Blended Family Podcast

When Billie was 19 her parents went through a divorce. She didn't see it coming, especially as the drama of the divorce and the resulting custody battle unfolded. Billie and her brothers were heartbroken. Their worlds were completely rocked. At the time, she was all too aware of the role her parents’ attorneys played during this life-changing transition for everyone. Their divorce changed the course of her life. That’s when she knew then she wanted to be a family law attorney. What she does as a family law attorney affects people’s lives, and the lives of their children for decades and she absolutely loves it. She visits the podcast to discuss how the Coronavirus has added a new layer of complexity to the already challenging world of co-parenting, specifically around masks. In this interview we discuss

Her personal story
Major points of contention due to coronavirus
Legal questions surrounding masks and vaccines
How to co parent effectively through these challenges
What to expect in the law moving forward
Her other company called “I Do Over”
And much more!

Connect with Billie

Website ( My Modern Law)

Website ( I Do OVer)

Connect with me

Join the Private Facebook Group

Connect with me on Facebook

Connect with me on Twitter

Connect with me on Instagram

Send questions or feedback to [email protected]

Send me a voicemail at Speakpipe

Visit the website at www.blendedfamilypodcast.com

Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes

Schedule an interview, coaching session, or financial review here

Take my money quiz here to see how financially literate you are!

Check out the BEST co parenting app, Fayr

To receive a special discount, use promo code Blended!

Check out the Nacho Kids Program!

To receive a special discount, use promo code BFP

90 Day Reset Program The Conscious Parenting Revolution

To receive a 10% discount, use promo code BLENDED10

To receive discount, use promo code BLENDED

1 Listener

Florence Ann Romano, the Windy City Nanny

Blended Family Podcast

10/26/20 • 38 min

Florence Ann Romano, The Windy City NannyTM (WindyCityNanny.com), is an author, philanthropist and web series star/host who has always had a special place in her heart for children. Romano worked for over 15 years as a nanny, beginning as a 'Mommy's helper' at the age of 11. Her new YouTube Series, Windy City Nanny premiered this past August 21st with new episodes each week. She shares her experiences in "Nanny and Me", her beautifully illustrated debut book for children making the transition from being cared for solely by their parents to having a nanny in their home. Florence has been featured on National Shows like Home & Family, The Doctor & The Diva, FOX News, Good Day Chicago, WCIU, SiriusXM and more.

Her personal story
Why she wanted to become a nanny
Why Florence says “it takes a village!”
What she learned by being a nanny for 15 years
The need for nannies in present day times
Need for nannies to assist with school, and how to find one for that need
What to look for in a nanny, and how to find the perfect one
Red flags to look for when hiring a nanny
Florence’s web series and blog
Her book, Nanny and Me
And much more!

Connect with Florence

Connect with me

Join the Private Facebook Group

Connect with me on Facebook

Connect with me on Twitter

Connect with me on Instagram

Send questions or feedback to [email protected]

Send me a voicemail at Speakpipe

Visit the website at www.blendedfamilypodcast.com

Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes

Schedule an interview, coaching session, or financial review here

Take my money quiz here to see how financially literate you are!

Check out the BEST co parenting app, Fayr

To receive a special discount, use promo code Blended!

Check out the Nacho Kids Program!

To receive a special discount, use promo code BFP

90 Day Reset Program The Conscious Parenting Revolution

To receive a 10% discount, use promo code BLENDED10

To receive discount, use promo code BLENDED

1 Listener

Anxiety and the brain, with psychologist Sharyn Kennedy

Blended Family Podcast

02/01/21 • 31 min

Sharyn Kennedy is a practicing psychologist in the UAE, who has taught thousands of clients how to successfully manage anxiety, stress and depression. She teaches her clients psychological skills based on neuroscience findings that will quickly and effectively reduce anxiety and help them manage difficult emotions. Sharyn loves helping people learn about and understand their amazing brain so they can make sense of the way they think, feel and behave. She uses powerful psychological tools and strategies to change what doesn’t work for them. Her ultimate goal is to teach people how to stay calm, capable and confident even in the face of fear and confusion, chaos and problems.

Her personal story
The effect of 2020 on mental health
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and how can it help us
The effects of thinking on mental health
How to control or manage negative thinking patterns
What is ACT, or Acceptable Commitment Therapy
How can we help our children with thought provoked anxiety
What conditions Sharyn can help alleviate with therapy
How to get a FREE report on 12 ways to change your thinking
and much more!

Connect with Sharyn

Website for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Website for Still Mind

Check out my guest appearance on the Whinypaluza Podcast!

ITunes

YouTube

Connect with me

Join the Private Facebook Group

Connect with me on Facebook

Send questions or feedback to [email protected]

Send me a voicemail at Speakpipe

Visit the website at www.blendedfamilypodcast.com

Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes

Schedule an interview, coaching session, or financial review here

Take my money quiz here to see how financially literate you are!

