“Laura, could I ask you a question?” the woman attending my event asked apprehensively. “Of course,” I replied, hoping my smile would ease her anxiety. “I don’t want to offend you,” she responded. Now I was curious. “I don’t offend easily. You don’t last long in ministry if...
April 7th, 1984 was the worst day of my life. It was the day my marriage died. My husband was having an affair, he no longer wanted to be married. No amount of crying, begging, promising, or counseling could change his mind. My...
“My stepdaughter is breaking my heart,” Kristen, a stepmom, shared. “No matter how much I do for her, she just won’t let me into her life. I married her dad ten years ago, and I knew it would take time for her to embrace me as...
Recently, I asked a question on social media regarding women and where they seek wisdom. The responses varied. However, one particular theme, from an astounding number of women, caught my attention. “I didn't really have a mom. She was not there for me; I would never...
"Laura, I want to be loving and kind to my stepkids. But it's not easy. They are so bratty, manipulative and whiney that I often just want to get away from them. I feel horrible saying that out loud--but it's the truth, " Leah admitted....
What do stepmoms what? What do we really, really want? After more than 25 years of working with those in divorce recovery and stepfamily situations I believe we crave to feel understood, supported, respected and appreciated for our roles. We just don’t know how to get there. Recently,...
“Laura, my husband hates my son,” stepmom Staci lamented. “I’m not exaggerating. It's so obvious that even our friends and family notice,” she continued. “My spouse denies it and says I’m too easy on him and that I’m raising a “mama’s boy.” But the tension and...
Walking around the mall, looking at all the Christmas decorations and hearing familiar tunes, causes us to feel merry and bright. Right? Not always. As a matter of a fact seasonal depression is very common. The Mayo offers emotional guidance here But why? Why does a season that’s specifically...
Recently, at a stepmom event I observed the large number of full time stepmoms. These are women who have their stepkids full time, and mom is no longer in the picture. There are a variety of reasons why the numbers have significantly increased over the years....