By Joel W Hawbaker
5
2323 ratings
The podcast currently has 47 episodes available.
Karalee Katsambanis is an accomplished Australian TV commentator, author, journalist, columnist and media trainer. She has worked across Australia’s mainstream TV, radio, newspapers, magazines and online for the past 25 years.
She is a mother of 3 children and stepmother of 2 young adults.
Her book “Step Parenting with Purpose – everything you wanted to know but were too afraid to ask” provides invaluable insights and advice to those beginning or already on their stepparenting journey.
Quotes:
"There's a right way to behave, and a wrong way to behave."
"You can only control what you say and do."
3 Top Tips for Stepfamilies:
1) Your ex is YOUR ex, not your child's ex.
2) Stepparenting is NOT a competition.
3) You cannot change what you don't acknowledge.
Consider how powerful this is for a stepparent to hear from a bioparent: "I know what you've always done your best."
"You should be able to ask for help without being judged."
"It's important to have similar rules for step and biological kids and also to honor the opinion of the bio parents."
"We should all be on the same side: the side of the kids."
Links:
Personal Website: https://www.karaleekatsambanis.com/
Book: https://www.karaleekatsambanis.com/book
Book (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/Step-Parenting-Purpose-Everything-wanted-ebook/dp/B085LMWB44/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=stepparenting+with+purpose+katsambanis&qid=1652201521&sr=8-1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karaleekatsambanis/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karalee.katsambanis
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karalee-katsambanis-a4b50717/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KaraleeKat
Karen McMahon is a Certified Relationship and Divorce Coach and Founder of Journey Beyond Divorce. Karen leads a team of divorce coaches in supporting men and women around the world to become calm, clear and confident as they navigate divorce. Karen began divorce coaching in 2010 after recognizing that the pain of her divorce led her on a transformational journey into an incredible new life. During her three and a half year tumultuous divorce, Karen had a laser focus on healing and refining herself, she found her true voice, learned to set suitable boundaries, and surrendered what she could not control. As a result, her life began to improve exponentially.
Karen has since spent the last decade helping thousands of men and women navigate the emotional and practical difficulties of relationships, breakups and divorce. Karen is the host of the acclaimed Journey Beyond Divorce Podcast, co-author of ‘Stepping out of Chaos: Turning Pain to Possibility” and co-creator of JBD’s exclusive 12 Step Divorce Recovery Program. Her other accomplishments include work as a NYS Lobbyist, Health Advocate, Community Organizer, and Chairperson of a NYS non-profit organization, Director of Sales and Marketing, and successful small business owner.
Quotes:
"Nobody shows up as their prettiest self during a divorce."
"Most of us have not been taught how to handle conflict."
"Once you see a flaw, all you look for is more flaws. And in divorce, we've seen flaws."
"We often listen to hear where we disagree."
"As parents, it's often hard for us to transition with our kids as they grow up."
"Every upset is a setup."
"Four things influence how we respond to external data: 1) assumptions; 2) interpreting; 3) limiting beliefs; 4) inner critic."
"Replace judgment with curiosity."
Resources:
Adversaries into Allies by Bob Burg: https://www.amazon.com/Adversaries-into-Allies-Ultimate-Influence/dp/1591848164
Journey Beyond Divorce support website: https://www.jbddivorcesupport.com/
Journey Beyond Divorce Podcast: https://journeybeyonddivorce.libsyn.com/
FREE Rapid Relief Call: https://www.jbddivorcesupport.com/rapid-relief-call
FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/JourneyBeyondDivorce
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/journey_beyond_divorce/
Our guest today is the amazing Gayla Grace, of Family Life Blended!
Gayla Grace serves on staff with FamilyLife Blended® as a writer and a speaker and desires to equip blended families for life together. She is the author of Stepparenting with Grace: A Devotional for Blended Families and co-author of Quiet Moments for the Stepmom Soul. She has a master’s degree in Psychology and Counseling and is a mom to three and stepmom to two adult children. She and her husband Randy have been married 26 years and are recent empty nesters residing in Conway, AR.