Affiliates

Fayr The BEST co parenting app!

To receive a special discount, use promo code Blended!

Nacho Kids Program

To receive a special discount, use promo code BFP

90 Day Reset Program The Conscious Parenting Revolution

To receive a 10% discount, use promo code BLENDED10

To receive discount, use promo code BLENDED

Father's Day Special, with Joel Hawbaker

Blended Family Podcast

06/17/19 • 70 min

Joel W. Hawbaker is a high school teacher and a soccer coach in Alabama where he lives with his wife, his two daughters, and their two rescue dogs Butterscotch and Bruiser. He is also a professional speaker and author, focusing on leadership, education, and especially blended family life. He has been remarried for five years, and he seeks to inspire other blended families to live a more harmonious life through grace, patience, and mutual respect. When he grows up, Joel wants to be a fighter pilot and a black belt.

He joins me for this Father’s Day special to talk about his own journey with fatherhood in a blended family. In this interview we discuss

His personal story
Why he is in his current line of work
Challenges in his own blended family
His 10 Commandments of blended family life
And much more!

Fathers Day article from National Geographic, History of Father’s Day

Connect with Joel

Connect with me

Join the Private Facebook Group

Connect with me on Facebook

Connect with me on Twitter

Connect with me on Instagram

Send questions or feedback to [email protected]

Send me a voicemail at Speakpipe

Visit the website at www.blendedfamilypodcast.com

Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes

Schedule an interview, coaching session, or financial review here

Take my money quiz here to see how financially literate you are!

160-Valentines Special, with Erik Newton of Together

Blended Family Podcast

02/05/18 • 40 min

Erik Newton is a former family law attorney who describes himself as someone who’s “been through a thousand divorces and still believes in love.” Ushering couples through divorce wasn’t easy for Erik, a romantic from birth, but it turned out to be the ideal medium through which to understand the entire life cycle of a relationship. As a result, Erik has a unique, real-world comprehension of what makes one marriage thrive and another fall apart.

During his time as an attorney, Erik racked up a few accolades: He founded a successful law journal, built the largest and fastest-growing family law firm in the Bay Area, and was named a Super Lawyer three years running. He also teamed up with a psychologist friend to lead premarital courses for couples, hoping to give them the skills they’d need to stay out of his office. Ultimately, his calling to help couples build healthy relationships superseded his legal career, and he decided to dedicate himself full-time to creating a place couples could go for information, inspiration, and a big dose of truth. That’s when Together was born.

Erik joins me to talk about

His personal story
His business, Together, and it’s mission
The “work” involved in relationships
His experiences working with couples over the years
His own relationship
And much more

Connect with Erik

Join the Private Facebook Group

Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes

Connect with me on Facebook

Connect with me on Twitter

Send questions or feedback to [email protected]

Send me a voicemail at Speakpipe

Visit the website at www.blendedfamilypodcast.com

Schedule an interview or coaching session here

Send mail to Melissa Brown

5445 Murrell Rd

Unit 102 #178

Viera FL 32955

144-Embracing Authenticity Part 2, with special guest Anna Seewald

Blended Family Podcast

10/02/17 • 34 min

Anna Seewald is the founder of Authentic Parenting®. She is a speaker, author and a parent educator. She also has a popular Podcast on iTunes called Authentic Moments. She is a mom to a vibrant 9 year old who doesn’t approve of her fashion choices. As a child she survived through a severe earthquake. She lost her young mom. She has been through trauma, pain, and a lot suffering. With a strong passion helping children Anna dedicated her life working with abused, neglected, orphaned, institutionalized children and juvenile delinquents.

After nearly 20 years she realized that it is through helping parents she can help children.

Today she is supporting parents around the world by moving from traditional ways of parenting into more peaceful, conscious ways by making sense of their past life experiences, healing from trauma, building effective communication, practicing non- punitive discipline and setting limits with love and kindness.

In this interview we discuss

Her personal story
Her mission
Her definition of being authentic
What happens when parents are not authentic
The Authentic Moments Podcast
How to teach our children to be authentic
And much more

Connect with Anna

Website

Purchase the Mindful Stepmom Meditation Album HERE for a $5 discount

Join the Private Facebook Group

Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes

Connect with me on Facebook

Connect with me on Twitter

Send questions or feedback to [email protected]

Send me a voicemail at Speakpipe

Visit the website at www.blendedfamilypodcast.com

Schedule an interview or coaching session here

Send mail to Melissa Brown

5445 Murrell Rd

Unit 102 #178

Viera FL 32955

Conscious Parenting Revolution with Katherine Sellery

Blended Family Podcast

09/14/20 • 55 min

Katherine Sellery, 3x TEDx speaker, has taught thousands of parents in a Conscious Parenting Revolution for resilient, considerate, centered and empowered kids who know their inner voice and honor it. Katherine has been coaching parents, children and executives on conscious communication for over 16 years. In this interview we discuss

Her personal story
How the conscious parenting revolution came to be
What is Conscious and effective parenting, and why it’s helpful to you and your child
How this method of parenting can help the relationship between parent and child
Tips on effective communication
Discipline do’s and don'ts
How to not give your power away
Course that Katherine offers (beginning Sept 28, 2020)
And much more!

