This episode is all about step families, blended families and how to deal with exes. Even if that’s not your current situation, opening your eyes to the challenges that stepparents face is really important. And that’s exactly what today’s guest, Jamie Scrimgeor, helps us do.  
 Jamie has a background in psychology and social service work. She is now a certified life coach who specializes in step family dynamics. Jamie also hosts her own podcast, is a content and community creator, she’s a wife, a mom to three stepchildren and one of her own. 
 In our conversation with Jamie she shares what she would like those of us who aren’t stepmoms to understand about those who are. She also shares what the most common challenges are that come up for stepmoms. We know that blending a family with stepchildren and an “ours” baby can bring up a lot of emotion. Jamie shares her own personal story with this and why it’s the best thing that has happened to her family. 
 One topic that isn’t often talked about is the mental load of a stepmom. Jamie shares her insights on what contributes to stepmom mental load most often and also shares her reframes to help you release the guilt, shame, and judgment of others when it comes to divorce. 
 Links & Resources: 
 Enroll in the HERself Self-Care Course 
 Jamie’s Website 
 Jamie’s Podcast 
 Jamie’s Membership 
 Let’s connect! 
 HERSELF SHOP: https://herself-podcast-favorites.myshopify.com 
 HERSELF PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/herselfpodcast 
 HERSELF INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/herselfpodcast 
 MEET AMY: http://instagram.com/ameskiefer 
 MEET ABBY: http://instagram.com/abbyrosegreen 
This episode was produced and edited by @pivotballchange.

206. Jamie Scrimgeour - An Episode for Step Moms and Those Who Support Them

As women, we are constantly comparing ourselves to others. But your life isn't supposed to look like hers! Being your best self means standing firm in your decisions and always being willing to grow with a purpose. Amy and Abby get vulnerable and real with an honest look into the challenges and triumphs we all face. Every woman listening gets the opportunity to choose what life looks like for HERself.

Kids & Family

Parenting

Making new friends in our 30’s and 40’s can be tricky, especially as moms. Today, we have Danielle Bayard Jackson on the show to talk with us about how to maintain close friends while nurturing the surface level ones at the same time. Danielle is the friendship expert on Bumble’s new app; Bumble for Friends. She is here to share everything from what to do if your partner doesn’t get along with one of your friends to ideas on how to find those deep friendship connections if that’s what you're seeking. 
 What is more important - the quality of the friendships you have or the quantity? Danielle gets into how many deep friendships we can sustain at a time but also pushes us to not discount the “weaker” ties that we have. She explains the pros and cons of both. And what are we supposed to do when those feelings of being left out creep in? Danielle offers some great tips on what you can do if loneliness seems to be a factor in your life right now. 
 We know that many of you are moms and this can be one of the hardest stages to make or maintain friendships. But the value that they bring to your life is so rich. It’s not too late to find those deep connections. Be intentional with the new people you meet. Put in some effort and remind yourself that these types of relationships are going to take time and work! 
 Sponsor: 10% off at BETTERHELP: http://betterhelp.com/herself 
 Sponsor: LMNT; drinkLMNT.com/HERSELF free sample pack with purchase  
 Links & Resources: 
 Enroll in the HERself Self-Care Course 
 Danielle’s Book; Fighting for Our Friendships 
 Danielle’s Website 
 Let’s connect! 
 HERSELF PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/herselfpodcast 
 HERSELF INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/herselfpodcast 
 MEET AMY: http://instagram.com/ameskiefer 
 MEET ABBY: http://instagram.com/abbyrosegreen

232. Dr. Danielle Bayard Jackson With the Power of Female Friendship

Are you working on forming habits that will lead to positive behavior change? What’s the difference between a behavior change and an actual habit? Today, our guest Robyn Conley Downs, joins us to speak on all things habits! When it comes to forming new habits maybe you fall into the all or nothing category? Or perhaps you compare yourself too much or have that perfectionistic mindset? Well, Robyn is here to give you strategies that you can implement right away no matter what stage of habit formation you are currently in. 
 Wanting to live a healthier lifestyle but not knowing where to start can be overwhelming. Robyn explains the power that momentum can have when we start small. She also reminds us to give ourselves credit for how far we have come. Robyn explains what a purpose habit is and why it is a key piece to the puzzle.  
 Are you one to focus on the outcome of a goal rather than the process? Robyn shares what shifting your goals to process goals versus outcome goals can do for you. She also breaks down the 80/20 rule and talks about the impact that becoming brilliant at the basics can have on your life.  