Quotes:
"Don't quit--it's normal to go through a wilderness."
"In a remarriage, the non-bio parent comes in as a friend and should focus on building a relationship with the kids...Let them know 'I care about you.'"
"Watch the cues from the kids and try to match that."
"One obstacle is the ambiguity of the stepparent role, and that role will change over time."
"Don't wear your feelings on your shoulder."
"Hold onto the small victories and encouraging moments as a stepparent."
"We don't realize the impact we're having on our stepkids' lives until they're old enough to realize it as well."
"If someone has been a lousy spouse, we assume they're also a lousy parent, but that's not necessarily the case. We have to change our mindset about that person."
"Make sure you are nurturing your marriage."
Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GaylaGrace.author
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gaylagrace/
Websites: http://www.stepparentingwithgrace.com/
https://www.familylife.com/familylifeblended/blended-families/
https://www.familylife.com/podcast/familylife-blended-podcast/
Gayla's Books: https://www.amazon.com/Gayla-Grace/e/B00J9P237A%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
Email: [email protected]
This week's guests are the amazing Heather Hetchler and Ed Vargo!
Heather Hetchler is an writer, speaker and certified life coach for stepfamilies since 2009. She is monthly contributor to StepMom Magazine and a co-author of Quiet Moments for the Stepmom Soul. Her upcoming book Stepmothering: A Cautionary Tale releases 2023. She is also a money mentor with enlightenHer where she helps women develop a healthy money mindset. She began partnering with enlightenHer in 2017 where she presented on Second Saturdays helping women navigating divorce. Given Heather’s focus is caring for a woman’s emotional well-being, adding the financial piece helps her guide women, including stepmoms, to navigate their money relationship which often grows more complex with stepfamily dynamics.
Heather earned a BA in Communications from Miami University and a Masters in Applied Communication and Methodology from Cleveland State University and has 22 years of experience in family communications. You may know her from the work she continues to do at Learning2Step and Sisterhood of Stepmoms. She has a passion for educating, encouraging, and empowering women. She resides in Cleveland with her husband, rescue dog and the last of their six children who will launch 2022!
Ed Vargo, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, AIF®, CDFA®, founder of Burning River Advisory Group and enlightenHer, grew up in inner-city Cleveland. During the Vietnam War, Ed’s father served as a sergeant military policeman in South Korea where he met and married Ed’s mother. Once back in the States, Ed’s mother faced the challenges of a being a first-generation immigrant who couldn’t read or write English or drive a car.
This instilled in Ed a deeply personal commitment to women’s empowerment and is the powerful undercurrent running through Burning River and enlightenHer. Providing customized financial solutions with a compassionate and caring hand, he is committed to helping women achieve financial independence.
Ed is a frequent guest speaker at companies, organizations, and conferences, as well as a regular contributor to various media outlets including the Associated Press, Money, CNBC, and Forbes. Ed and his firm, Burning River Advisory Group, have been awarded the Women’s Choice Award for Financial Advisors/Firms every year since its inauguration. They are honored in being recognized as one of the first 100 companies in the country to receive this prestigious award.
Quotes:
"Every stepfamily comes from a place of pain for someone."
"Financial infidelity is lying to your spouse or partner about money, or hiding money decisions or habits, and it leads to a severe breach of trust."
"Financial infidelity tends to start small and build over time."
"People aren't very good at talking about money. This topic should be an open book based on shared goals and values."
"To get on the same page about money, the first step is to agree on 'guiding principles.'"
"Sometimes you have to be the one who makes amends, and you encourage communication through compassion."
"With money, start with values and what is important to you. Begin with a united front, and all money issues are easier."
Emails:
[email protected]
[email protected]
Links
enlightenher.com/freshstart
www.enlightenHer.com
Facebook: @enlightenHer
on Instagram: @YourMoneyMentors
www.Learning2Step.com
Instagram: @Learning2step Support
www.TheStepmomBlueprint.com
www.SisterhoodofStepmoms.com
Today's guest is the excellent and energetic Joslynn Flowers, better known as the host of 'The Daily Stepmom'!
