Season 8: Episode 20: The Invisible Stepmom at the Holiday Table with Guest Michelle

Christina welcomes back Cameron to chat the many struggles of being a stepmom and how it all leads back to our search for control. Cameron shares her experience in raising teens with a coparent who is very different than her. The two unpack topics like not taking things personally, knowing the difference between developmentally appropriate issues and blended family issues, fears and hopes and more! Do you worry about what your life will be like once the kids are grown? Do you wonder how your relationship with your stepkids will evolve? Where do we find our influence? How do we embrace our wins so it gets us through the hard times? Listen in! About My Guest: Cameron Normand is the founder of Stepfamily Solutions and host of the Stepmom Diaries podcast, and is a leading thought leader challenging outdated advice in the stepfamily world. An attorney and certified coach, she helps stepmoms stop walking on eggshells and start leading with clarity and confidence. Through her Stepfamily Coach Academy, she trains stepfamily coaches to empower women with research-based tools to transform their homes and their futures. Find her on IG HERE! So much more than a podcast!!!Follow along on ⁠Instagram⁠Need some support? ⁠Schedule with Christina!⁠⁠Become a Member⁠ and hang with other stepmoms!⁠www.radicalstepmomspodcast.com⁠

Christina welcomes Bre to share her stepmom story of high conflict chaos, an ex that won't finalize the divorce and a 2020 pregnancy. How do you find the love and joy when it feels like everything is working against you? Bre opens up about her transition into full custody, bringing home an ours baby and the grief of not having what she thought she signed up for. What makes you stay when you have every reason to walk away? Listen in! Main Topics: - When the Ex won't sign the divorce papers - Living in a small town with the Ex - Forced Phone calls and location tracking - Having an ours baby in 2020 and with high conflict - Closing the chapter of custody and court So much more than a podcast!!!Follow along on ⁠Instagram⁠Need some support? ⁠Schedule with Christina!⁠⁠Become a Member⁠ and hang with other stepmoms!⁠www.radicalstepmomspodcast.com⁠

Christina welcomes Carol to discuss her role as a full-time stepmom. Fulltime stepmoms take on a lot of the responsibility, but are always making space for the BM. Carol shares her feelings of resentment, gratitude and how she invests in her relationship with her stepdaughter. How do you manage loyalty binds? How do you remain open and loving when you feel vulnerable? Listen in! So much more than a podcast!!!Follow along on ⁠Instagram⁠Need some support? ⁠Schedule with Christina!⁠⁠Become a Member⁠ and hang with other stepmoms!⁠www.radicalstepmomspodcast.com⁠

Christina welcomes Nicole who shares her step-parenting and co-parenting journey that’s included significant adversity, including the loss of a co-parent, shaping her perspective with honesty and resilience. How did she develop her relationships with her stepkids, assist her own kids with blending, manage grief and define her role? Also, how many counselors become stepmoms? Is it destiny? Listen in! About My GuestNicole is a 34-year-old wife, bio mom, and stepmom, balancing blended family life and a career as a high school counselor. She is raising children ages 2, 8, and 10, with stepchildren ages 17 and 19. Nicole met her husband during COVID in 2020; both were previously married and have now been married for nearly five years. Find her on IG: @ladynshafeSo much more than a podcast!!!Follow along on ⁠Instagram⁠Need some support? ⁠Schedule with Christina!⁠⁠Become a Member⁠ and hang with other stepmoms!⁠www.radicalstepmomspodcast.com⁠

Welcome to Season 9! Christina kicks it off with a candid conversation with an ex-stepdad turned dad. Erik tells his story of diving head first into stepdad life, and when he realized his wife was high conflict. What happened when he initiated the divorce? Listen in as Erick shares how he regained custody (Netflix worthy story) how he’s protected his kids, and what advice he gives to stepmoms supporting dads through chaos. Meet My Guest:Eric Kaltz is a single dad of two who advocates for calm, intentional parenting through high-conflict divorce. His perspective centers on emotional control, accountability, and maintaining stability for children in difficult co-parenting dynamics.Instagram @erickaltzofficialTikTok @erickaltzSo much more than a podcast!!!Follow along on ⁠Instagram⁠Need some support? ⁠Schedule with Christina!⁠⁠Become a Member⁠ and hang with other stepmoms!⁠www.radicalstepmomspodcast.com⁠

