The Stepmom Side Podcast

Alicia Krasko
  • 4.9 (47)
  • PARENTING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Do you find yourself googling for "Stepmom help" or "Stepmom struggles" more than you'd care to admit? If so, you're in the right place. The Stepmom Side Podcast is a conversational podcast about being a Stepmom and what that actually looks like. Host Alicia Krasko covers everything from part-time, full-time, to being an empty nester as a Stepmom. Every week, you'll get a bit of humor, advice, and a conversation that will have you taking an objective look at how you're showing up. You can expect honest (and uncomfortable) conversations with perspective shifts mixed in to help you create the life you no longer have to google for help.

  1. 23H AGO

    #136: Build Your Trigger Protocol (So You’re Not Feral in the Moment)

    In this episode of The Stepmom Side Podcast, Alicia teaches stepmoms how to create a personal Trigger Protocol to handle emotionally charged moments without spiraling or snapping.  If you often react in the heat of the moment and then regret what you said or did, this episode gives you a simple, practical plan you can use when your nervous system is activated. You’ll learn how to choose a pause phrase, an exit strategy, and one nervous system regulation tool so you can respond more calmly in blended family situations.  This episode is perfect for stepmoms who feel overwhelmed by emotional triggers with their stepkids, partner, or co-parenting dynamics and want real tools that work in the moment. Join The Stepmom Side Community to practice emotional regulation tools, get support from other stepmoms, and stop handling triggers alone. Support the show Want a specific topic covered? Let me know here. After you listen to this, tag me on Instagram @aliciakrasko and let me know what you think! Get all the FREE RESOURCES here. Want to learn more about The Stepmom Side community? Here's where you get all the info. Looking forward to connecting with you on the inside. All things Alicia visit www.aliciakrasko.com Get on the list, get behind the scene info on Stepmom life, and tips delivered to your inbox.

    17 min

  2. 6D AGO

    #135: Why Being the Mature One Is Quietly Burning You Out

    If you’ve ever said, “I understand why this happened, so I shouldn’t still feel upset,” this episode is for you. Alicia explores why so many stepmoms intellectualize their emotions instead of processing them — and how that pattern quietly leads to resentment, burnout, and emotional shutdown. Stepmoms are often praised for being mature, understanding, and “handling things well,” but that praise can come at a cost. When feelings are constantly explained away instead of felt, they don’t disappear — they get stored. This episode breaks down the difference between intellectualizing emotions and actually processing them, and why skipping the emotional “ouch” is one of the fastest ways resentment builds in blended families. In this episode, Alicia covers: The difference between understanding emotions and processing themWhy explaining feelings too quickly blocks emotional releaseHow resentment is created from unacknowledged painWhy stepmoms feel pressure to be “the mature one”What to do instead of reframing your feelings out of existenceThis episode offers stepmoms permission to feel first — without justification, explanation, or self-criticism. ✨ Resentment to Relief builds directly on this work, teaching stepmoms how to safely feel emotions without spiraling, self-abandoning, or stuffing them down until they explode later. Join the waitlist here. Support the show Want a specific topic covered? Let me know here. After you listen to this, tag me on Instagram @aliciakrasko and let me know what you think! Get all the FREE RESOURCES here. Want to learn more about The Stepmom Side community? Here's where you get all the info. Looking forward to connecting with you on the inside. All things Alicia visit www.aliciakrasko.com Get on the list, get behind the scene info on Stepmom life, and tips delivered to your inbox.

    16 min

  3. FEB 4

    #134: Why You Handle It “So Well”… Then Fall Apart Later

    Have you ever handled a stepfamily moment calmly, maturely, and with impressive emotional intelligence — only to completely unravel hours later? Alicia breaks down the difference between your thinking self and your nervous system, and why logic isn’t enough to regulate emotional reactions in blended family life. This episode is especially for high-functioning, Type A stepmoms who pride themselves on being self-aware but feel confused (and frustrated) when that awareness doesn’t stop the emotional spirals. Alicia explains why stepmom triggers hit so deeply, why feelings often show up after the situation is over, and how nervous system responses are rooted in safety, belonging, and attachment — not immaturity or weakness. In this episode, you’ll learn: The difference between your thinking brain and your nervous systemWhy stepmom triggers go straight to feelings of rejection and belongingWhy you “handle it well” in the moment but fall apart laterWhy logic doesn’t calm a body-based responseWhat emotional regulation actually looks like in real lifeThis episode helps stepmoms stop judging themselves for emotional reactions and start understanding what their body is trying to communicate. This conversation is a key foundation for Resentment to Relief, Alicia’s framework for helping stepmoms stop managing resentment and start releasing it by working with — not against — their nervous system. Get on the waitlist for Resentment to Relief here.  Support the show Want a specific topic covered? Let me know here. After you listen to this, tag me on Instagram @aliciakrasko and let me know what you think! Get all the FREE RESOURCES here. Want to learn more about The Stepmom Side community? Here's where you get all the info. Looking forward to connecting with you on the inside. All things Alicia visit www.aliciakrasko.com Get on the list, get behind the scene info on Stepmom life, and tips delivered to your inbox.

