221. It’s Never Too Late: Rebuilding Trust and Connection After Years of Pain [with Chad and Jdele Brignac]

Blended family couples often carry unprocessed pain and can slip into patterns of “autopilot", which fuels disconnection and discouragement.

Chad and Jdele Brignac know this firsthand. After merging their families, they hoped for “Brady Bunch” magic. Instead, they spent 17 years in deep grief and survival mode as unexamined patterns collided.

In this episode, we draw out their hard-won wisdom, which they share in their book Blend Don’t Break. After two decades of marriage, a turning point came when Chad realized and owned past mistakes, moved away from reactivity, and created space for their now-adult kids to be heard and known.

Their story shows that it’s never too late. With humility, curiosity, and lived values, any couple can restart healing, rebuild safety, and reshape their family legacy. No matter where they are in their blended journey.

Chad and Jdele are speakers and authors. Chad equips men to lead with self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and compassion. Jdele guides families toward healing and lasting connection. Together, they help blended families thrive, not just survive.

You’ll Discover

• Why grief and survival mode can mask deeper issues and how owning your part can reopen connection even years later. 
• What “learned behaviors” look like in real life and how to move from overreacting to responding. 
• How to replace vague ideals with actionable family values that everyone understands and can live out. 
• The value of flexibility and trust, and how to increase family connection. 
• The “unpack before you pack” idea and how to practically focus on what to hold onto, clean up, or leave behind from your past. 

Resources

• Blend Don't Break by Chad and Jdele Brignac
• CLICK HERE to connect with Chad
• CLICK HERE to connect with Jdele

Suggest a Topic or Ask a Question  

Would you like us to discuss something specific or answer your question on the show?  Let us know!

We've made it easy.  Just click here:  https://www.blendedfamilybreakthrough.com/share

Ready for some extra support?

We all need some extra support along the blending journey — we're here to help.  You can connect with us for a free coaching call to see how we might help you experience more clarity, confidence, and connection in your home.  Schedule your free call here:  https://www.blendedfamilybreakthrough.com/free-call

Subscribe or Follow the Show 

Are you subscribed or following the podcast yet?  If not, we want to encourage you to do that today so you don't miss a single episode.  

Click here to subscribe in Apple Podcasts

Click here to follow on Spotify

Leave a Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re feeling extra helpful, we would be so grateful if you left us a review over on Apple Podcasts too. Your review will help others find our podcast — plus they’re fun for us to read too! :-)  Just click here to Review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and then select “Write a Review” — let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is.  Thank you, we really appreciate your feedback!