Christina welcomes Dee to chat about her Netflix-Documentary-worthy tale of stepmotherhood. Dee strived for a peaceful co-parenting dynamic complete with joint birthdays and friendly banter with the ex…but what happened when the ex wasn’t even interested in meeting her? What happened when Dee was getting a weird vibe from the stepdad and started to do some digging on him? What do you do when you find out he’s not who he says he is? Grab your popcorn and listen in!So much more than a podcast!!!Follow along on ⁠Instagram⁠Need some support? ⁠Schedule with Christina!⁠⁠Become a Member⁠ and hang with other stepmoms!⁠www.radicalstepmomspodcast.com⁠

Christina welcomes Shanae, a woman who fell in love, admittedly ignored all the red flags and decided the high conflict life was not for her. Shanae shares how she fell into the role of “fixer” and how she realized her partner was the one stealing her peace. Now that she’s a biomom on the other side, what would she tell her younger self? As a stepmom, we ask ourselves “is it worth it”? When did Shanae know it wasn’t and knew it was time to walk away?  Listen in! So much more than a podcast!!!Follow along on ⁠Instagram⁠Need some support? ⁠Schedule with Christina!⁠⁠Become a Member⁠ and hang with other stepmoms!⁠www.radicalstepmomspodcast.com⁠

Christina welcomes back special guest Michelle to chat stepmoms during the holidays. Stepmoms are vulnerable to feeling invisible on any day, but the holiday season adds a special zing. How do we handle the emotions of grief, comparison and guilt? How do we protect ourselves from burnout when it feels like all the magic depends on us? How do we advocate to feel seen in our families? Listen in! About My Guest: Michelle Mitchell, JD — founder of High Conflict Resolutions, LLC. Connect at coparentingcoach.comFind her on IG: coachmichellesdSo much more than a podcast!!!Follow along on ⁠Instagram⁠Need some support? ⁠Schedule with Christina!⁠⁠Become a Member⁠ and hang with other stepmoms!⁠www.radicalstepmomspodcast.com⁠

Christina welcomes stepmom Tarah and her husband EJ to discuss their transitions into blending. The three discuss why resentment builds in blended families and how to address it before it causes emotional distance. Where and why do many couples get stuck and what can they do to prepare and heal? Tarah and EJ offer their professional and personal experience in assisting couples out of the trenches - Listen in! About My GuestTarah Kerwin is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and co-founder of Relationship Renovation, a thriving therapy practice in Tucson, AZ, dedicated to transforming couples’ lives through authentic connection and empowerment. With a Master’s in Clinical Psychology, she leads the innovative Relationship Renovation @ Home Program, designed to support couples on a national and global level with essential tools to strengthen their relationships from anywhere. As the co-host of the popular Relationship Renovation Podcast, Tarah delves into the complexities of love, helping listeners navigate real-life challenges with empathy and insight.Find them on IGhttps://relationshiprenovation.com/So much more than a podcast!!!Follow along on ⁠Instagram⁠Need some support? ⁠Schedule with Christina!⁠⁠Become a Member⁠ and hang with other stepmoms!⁠www.radicalstepmomspodcast.com⁠

Christina welcomes Lisa, a mom who divorced and is currently dating a man with kids. Many of them adults. Lisa shares her story of divorce, protecting and respecting her kids, and how she's had to grow so she doesn't fall into that high conflict category. Even when her kids are grown, how are they impacted by her new relationship? Christina also shares her personal experience of being the stepkid, and now wearing both mom and stepmom hats. Listen in!Meet Our Guest!Lisa Sander is a 24-year veteran nurse turned coach, speaker, and co-host of Our Healer, Our Protector. She’s known for something she calls The Healing Chair Talk,  a space where people naturally open up and experience emotional breakthroughs. After decades of supporting patients and peers within the hospital system, Lisa felt a calling to help people reconnect with themselves, with one another, and with God. Today, she works with individuals, couples, and families seeking transformation, especially during times of deep transition.Find her on IGSo much more than a podcast!!!Follow along on InstagramNeed some support? Schedule with Christina!Become a Member and hang with other stepmoms!www.radicalstepmomspodcast.com