    19 min

  4. JAN 27

    #133: Why Being Self-Aware Isn’t Helping (And Might Be Making It Worse)

    You’ve done the work. You’re self-aware. You can explain everyone’s behavior in the situation… So why do you still feel triggered, exhausted, or quietly resentful? In this episode, Alicia breaks down why insight alone doesn’t calm a dysregulated nervous system — and why high-functioning, emotionally intelligent stepmoms often struggle more, not less. This conversation is for the stepmom who: understands what’s happening but still feels overwhelmedprides herself on being “the calm one”keeps asking, “Why isn’t this working if I know better?”Alicia explores how self-awareness can accidentally turn into self-pressure, why explaining your feelings doesn’t regulate them, and how emotional maturity has been confused with emotional suppression. Key takeaways from this episode: Why capable stepmoms struggle more than they expect toThe trap of “If I understand it, I won’t feel it”How being self-aware can turn into being hard on yourselfWhy insight ≠ nervous system regulationHow unprocessed feelings quietly turn into resentmentIf you’ve ever thought, “I shouldn’t feel this way anymore,” this episode will gently (and lovingly) call that out. This episode sets the foundation for Resentment to Relief — a process designed not to fix you, but to help your nervous system feel safe enough to finally let go of resentment instead of managing it forever. Get on the waitlist for Resentment to Relief here.  Support the show Want a specific topic covered? Let me know here. After you listen to this, tag me on Instagram @aliciakrasko and let me know what you think! Get all the FREE RESOURCES here. Want to learn more about The Stepmom Side community? Here's where you get all the info. Looking forward to connecting with you on the inside. All things Alicia visit www.aliciakrasko.com Get on the list, get behind the scene info on Stepmom life, and tips delivered to your inbox.

    14 min

  5. JAN 20

    132: Why Type A Women Struggle as Stepmoms (Control, Perfectionism & Burnout)

    If you’re a Type A, high-achieving woman who suddenly felt like she lost her footing after becoming a stepmom — this episode is for you. In this episode of The Stepmom Side Podcast, Alicia speaks directly to driven, control-loving, people-pleasing women who were thriving before blended family life… and now feel anxious, resentful, burned out, or completely out of control. Alicia breaks down the common pitfalls Type A stepmoms don’t see coming, including over-functioning, people-pleasing, perfectionism, and emotional burnout. She also explains what’s actually happening beneath the surface — and how to start letting go of control without losing confidence or identity. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why Type A and perfectionist women struggle more as stepmomsHow over-functioning leads to resentment in blended familiesWhy people-pleasing makes stepmoms feel invisible in their own homesHow control becomes a false sense of safety....and more!This episode is a must-listen for stepmoms who are exhausted from managing everyone else’s emotions and ready to stop trying to “fix” blended family life. Support the show Want a specific topic covered? Let me know here. After you listen to this, tag me on Instagram @aliciakrasko and let me know what you think! Get all the FREE RESOURCES here. Want to learn more about The Stepmom Side community? Here's where you get all the info. Looking forward to connecting with you on the inside. All things Alicia visit www.aliciakrasko.com Get on the list, get behind the scene info on Stepmom life, and tips delivered to your inbox.