Joslynn is a mom of four, (three being her stepchildren) and a certified stepmom coach! Manager turned stay-at-home mom once Covid hit. In her time as a stepmom she has experienced the many struggles that come along with being a stepmom and the blending of a family. Feeling overwhelmed, misunderstood, and lonely in her role she began seeking a way to turn her stepmom experience from negative to a positive co-parenting experience, which hasn’t been easy! Dealing with many high conflict situations and multiple custody battles, ending with a CWS situation granting her husband full physical and legal custody, that almost broke her - to finally finding her place in her role as full time stepmom. She has even created a healthy working co-parent friendship with her stepchildren's mom. Joslynn loves to help other stepmoms do the same while creating healthy boundaries. Joslynn created and hosts a chart topping podcast called 'The Daily Stepmom Podcast.' There she talks about not just surviving but thriving in your role as a stepmom! Joslynn has been a featured speaker for The Stepmom Summit, The Ultimate Step Family Summit. She was named one of the Top 10 Podcasts in 2022 by SHE Magazine. She has been interviewed by Raise Parenting Magazine. She has also created a mini work book and an affirmation journal for stepmoms.
She loves to connect with others via her Instagram account so find her at Dailystepmom.
Quotes:
"It's important to acknowledge our feelings and not feel bad about them...but also don't stay there."
"Having different expectations can cause small issues to become larger issues. The key is to be able to have conversations about difficult topics."
"Always show respect, especially to my kids' mom, both her role and as their mother...This is not always done in co-parenting situations, and it leads to problems."
"You can't pour from an empty cup--time for self-care and reflection is critical for families."
"Your feelings are valid, but it's not OK to take out your frustrations on the people around you."
"One important thing for stepmothers to do is to find a community!"
Links
https://linktr.ee/Thedailystepmom
https://www.instagram.com/dailystepmom/
www.thedailystepmom.com
Today's guests are the amazing Ana and John David Mann, co-authors of the best-selling book 'The Go-Giver Marriage,' and two of the most fun guests we've had on the show!
John David Mann is coauthor of more than thirty books, including four New York Times bestsellers and five national bestsellers, including “The Go-Giver” (coauthored with Bob Burg), which has sold over 1 million copies and won the 2017 Living Now Book Awards Evergreen Medal for its “contributions to positive global change.” He is married to Ana Gabriel Mann and considers himself the luckiest mann in the world.
Ana Gabriel Mann, MA, holds a Master’s degree in clinical psychology and dance-movement therapy from Antioch New England, where she specialized in working with adults and family therapy. In addition to her work in family therapy and 5 Secrets marriage coaching, she has been clinical director for a program for people with Alzheimer’s disease, co-founded New England’s first college of Chinese medicine, and worked as a corporate consultant, speaker, trainer, and coach.
John and Ana have been dreaming about writing “The Go-Giver Marriage” together for nearly two decades. The book was released in March 2022. Full disclosure: I read this book before our interview and LOVED it!! I had previously read 'The Go-Giver,' (co-authored with Bob Burg) the book that kicked off the series and also loved it. This book was even better!
Quotes:
"No one escapes their childhood without emotional wounds."
"Never bad-mouth the other parent in front of the kids, ever, ever, ever."
"The most important thing you can do for your kids is to give them an example of a happy life."
"The very things you needed as a child are the same things you need as an adult."
"This is giving without the expectation of return."
"'Allow' is a lot like grace. It is letting the other person be who they are. But this does not mean to enable or give up boundaries."
"The opposite of appreciation is criticism."
"If kids get everything they need when they're young, they become remarkable adults!"
Links:
www.gogivermarriage.com
John
www.johndavidmann.com
instagram.com/johndavidmann
facebook.com/johndavidmann
twitter.com/johndavidmann
linkedin.com/in/johndavidmann
Ana
www.gogivermarriage.com
instagram.com/anagabrielmann
facebook.com/anagabrielmann
twitter.com/anagabrielmann1
Today's guest is the excellent Sabrina Shaheen Cronin!
