The Stepmom Diaries | Blended Family & Stepmom Support Podcast

Stepfamily Solutions
  • 4.9 (65)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Weekly

The Stepmom Diaries is a podcast for stepmoms navigating blended family life, marriage stress, coparenting conflict, emotional burnout, and the realities nobody talks about. Hosted by Cameron Normand of Stepfamily Solutions, this podcast keeps it honest with relatable conversations about stepmom life, relationships, identity, resentment, boundaries, and building healthier blended families. As a second wife and stepmom to four kids, Cameron combines real-life experience with practical support to help stepmoms feel less alone, less overwhelmed, and more confident in their role.

  1. 2d ago

    The "Ours Baby" in a Blended Family: What No One Tells You | Amanda Gonzales, LCMHC & Morgan Lindahl

    What happens when you have an ours baby in a blended family and suddenly one child is staying home while their siblings leave for another house? In this episode of The Stepmom Diaries, Cameron sits down with Morgan Lindahl and Amanda Gonzales, two moms and stepmoms who created a resource specifically for the children in blended families who stay behind when their siblings transition between homes. Morgan shares how becoming a biological mom changed the way she saw herself as a stepmom and gave her a new perspective on her stepchildren, their mom, and the emotions that come with moving between two homes. Amanda brings both her personal experience and her background as a children's therapist to the conversation, including why predictability and consistency can look very different in a blended family. They also talk about something that does not get nearly enough attention: what life feels like for an "ours" baby in a blended family when their brothers or sisters leave. For some kids, transition day means suddenly going from a full house to being the only child at home, and those repeated goodbyes can bring some very big feelings. In this episode, you'll learn: How having an ours baby can change your identity and confidence as both a mom and stepmom Why sibling transitions can be especially emotional for the child who stays behind How to create connection and security when blended family schedules are constantly changing Why intention and self compassion matter when you cannot make every transition feel easy Morgan and Amanda also share the story behind their book, How Many More Days?!, which was created to help children process the goodbyes, waiting, and reunions that come with having siblings who live between two homes. Resources Mentioned Learn more about Morgan and Amanda's work and Pre-order a copy of the book, How Many More Days?! & get their 25 Transition Day Rituals download for FREE! Simply add both products to your cart and use the code: STEPMOMDIARIES  https://forthekidswhostay.com  Follow Amanda & Morgan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forthekidswho.stay/ The Stepmom Summit: Out Loud  Sept. 14-18, 2026. Morgan and Amanda will be joining Cameron at The Stepmom Summit to continue the conversation about ours babies and blended family dynamics. Get your FREE ticket HERE: https://www.thestepmomsummit.com Get our free Stepmom Scripts Guide with real-life scripts for common stepfamily conversations: https://stepfamilycertification.com/stepmom-scripts   Love The Stepmom Diaries? Please consider rating and reviewing The Stepmom Diaries on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Your feedback helps the show grow and reach more blended families who need honest conversations like this one.

  2. Aug 13

    When Sex Starts Feeling Like a Chore: Rebuilding Intimacy in Your Marriage | Meygan & Casey Caston

    When sex starts feeling like one more thing on the to do list, it is easy to assume something is wrong with your relationship. But often, what is happening in the bedroom has a lot more to do with what is happening outside of it. In this episode, I sit down with marriage coaches and Marriage365 founders Meygan and Casey Caston for an honest conversation about intimacy in marriage, sex, resentment, mismatched desire, and why couples need to actually talk about the things they would rather avoid. For stepmoms, this conversation hits especially close to home. Blended family life can come with stress, complicated schedules, parenting conflict, emotional exhaustion, and resentment that slowly chips away at connection between partners. Meygan and Casey share practical ways couples can rebuild trust and intimacy, including why scheduling sex might actually help your relationship instead of hurting the romance. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why intimacy in marriage starts with trust, not sex • How resentment outside the bedroom can affect connection inside it • Why scheduling sex can actually create more anticipation and intimacy • How couples with mismatched sex drives can stop keeping score and start communicating They also break down their four Fs of a healthy sex life: foreplay, frequency, feelings, and fun, and share a simple way to start a conversation about sex with your partner without making it awkward or confrontational. If intimacy has started getting pushed to the bottom of the list, this episode is a reminder that connection rarely happens because you magically find the time. Sometimes you have to intentionally make it. Resources Mentioned Check out Marriage365.com The Marriage Habit by Meygan and Casey Caston Ready to feel less alone in your stepfamily journey? Join thousands of stepmoms at the FREE 2026 Stepmom Summit for expert advice, real conversations, and practical tools to help you thrive: https://thestepmomsummit.com/  Free Resource: 10 Essential Scripts for Stepmoms: https://stepfamilycertification.com/stepmom-scripts The Stepmom Diaries Podcast: Ep 96. A Better Marriage Starts With A Better You, with Casey & Megan Caston   Love The Stepmom Diaries? Please consider rating and reviewing The Stepmom Diaries on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Your feedback helps the show grow and reach more blended families who need honest conversations like this one.

