that storm. A certified stepfamily coach and child-free stepmom (and speaker at the upcoming Stepmom Summit!), Priscilla has navigated years of tension, loyalty binds, and co-parenti...

Parenting is hard - but it can help when you're able to lower the temperature. If you've followed me for a while, you know I subscribe to the research-based "connection before correction" philosophy when it comes to stepparents getting involved in discipline.

My guest for this episode has an expertise in what she calls "compassionate discipline," which is a great option for parents looking for a way to be more responsive and less r...

Today we're talking about something that can be an unexpected complication in blended family life - and that's mealtime.

Getting kids to eat nutrient-packed food is hard enough, but add in a two-house dynamic where kids may have different rules and expectations around what they eat and it can get downright thorny.

That's where Katie Kimball comes in. Mom of four and founder of Kitchen Stewardship, Katie and I talk about how to navi...

Ever Wondered What Your Stepchildren Think About You?

Kids can be tricky for stepparents to navigate. Their behavior isn't rational, they don't know how to express their emotions, and sometimes they can take out their frustration on the person who can be the easiest target: stepmom.

But there's more to the story, and that's what we're talking about in this episode. We've got one of the top stepfamily researchers with us, a...

🎉🎉We're 100! 🎉🎉

Today's episode is all about celebrating our big milestone - we have hit one hundred episodes!

It's been a wild ride for these first hundred episodes and I am so honored that you've joined me to explore so many different topics that impact stepmoms. There's still so much to talk about, so I hope you'll come along for the next hundred episodes!

Today we're going through some of the biggest lessons I've l...

Family Law Insights From a Real Housewives' Lawyer

In today's episode, we're getting into all the legal things around stepfamily life with an award-winning family law expert who has represented many high-profile clients in their divorces, including Ashley Darby of the Real Housewives of Potomac.

About Maria:

This week, I'm talking to a rockstar and award-winning attorney in the family law area. She is Managing Par...

Stepfamily Life From A Son's Perspective

This week's guest isn't a stepmom. But he does have an interesting take on stepfamily life. Judge and author Anthony J. Mohr grew up with a father who had been a well-known radio actor who descended to the Hollywood B-list with the advent of television, and a stepfather who was a wealthy and successful businessman. In his award-winning book, Every Other Weekend: Coming of Age With T...

How does "mommy wine culture" impact stepmoms?

This week's episode is different than others - in the most interesting way! We're talking to top Life & Sobriety Coach Casey Davidson about drinking. It felt like a timely topic given the U.S. Surgeon General's recent advisory around alcohol - plus, Casey has a refreshing, non-"preachy" take on sobriety. We talk about how to hit pause on reaching for that glass of wine at the...

"If you want a better marriage, it starts with a better you"

(there may be affiliate links in this post - for more about what that means, click here)

Our guests this week are known for their clever and relatable social media videos - but they are much more than that. Casey and Meygan Caston, founders of Marriage365, offer up some great relationship advice for couples. In today's episode, they give us their top tips for goo...

The Stepfamily Holiday season can be filled with landmines. Let's tackle them one at a time.

If you've ever felt like the holidays in a stepfamily are more stress than joy, this episode is for you. We're going to talk about some of the hardest things that come up for stepmoms during the holidays - and I'm going to give you some tips to help make it through.

And if you'd like more support for the holidays, I'm hosting a spe...

Stepfamily Communication Is Complicated. But Does It Have To Be?

In this episode, we go back to a topic that comes up over and over again with the stepfamilies I work with: communication. We'll talk about why communication is so much more challenging in a stepfamily than in a first family, and a few things you can do to improve it. 

And I've got a freebie for you to help with your communication. Smooth Talking: 10 Essentia...

What Do We Know About What DOES Work In Stepfamilies?

In this episode, I'm joined by one of the preeminent stepfamily scholars in the world, Larry Ganong, Ph.D., who is out with a new book, called What Works In Stepfamilies: Creating And Maintaining Satisfying And Effective Relationships. 

He also happens to sit on the Stepfamily Solutions advisory board and if you've attended any of our past Stepmom Summits, you'll rememb...

How Does The Daily Trauma of War Impact Stepfamilies?

The trauma inflicted on stepfamilies is an aspect of war not often considered - but has a very real impact. In this episode, we are talking with Sigal Kaplan, a family counselor in Israel specializing in blended families. Sigal has done groundbreaking and captivating work around the impact of the ongoing war on Israeli stepfamilies.

About Sigal: