Stepmom Side Chats

Alyssa and Becca | Stepmoms and Blended Families

Stepmom Side Chats is the unfiltered podcast where bonus moms finally say what we’re not supposed to. We dive into the real side of blended life: boundaries, bio-mom drama, guilt, love, and everything in between. No sugarcoating, no perfection, just real stories and real support. Grab your coffee (or wine) and let’s chat. Hosted by Alyssa & Becca (Ed.D.) blending research-backed insight with lived stepmom experience. ✨ Pateron private stepmom communities: https://patreon.com/Stepmomsidechats ✨ Follow us on Instagram for more stepmom content @stepmomsidechats

  1. 1d ago

    Ours Baby Part 2: Stepkid Jealousy, Dad Guilt & The Fairness Trap

    We’re back with Part 2 of our Ours Baby series, and this time we're answering the questions everyone really wants to know. Did your stepkids get jealous? Did bio mom get worse? Were the kids at the hospital? Do dads overcompensate out of guilt? And is "fairness" in a blended family even possible? In this episode, we get real about the practical side of having an ours baby...from stepkid reactions and loyalty binds to grandparent dynamics, age gaps, guilt parenting, and the challenges nobody warns you about. Whether you're considering having an ours baby, currently pregnant, or already navigating life with one, this conversation is packed with honest experiences, uncomfortable truths, and the reassurance that you're not alone. Topics discussed:• Stepkid jealousy and adjustment• Bringing baby home to a blended family• Bio mom reactions• Dad guilt and overcompensating• Grandparent dynamics• The myth of fairness in blended families• Navigating first-time motherhood as a stepmom Grab your coffee and join us for another candid Stepmom Side Chats conversation. ✨ Big Ass Candles | www.bigassluxuries.com and use the code STEPMOM for a discount ✨ COZY EARTH | ⁠www.cozyearth.com⁠ and use code STEPMOM ✨ Get Out | www.getout.com and use code STEPMOM ✨ Pateron private stepmom membership: ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/Stepmomsidechats⁠⁠ ✨ Follow us on Instagram for more stepmom content and to stay connected for future episodes ⁠⁠@stepmomsidechats⁠⁠ ✨ Leave us a review if this episode resonated with you, this helps us reach more stepmoms.

    50 min
  2. Jun 16

    “I Was Brainwashed to Hate My Dad” | A Daughter’s Journey Through Parental Alienation

    What happens when the person you trust most shapes your entire reality and that reality isn’t true? In this deeply personal episode of Stepmom Side Chats, Alyssa & Becca sit down with Meghan, a woman who spent decades believing her father abandoned her. Raised in a high-conflict home, Meghan shares what it was like growing up caught in the middle of divorce, manipulation, fear, loyalty binds, and emotional survival. From walking on eggshells with her mother to feeling a deep longing for her dad she couldn’t explain, Meghan opens up about the painful reality of parental alienation from the child’s perspective. She shares how therapy helped her begin connecting the dots, what it felt like to finally reconnect with her father later in life, and the healing that came from learning her story was never what she had been told. This conversation is raw, validating, and eye-opening for stepmoms, dads, and anyone navigating alienation, high-conflict co-parenting, or the long-term effects of childhood trauma. If you’ve ever wondered what alienated kids are really feeling or what they wish the safe adults in their lives knew, this episode is one you won’t forget. Connect with Meghan: Instagram:@socalfitmama ✨ Big Ass Candles | www.bigassluxuries.com and use the code STEPMOM for a discount ✨ COZY EARTH | ⁠www.cozyearth.com⁠ and use code STEPMOM ✨ Get Out | www.getout.com and use code STEPMOM ✨ Pateron private stepmom membership: ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/Stepmomsidechats⁠⁠ ✨ Follow us on Instagram for more stepmom content and to stay connected for future episodes ⁠⁠@stepmomsidechats⁠⁠ ✨ Leave us a review if this episode resonated with you, this helps us reach more stepmoms.

    50 min
  3. Jun 9

    Emotional Neutrality: The Stepmom Skill Nobody Talks About

    In high-conflict stepfamily dynamics, it can feel like every text, exchange, or disagreement pulls you into emotional chaos. In this episode, Alyssa and Becca unpack the hidden power of emotional neutrality and why learning not to emotionally enter every conflict can completely shift your experience as a stepmom. We dive into selective involvement, grey rocking, behavioral psychology, and the ABC model of conflict to explain why some family dynamics keep escalating and how stepmoms can begin protecting their peace without feeling cold, guilty, or disconnected. You’ll hear practical strategies for de-escalating conflict, regulating your nervous system, setting healthier boundaries, and learning the difference between supporting your family and becoming emotionally consumed by it. If you’ve ever felt exhausted from overthinking texts, carrying everyone’s emotions, or constantly trying to “keep the peace,” this episode is for you. ✨ Big Ass Candles | www.bigassluxuries.com and use the code STEPMOM for a discount ✨ COZY EARTH | ⁠www.cozyearth.com⁠ and use code STEPMOM ✨ Get Out | www.getout.com and use code STEPMOM ✨ Pateron private stepmom membership: ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/Stepmomsidechats⁠⁠ ✨ Follow us on Instagram for more stepmom content and to stay connected for future episodes ⁠⁠@stepmomsidechats⁠⁠ ✨ Leave us a review if this episode resonated with you, this helps us reach more stepmoms.

    39 min
  4. May 19

    Your Body Keeps the Score: Stress, Trauma & Why Stepmoms Are Burning Out

    In this powerful episode of Stepmom Side Chats, Alyssa & Becca sit down with somatic healing coach Meggie, a mom of four, who shares how severe burnout, mysterious health symptoms, and nervous system dysregulation completely changed the course of her life. After losing her hair, gaining weight, battling unexplained physical symptoms, and feeling completely disconnected from herself, Meggie discovered that her body wasn’t betraying her, it was trying to protect her. Together, we unpack how stepmoms and women often carry stress in their shoulders, jaw, hips, and nervous system, why so many of us live in fight-or-flight without realizing it, and how chronic stress can silently impact everything from our relationships to our physical health. If you've ever felt touched out, emotionally numb, constantly overstimulated, or like your body is screaming for help… this episode may explain why. Connect with Meggie: Instagram: ⁠@meggie_m_martin  Website: https://meggiemartin.com/ Some of Meggie's amazing resources include: Somatic exercise in 5 bundle: https://meggiemartin.thrivecart.com/somaticsinfive/ Free BodyBased workshop: https://meggiemartin.thrivecart.com/bodybased-workshop-2026/ Use code STEPMOMSC for a discount ✨ Big Ass Candles | www.bigassluxuries.com and use the code STEPMOM for a discount ✨ Cozy Earth | ⁠www.cozyearth.com⁠ and use code STEPMOM ✨ Pateron private stepmom membership: ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/Stepmomsidechats⁠⁠ ✨ Follow us on Instagram for more stepmom content and to stay connected for future episodes ⁠⁠@stepmomsidechats⁠⁠ ✨ Leave us a review if this episode resonated with you, this helps us reach more stepmoms.

    47 min
  5. May 5

    Present through the Chaos with Randy Keith

    Disclaimer: This episode includes discussion of suicide, domestic violence, and mental health crises. Please take care while listening. In this episode of Stepmom Sidechats, Alyssa & Becca sit down with Randy Keith, also known as Present Father, a fatherhood advocate, creator, and founder of the Present Father Movement. Randy shares his deeply personal story of divorce, navigating a high-conflict custody battle, parallel parenting, and what it has looked like to fight to stay present for his children through some of the hardest seasons of his life. We also talk about the impact of mental health, how children can become caught in the middle during high-conflict dynamics, the realities of blended family life, and what support from a partner can look like when co-parenting feels anything but peaceful. Randy offers a rare and honest dad’s perspective on loyalty binds, weaponized parenting, stepmom support, and why consistency, documentation, and emotional regulation matter so much. This conversation is raw, validating, and full of insight for stepmoms, dads, and anyone navigating the complexities of high-conflict co-parenting and blended family life. Connect with Randy Keith: Instagram: @present.fathers Website: ⁠https://present-father.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Present-Father ✨ Big Ass Candles | www.bigassluxuries.com and use the code STEPMOM for a discount ✨ Episode sponsor | ⁠www.cozyearth.com⁠ and use code STEPMOM ✨ Pateron private stepmom membership: ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/Stepmomsidechats⁠⁠ ✨ Follow us on Instagram for more stepmom content and to stay connected for future episodes ⁠⁠@stepmomsidechats⁠⁠ ✨ Leave us a review if this episode resonated with you, this helps us reach more stepmoms.

    51 min
5
out of 5
31 Ratings

About

Stepmom Side Chats is the unfiltered podcast where bonus moms finally say what we’re not supposed to. We dive into the real side of blended life: boundaries, bio-mom drama, guilt, love, and everything in between. No sugarcoating, no perfection, just real stories and real support. Grab your coffee (or wine) and let’s chat. Hosted by Alyssa & Becca (Ed.D.) blending research-backed insight with lived stepmom experience. ✨ Pateron private stepmom communities: https://patreon.com/Stepmomsidechats ✨ Follow us on Instagram for more stepmom content @stepmomsidechats

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