  3. Aug 6

    Is Your Therapist Using the Wrong Map? What Therapy for Stepfamilies Should Look Like

    Have you ever left therapy feeling heard, but not truly understood? Maybe you were told to be more patient, create more family togetherness, present a united front, or step up and discipline your stepchildren. You followed the advice, and somehow things got even harder. That does not mean you failed. In this episode of The Stepmom Diaries, Cameron explains why therapy for stepfamilies can go sideways when professionals apply advice designed for first families to blended families. Most therapists are not given meaningful training in stepfamily dynamics during graduate school or through continuing education. As a result, even a skilled and caring therapist may be working from the wrong family map. Cameron breaks down the gap between what research tells us about stepfamilies and what actually reaches the professionals supporting them. She also shares four practical questions you can ask to determine whether a therapist understands how stepfamilies really work. In this episode, you will learn: • Why traditional family therapy advice can make stepfamily challenges worse • How stepfamily relationships develop differently from relationships in first families • Four questions to ask a therapist about their stepfamily training and approach • What a healthy and realistic stepparent and stepchild relationship can look like The goal is not to criticize therapy or convince you to leave a therapist you trust. It is to help you recognize whether your family is receiving advice that reflects the research on stepfamily development. You are not failing because advice created for a different kind of family did not work for yours. You may simply need a therapist who understands the unique structure, pace, and challenges of stepfamily life. Resources Mentioned Upgrade your bedtime with Cozy Earth's temperature-regulating bamboo sheets and pajamas, and use code STEPMOMDIARIES at CozyEarth.com for up to 20% off. Patricia Papernow's research and clinical work on stepfamily development Todd Jensen's research on stepfamilies and the gap between research and professional practice Patricia Papernow's clinical book for professionals working with stepfamilies Stepfamily Solutions and its evidence-based approach to stepfamily coaching Ready to feel less alone in your stepfamily journey? Join thousands of stepmoms at the FREE 2026 Stepmom Summit for expert advice, real conversations, and practical tools to help you thrive: https://thestepmomsummit.com/

  4. Jul 31 ·  Bonus

    You Are Not Alone: The 2026 Stepmom Summit Is Coming

    If you are a stepmom, you know how loud the guilt can get and how quiet you may have learned to be. But with 14 million stepmoms in America, you have never been as alone as it feels. The 6th annual Stepmom Summit is back September 14 through 18, 2026, and this year's theme is Out Loud. It is time to find your voice, take your place, and live your life loud and proud. This free, 100% virtual and 100% live event features more than 30 speakers sharing honest conversations, practical tools, and real support for stepmoms. You will also have the opportunity to ask speakers your questions in real time. Join the waitlist now and be first in line when registration opens August 24. Visit www.thestepmomsummit.com to get on the waitlist.

  5. Jul 30

    Lost Yourself in Stepmotherhood? How Curiosity Can Help You Find Yourself Again | Amy Nesbitt

    When you became a stepmom, you probably expected your life to change. What you may not have expected was how easy it would be to lose yourself in the process. Between navigating stepfamily dynamics, supporting your partner, caring for children, managing schedules, and trying to keep the peace, many stepmoms quietly put their own dreams, interests, and identity on hold. In this episode, Cameron sits down with former Apple executive, creator of Whole Wellness Mamas, and speaker Amy Nesbitt to explore how curiosity can become one of the most powerful tools for rediscovering yourself. Rather than making massive life changes, Amy shares how small "experiments" can help you reconnect with the person you've always been—and maybe even discover someone new. They also discuss how curiosity can improve marriages, strengthen relationships with stepchildren, reduce conflict, and help blended families communicate with more empathy. In this episode, you'll learn: Why so many stepmoms lose their identity after joining a blended family How curiosity helps you reconnect with yourself The power of tiny experiments instead of overwhelming life changes Practical ways to make time for yourself without guilt Simple ways to connect with your stepchildren through shared experiences How curiosity can reduce conflict in stepfamily dynamics Whether you've been a stepmom for six months or sixteen years, this conversation will remind you that rediscovering yourself doesn't require changing your entire life- it simply begins with being curious. Resources Mentioned • Learn more about Amy Nesbitt: https://wholewellnessmamas.com • Follow Amy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wholewellnessmamas • This Japanese American Life YouTube Channel • Amy Reads YouTube Channel • Join the waitlist for The Stepmom Summit: https://thestepmomsummit.com  • Free Resource: Download our 10 Essential Scripts for Stepmoms https://stepfamilycertification.com/stepmom-scripts    Love The Stepmom Diaries? Please consider rating and reviewing The Stepmom Diaries on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Your feedback helps the show grow and reach more blended families who need honest conversations like this one.