Since 1993, Sabrina Shaheen Cronin has been practicing law and has been running her own full-service law firm for the better part of the last decade. A Family Law specialist, she’s also expanded her work into the realm of family coaching, offering workshops and personal counseling to families undergoing stressful changes. In particular, her work aims to provide families navigating the waters of separation, divorce, and co-parenting with a road map that they likely would not otherwise have access to.
Sabrina is licensed to practice law in Michigan, New York & Illinois. Sabrina is a graduate of the University of Michigan and received her Law Degree and MBA at University of Detroit Mercy. Her extensive experience includes General Counsel for Professional Employer Organizations, and APA for the Oakland County Prosecutor’s office before establishing her own firm, which has organically grown into one of the top legal firms in Michigan. A true student of life, Sabrina continues to further her education, to better serve the ever-changing needs of her clients, both legally and supportively as an attorney, mentor, and coach.
Quotes:
"Your history makes up who you are today."
"Our children's years are shorter so they feel things more impactfully--we need to be mindful of that."
"It's important that all parents in a blended family are in alignment."
"Your children need to feel safe talking to you."
"Even when your children are resisting, being consistent and present are extremely important."
"Ask your kids how you can love them better."
"Don't take things personally."
Resources:
Sabrina's website: https://www.sabrinashaheen.com/
https://www.croninlawfirm.com/
Cronin Law Firm Phone: 258-258-3500
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrina-shaheen-cronin-a9ab7738/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sabrinashaheencronin/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sabrinashaheencronin
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz https://www.amazon.com/s?k=the+4+agreements+by+don+miguel+ruiz&hvadid=78065379410698&hvbmt=bb&hvdev=c&hvqmt=b&tag=mh0b-20&ref=pd_sl_73l42atewh_b
The Five Love Languages series by Gary Chapman https://www.5lovelanguages.com/store
Today's guest is the excellent Earnest James!
Earnest James is the host of the Deal to Heal with E James Podcast. He is a man with a heart for people. As a minister, mentor, and speaker, Earnest has dedicated his life to inspiring and uplifting others. His mission is to help others heal from the wounds of their past and current situations. Earnest is an entrepreneur, business owner, an author, social media influencer, online course creator, and workshop instructor. Earnest believes “If you must fail, fail fast and fail first. That way you can rebound and rebuild your life. Then help others do the same.”
Earnest was raised in a two parent household, but recognized the effects of fatherlessness on his extended family and friends, who were being raised by single mothers. Earnest is determined to help heal families by helping fatherless mothers and daughters heal from their father wound and mentoring dads and sons.
Earnest also is an advocate for education. After a few failures early in life, Earnest quickly rebounded to complete grammar school, finish high school in three years, and became a college graduate. Earnest has been a guest speaker on several podcasts as well as hosting his own. Earnest plans on sharing his message of hope and healing with as many people as will listen.
Quotes:
"Fatherless daughters often either don't let anyone in, or they let everyone in."
"Common issues are 1) dealing with abandonment and its struggles, and 2) issues with loyalty to people even after they have shown themselves unworthy of that loyalty."
"One of my favorite things is the relationship my daughter has with her stepmom."
"Don't be afraid of what your relationship looks like now."
"Take yourself (your emotions) out of the equation. Facts over feelings."
Resources:
Ron Deal's website: https://smartstepfamilies.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj4CU0HH0VJbSZr0DCDM83g
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dealtoheal
Tik Tok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMRV8t6kd
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/friend2fatherlessdaughters/
Tee- Shirts: https://deal-2-heal-tees.myshopify.com/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/dealtohealpodcast
Podcast: flow.page/dealtohealwithejamespodcast
Today's guest is the amazing Dr. Patricia Papernow!
Dr. Patricia Papernow has taught about “blended families” all over the U.S. and the world, sharing best practices for meeting the often-intense challenges that stepfamilies face. Dr. Papernow has authored dozens of articles and book chapters on stepfamilies as well as two of the leading books in the field: Surviving and Thriving in Stepfamily Relationships: What Works and What Doesn’t, and, with Karen Bonnell, The Stepfamily Handbook: From Dating, to Getting Serious to Forming a “Blended Family.”