    24 min

  6. JAN 13

    #131: What to Do When Your Stepkid Says ‘I Miss My Mom’ Without Losing Your Cool

    When your stepkid says, “I miss my mom”  especially right after a consequence,  it hits different. It’s not just the words; it’s the sting behind them. The comparison. The reminder that no matter how much you love and show up, you’re still not her. In this episode, Alicia dives into how to handle it when your stepchild brings up their mom whether it’s “I miss her,” “She does it better,” or “Mom lets me.” You’ll hear real stories (including one straight from The Stepmom Side Community), emotional insight, and a few hard truths about what’s really happening when those words come out. Alicia breaks down: Why kids say things like “I miss my mom” and what they actually meanHow to stay calm and respond in a way that keeps your powerWhat not to do when it feels like manipulationSimple, validating phrases that defuse the tensionWhy leaning into the moment helps it lose power over timeIf you’ve ever felt like you’re being compared, rejected, or just plain over it, this one’s for you. You’ll walk away with confidence, clarity, and maybe a little less sting next time those words come up. Support the show Want a specific topic covered? Let me know here. After you listen to this, tag me on Instagram @aliciakrasko and let me know what you think! Get all the FREE RESOURCES here. Want to learn more about The Stepmom Side community? Here's where you get all the info. Looking forward to connecting with you on the inside. All things Alicia visit www.aliciakrasko.com Get on the list, get behind the scene info on Stepmom life, and tips delivered to your inbox.

    28 min

  7. JAN 6

    #130: How to Handle In-Laws Who Stay Friends with the Ex-Wife

    When your in-laws are still close with your partner’s ex, it can feel like emotional whiplash. You’re trying to build a future while they’re still tethered to the past—and it leaves you wondering where (or if) you fit in. In this extended episode, Alicia gets real about her own experience of feeling like the outsider in her husband’s family and shares how she moved from frustration to clarity. You’ll learn how to navigate this tricky dynamic without shutting people out, setting healthy boundaries around what you will (and won’t) discuss, and how to confidently define your own place in the family—even if it feels like the ex is still holding space. This episode is part validation, part strategy, and 100% support for the stepmom who's tired of feeling like the backup option. What You’ll Hear: Why it hurts when in-laws stay close to the exAlicia’s personal story of feeling like the outsiderBoundary-setting phrases you can use with in-lawsHow to talk to your partner about what you’re feelingReframing your role without needing permission to belongSupport the show Want a specific topic covered? Let me know here. After you listen to this, tag me on Instagram @aliciakrasko and let me know what you think! Get all the FREE RESOURCES here. Want to learn more about The Stepmom Side community? Here's where you get all the info. Looking forward to connecting with you on the inside. All things Alicia visit www.aliciakrasko.com Get on the list, get behind the scene info on Stepmom life, and tips delivered to your inbox.

    21 min

  8. 12/30/2025

    #129: When Kids Flip the Switch (and You Take It Personally)

    Kids are emotional chameleons — sweet one minute, sassy the next, and then asking for help like nothing ever happened. For stepmoms (especially those without kids of their own), those mood swings can feel deeply personal. In this episode, Alicia gets real about how confusing and hurtful kids’ quick emotional flips can be — and why they usually have nothing to do with you. She shares a personal story about her daughter going from furious to friendly in record time and what it taught her about emotional regulation, perspective, and saving yourself from unnecessary heartache. Alicia breaks down: Why kids’ moods can change on a dime (and the unseen variables behind it)How to stop taking every “off” behavior personallyWhat emotional regulation actually looks like for kids (spoiler: it doesn’t)The right (and wrong) way to address disrespect or attitudeHow to keep your peace when kids forget they were just mad at youIf you’ve ever spiraled after a stepkid’s attitude shift or found yourself holding on to something long after they’ve moved on, this episode is your reminder that you’re not alone — and it’s not personal. Join other stepmoms learning how to take things less personally (and laugh about it along the way) inside The Stepmom Side Community . For 1:1 coaching, visit aliciakrasko.com/coaching . Support the show Want a specific topic covered? Let me know here. After you listen to this, tag me on Instagram @aliciakrasko and let me know what you think! Get all the FREE RESOURCES here. Want to learn more about The Stepmom Side community? Here's where you get all the info. Looking forward to connecting with you on the inside. All things Alicia visit www.aliciakrasko.com Get on the list, get behind the scene info on Stepmom life, and tips delivered to your inbox.

    24 min
See All (136)

4.9
out of 5
47 Ratings

About

Do you find yourself googling for "Stepmom help" or "Stepmom struggles" more than you'd care to admit? If so, you're in the right place. The Stepmom Side Podcast is a conversational podcast about being a Stepmom and what that actually looks like. Host Alicia Krasko covers everything from part-time, full-time, to being an empty nester as a Stepmom. Every week, you'll get a bit of humor, advice, and a conversation that will have you taking an objective look at how you're showing up. You can expect honest (and uncomfortable) conversations with perspective shifts mixed in to help you create the life you no longer have to google for help.

Information

  • Creator
    Alicia Krasko
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    136
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Stepmom Side Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Stepmom Side Podcast

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