  6. Jul 23

    Amy Porterfield on Finding Your Identity as a Stepmom

    Finding your stepmom identity can feel overwhelming, especially when you are trying to figure out where you fit in your blended family. Bestselling author Amy Porterfield knows that feeling well. Long before she became one of the world's most recognized business educators, she was learning the same lessons so many stepmoms face today. In this candid conversation, Amy opens up about the emotional journey of discovering her stepmom identity. She shares what it was like trying to earn her stepson's love, the pressure she felt to be the "perfect" stepmom, and the moment she realized she did not need to replace his mom to build a meaningful relationship. If you have ever questioned your place in your blended family or wondered whether you are doing enough, this episode will remind you that your stepmom identity is not something you earn. It is something you grow into over time. In this episode, you'll learn: Why developing your stepmom identity takes time and why that is completely normal. How to build a meaningful relationship with your stepchildren without trying to replace their mom. Why perfectionism keeps so many stepmoms from feeling confident in their role. How embracing your unique place in your blended family leads to stronger relationships. Resources Mentioned Amy Porterfield Get your copy of Two Weeks Notice The Amy Porterfield Show podcast  Ready to feel less alone in your stepfamily journey? Join thousands of stepmoms at the FREE 2026 Stepmom Summit for expert advice, real conversations, and practical tools to help you thrive: https://thestepmomsummit.com/  Free Resource: 10 Essential Scripts for Stepmoms: https://stepfamilycertification.com/stepmom-scripts   Love The Stepmom Diaries? Please consider rating and reviewing The Stepmom Diaries on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Your feedback helps the show grow and reach more blended families who need honest conversations like this one.

  7. Jul 16

    Is It Really Parental Alienation? How to Recognize the Signs and Protect Your Family | Amy J.L. Baker, PhD

    One day your stepchild is excited to see you and your spouse... and the next they're distant, angry, or refusing visits altogether. Is it normal family conflict? Is it the stress of divorce? Or could it be parental alienation? In this episode, Cameron sits down with internationally recognized researcher and author Amy J.L. Baker, PhD, to unpack one of the most misunderstood topics in divorce and blended families. Together, they discuss what parental alienation really is, how it differs from legitimate estrangement, and what parents and stepparents should know if they suspect someone is interfering with a child's relationship with the other parent. Dr. Baker also explains her evidence-based Five-Factor Model, common parental alienation strategies, and how stepparents can support their partner without making an already difficult situation worse. In this episode, you'll learn: What parental alienation actually is, and what it isn't The difference between alienation and justified estrangement The Five-Factor Model used to identify parental alienation Common strategies that can damage a parent-child relationship If this episode encouraged or helped you, please share it with another stepmom, parent, or blended family who may need to hear this conversation. Resources Mentioned Amy J.L. Baker, PhD: https://www.amyjlbaker.com/  Adult Children of Parental Alienation Syndrome by Amy J.L. Baker Ready to feel less alone in your stepfamily journey? Join thousands of stepmoms at the FREE 2026 Stepmom Summit for expert advice, real conversations, and practical tools to help you thrive: https://thestepmomsummit.com/  Free Resource: 10 Essential Scripts for Stepmoms: https://stepfamilycertification.com/stepmom-scripts   Love The Stepmom Diaries? Please consider rating and reviewing The Stepmom Diaries on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Your feedback helps the show grow and reach more blended families who need honest conversations like this one.

  8. Jul 9

    Eve Rodsky on the Mental Load in Blended Families

    Are you the one tracking the dentist appointments, school forms, birthday gifts, custody schedules, groceries, and all the details everyone else seems to forget? That invisible work has a name: the mental load. In this episode of The Stepmom Diaries, I'm sharing my conversation with Eve Rodsky, New York Times bestselling author of Fair Play and Find Your Unicorn Space. We talk about the mental load in blended families and why so many stepmoms feel exhausted from carrying invisible labor no one else sees. This conversation is honest, validating, and so needed for stepmoms who feel like they are holding everything together behind the scenes. In this episode, we cover: Why stepmoms often carry the invisible labor How the mental load shows up differently in blended families Why boundaries and communication have to come before systems The real antidote to burnout Resources Mentioned Fair Play by Eve Rodsky Find Your Unicorn Space by Eve Rodsky Fair Play Cards Follow Eve on Instagram Get our free Stepmom Scripts Guide with real-life scripts for common stepfamily conversations: https://stepfamilycertification.com/stepmom-scripts Get on the waitlist for The Stepmom Summit happening September 14th-18th, 2026!   Love The Stepmom Diaries? Please rate and review the podcast on Apple or Spotify. Your support helps us reach more blended families who need honest conversations like this one.

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The Stepmom Diaries is a podcast for stepmoms navigating blended family life, marriage stress, coparenting conflict, emotional burnout, and the realities nobody talks about. Hosted by Cameron Normand of Stepfamily Solutions, this podcast keeps it honest with relatable conversations about stepmom life, relationships, identity, resentment, boundaries, and building healthier blended families. As a second wife and stepmom to four kids, Cameron combines real-life experience with practical support to help stepmoms feel less alone, less overwhelmed, and more confident in their role.

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