 Sponsor: 20% off at CHOMPS with code herself: https://chomps.com/ 
 Sponsor: Vivo; vivobarefoot.com - enter code ‘HERSELF’ at checkout for 20% off your first order 
 Links & Resources: 
 Enroll in the HERself Self-Care Course 
 Robyn’s Book; The Feel Good Effect 
 Follow Robyn on Instagram 
 Listen to Robyn’s Podcast; Whole Life Organized 
 Let’s connect! 
 HERSELF PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/herselfpodcast 
 HERSELF INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/herselfpodcast 
 MEET AMY: http://instagram.com/ameskiefer 
 MEET ABBY: http://instagram.com/abbyrosegreen

231. Simplify Your Life with Robyn Conley Downs

In the past so many of you have requested more podcast episodes that are aimed towards dads. This one does just that. Our guest, Michael Perry, is a husband, dad of two young boys, and the founder of tech startup and household organization app Maple - which stands for Make All Parents Lives Easier. 
 It is easy to hear Michael’s passion for his work. He talks about his values and how they show up both in and out of his household. Michael touches on how he and his wife share the load and the responsibilities he takes on as a father. He also offers tips on how to empower your partner to step up more and share more of the work that comes with parenting.  
 If you’ve implemented different strategies and systems to try to improve how your household functions but it doesn’t seem to be working, Michael offers suggestions on how a simple conversation about things can make the world of difference. We also know that at times, it can feel like we and our partner are giving each other the leftover version of ourselves. Michael touches on how we can bring the best version of ourselves to our families and how that might mean not giving 100% at work all the time. 
 We know this episode is going to really resonate with our male listeners so be sure to share this one with your partner! 
 Sponsor: LMNT; drinkLMNT.com/HERSELF free sample pack with purchase  
 Sponsor: Free Shipping at GOODR with code ‘HERSELF’: https://goodr.com/herself 
 Links & Resources: 
 Enroll in the HERself Self-Care Course 
 Follow Maple on Instagram 
 growmaple.com 
 Let’s connect! 
 HERSELF PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/herselfpodcast 
 HERSELF INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/herselfpodcast 
 MEET AMY: http://instagram.com/ameskiefer 
 MEET ABBY: http://instagram.com/abbyrosegreen 



230. Managing Family Life Like a Team with Michael Perry

Are you in a phase of your relationship where your partner feels more like a roommate? We know this is a challenge that many of our listeners in this community face. Today we are excited to have Sheina Schochet of @loveafterbaby back on the show. If you haven’t already, be sure to go back and listen to episode 170 when we first had Sheina on. 
 Today’s discussion is infused with so many tips on everything from what to do if your partnership doesn’t feel like it’s in a strong place to some actions you can take if your partner isn’t open to going to therapy. Since Sheina’s last visit on the show, she has become a Gottman Bringing Home Baby educator and the insights she’s gained from this are tangible throughout our conversation. 
 What we want you to walk away with from our discussion with Sheina is that being in a rut in your relationship is super common and it’s something that isn’t talked about enough. So if you’re feeling like you are in a low place right now, tune into this episode to learn how to reconnect with your partner and get back to a place where you are able to find the friendship & intimacy in your relationship again.  
 Sponsor: Vivo; vivobarefoot.com - enter code ‘HERSELF’ at checkout for 20% off your first order 
 Sponsor: 10% off at BETTERHELP: http://betterhelp.com/herself 
 Sponsor: Thorne; 20% off your purchase: www.thorne.com/u/herself 
 Links & Resources: 
 Enroll in the HERself Self-Care Course 
 Men Searching for Meaning 
 The Mask of Masculinity 
 Episode 170: Keeping the Love in Our Partnerships After Kids with Sheina Schochet @loveafterbaby 
 Love After Baby Quiz 
 Follow Sheina on Instagram 
 Love After Baby Workshops 
 Work 1x1 with Sheina 
 Let’s connect! 
 HERSELF PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/herselfpodcast 
 HERSELF 

229. My Partner Feels Like a Roommate, Now What? with Sheina Schochet from @loveafterbaby

This episode with Dr. Gloria Han is all about mindfulness. Gloria is a clinical psychologist but today we focus on how simple mindfulness can be yet at the same time, it’s not easy. Gloria gives us lots of ways we can plug mindfulness into our daily lives that will allow us to be more present and get more enjoyment out of this life. 
 When we think about mindfulness we might think that it needs to be an uninterrupted time of meditating. Gloria explains how this isn’t true. She goes into details about how it can be something that we practice all day long and explains the three skills of mindfulness, including examples of each. She also gives us examples of things we can do that will only take 5-10 minutes but can have a huge impact.  
 There are both mental and physical benefits of mindfulness. Gloria talks about how the mind isn’t separate from the body and how the well being of the two are inextricably linked. She also differentiates between when judgment is good versus when it can be a negative thing and how living too far in the past or future can be detrimental to our minds. 
 Finally, if you’re interested in how mindfulness can be beneficial to your kids, Gloria shares her favorite tools she uses as a pediatric pain psychologist to help children become more aware of their well-being. 
 Sponsor: 10% off at BETTERHELP: http://betterhelp.com/herself 
 Sponsor: 20% off at CHOMPS with code herself: https://chomps.com/ 
 Links & Resources: 
 Enroll in the HERself Self-Care Course 
 Follow Gloria on Instagram 
 Gloria’s Website 
 Let’s connect! 
 HERSELF PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/herselfpodcast 
 HERSELF INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/herselfpodcast 
 MEET AMY: http://instagram.com/ameskiefer 
 MEET ABBY: http://instagram.com/abbyrosegreen 



206. Jamie Scrimgeour - An Episode for Step Moms and Those Who Support Them

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