Quotes:
"In a first-time family, kids enter hard-wired for affection for their parents."
"Stepparents enter as an outsider to the family."
Five Challenges for Stepfamilies
1) Stuck insider vs. Stuck outsiders (stepparents are often left out)
2) Kids feel differently about stepfamilies than they do about first families (stepfamily adjustment is harder on kids than the actual divorce)
3) Parenting and stepparenting are different (best parenting style: authoritative parenting by parents)
4) Creating a new family culture when (at least) two cultures already exist involves making something new while respecting both us and them.
5) There IS another parent, living or dead, outside the household
* The worst thing for children isn't divorce or remarriage; it's conflict.
"A lot of stepfamily life is 'learning by goofing.'"
"For kids, as the rate of change goes up, their well-being goes down."
Suggestions:
1) Spend 1:1 time with kids/stepkids (connection before correction)
2) Kids don't want a replacement (via divorce or death), so make space for the parent that is already there
Resources:
Dr. Papernow's website: https://www.stepfamilyrelationships.com/
Dr. Papernow's books (Becoming a Stepfamily, and Surviving and Thriving in Stepfamily Relationships) : https://www.stepfamilyrelationships.com/
The Stepfamily Handbook (written with Karen Bonnell): https://www.amazon.com/Stepfamily-Handbook-Getting-Serious-Forming/dp/172085520X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+stepfamily+handbook&qid=1647715365&s=books&sprefix=the+stepfmaily%2Cstripbooks%2C171&sr=1-1
Stepparenting the Grieving Child by Diane Ingram Fromme https://www.amazon.com/Stepparenting-Grieving-Child-Cultivating-Connections/dp/1939919479
Today's guest is Karen Bonnell!
From her website: Karen has over 30 years of experience working with couples and families facing transition, loss, growth and change. A graduate of the University of Michigan, she served on the faculty of University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University & Seattle Pacific University before beginning full-time private practice in 1984. In 2021, she brought her psychiatric nursing career to a close, and now focuses strictly on coaching and mediation. She regularly writes for, speaks to and trains health care and legal professionals.
Karen’s work as a Collaborative Divorce Coach spurred her determination to write “The Co-Parenting Handbook” with Kristin Little, Child Specialist. Parents learn the best ways to support their children, strengthen their co-parenting, and discover the necessary tools to skillfully create a two-home family.
“The Parenting Plan Workbook” followed with contributor Felicia Malsby Soleil, JD. Karen and Felicia built a workbook and four-plus hours of coaching seminars (The Parenting Plan Workbook Video Series), which provide valuable access to the mechanics behind writing a strong, child-centered parenting plan.
And most recently, Karen and Patricia Papernow, PhD released the newest handbook for parents ready to date and hoping to one day successfully create stepfamily, “The Stepfamily Handbook: From Dating, to Getting Serious, to Forming a ‘Blended Family’”.
Quotes:
"Teens are looking to get rid of the parents they've got; they're not shopping for more!"
"A second-time family is a very different architecture than a first-time family."
"If we don't do this well, the people who are going to suffer are the kids."
"The truth without compassion can be abusive."
"Stepparents are additive, not substitutes."
Resources:
The Stepfamily Handbook https://www.amazon.com/Stepfamily-Handbook-Getting-Serious-Forming/dp/172085520X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1542034223&sr=8-1&keywords=the+stepfamily+handbook&dpID=41lRp0ntBjL&preST=_SY344_BO1,204,203,200_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
The Co-Parenting Handbook https://www.amazon.com/Co-Parenting-Handbook-Well-Adjusted-Resilient-Separation/dp/1632171465/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501711469&sr=8-1&keywords=9781632171467
The Parenting Plan Workbook https://www.amazon.com/Parenting-Plan-Workbook-Comprehensive-Child-Centered/dp/1632171457/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1501713041&sr=1-1&keywords=the+parenting+plan+workbook
Karen Bonnell on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/karenbonnell
The podcast currently has 47 episodes available.