Connect with Katherine

Upcoming Webinar (September 28, 2020)

90 Day Reset Program - Use Promo Code BLENDED10

Connect with me

Join the Private Facebook Group

Connect with me on Facebook

Connect with me on Twitter

Connect with me on Instagram

Send questions or feedback to [email protected]

Send me a voicemail at Speakpipe

Visit the website at www.blendedfamilypodcast.com

Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes

Schedule an interview, coaching session, or financial review here

Take my money quiz here to see how financially literate you are!

Check out the BEST co parenting app, Fayr

To receive a special discount, use promo code Blended!

Check out the Nacho Kids Program!

To receive a special discount, use promo code BFP

122- Parental Alienation and PAAO, with special guest Wendy Perry

Blended Family Podcast

04/24/17 • 38 min

As an alienated parent and victim of family court corruption, Wendy Perry (formerly Archer) became motivated to bring awareness and education about parental alienation out of the shadows. Her advocacy work has included coordinating and hosting the annual Parental Alienation Awareness Day event in Dallas/Fort Worth Texas and other large events such as the Parental Alienation Symposium drawing attendees from around the world, hosting monthly support group and advocacy meetings, meeting with legislators in Washington DC about family court reform as well as doing TV, radio and magazine interviews to raise awareness and education. The corruption in Wendy’s family court case was so extreme that it was featured in the documentary Divorce Corp. Having previously served on the board of directors for PAAO Canada and as a co-founder of PAAO USA; Wendy has most recently co-founded and serves as one of the officers for the non-profit organization PAAO International.

In this interview we discuss

The parental alienation awareness organization
What is parental alienation
What is the difference between parental alienation and parental alienation syndrome
Some personal letters from victims of PA
Difference between PA and gossip
How to help children who are affected by PA
What steps to take if this is happening to you or your children
How to help support the cause
And more

Find out more about Wendy and the Parental Alienation Awareness Organization

Website

Facebook page

Facebook group

Twitter

Join the Private Facebook Group

Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes

Connect with me on Facebook

Connect with me on Twitter

Send questions or feedback to [email protected]

Send me a voicemail at Speakpipe

Visit the website at www.blendedfamilypodcast.com

Schedule an interview or coaching session here

Send mail to Melissa Brown

5445 Murrell Rd

Unit 102 #178

Viera FL 32955

Dating after Divorce-Episode 03

Blended Family Podcast

12/01/14 • 16 min

www.blendedfamilypodcast.com

This shows topics

How long should you wait to date after a divorce
How to figure out what type of partner you are looking for
How to navigate this terrain with your children

How long you should wait to date depends on specific circumstances and your mental state. Before moving on, you should be in a place where you are stable, and not actively grieving over your divorce.

Before you date, you need to work on breaking old patterns. Determine what patterns existed in your marriage that were detrimental. In some instances, such as abuse or addiction, a good therapist can help you with this.

When you are ready, work on your self esteem. A good diet and exercise program can help you feel healthier. Do something for yourself to make you feel good. Positive affirmations and self encouragement are essential.

Make a realistic list of character traits you are looking for in a new partner. Also make a list of deal breakers, or traits that you absolutely cannot tolerate.

Decide how you are going to meet people. Determine if you will be open to blind dates or a dating site/service. Join clubs and/or social groups to find like minded people. Some good meeting places are parks, the gym, church, and school functions.

Accept plenty of dates, even if you know it isn’t a perfect match. Enjoy yourself, and get practice at conversing with another adult without being nervous. Keep initial conversations light, and minimize speak of your divorce and what went wrong.

When you are ready to introduce kids to a new partner, determine if it is the right time.

Elementary age children may need extra time, as they are maybe also healing from the divorce. Take it very slow, and look for clues from your child to see how they are coping with it. Keep talking to your child and answering their questions openly and honestly.

Middle school children can be introduced quicker, but may be reluctant to cooperate. If your middle schooler is full of angst and acting out behaviorally, take things slowly. Again, keep communicating with your child.

High schoolers are less invested in the love life of their parents. Though, in some case, feel it is their job to manage a parents life. If this sounds like your child, remind them that you are an adult, but appreciate their concern.

Remember that only you can make the choices that are best for you and your family, regardless of everyone giving you their unsolicited opinions. Only do what you think is best for yourself and your family.

If you have any tips on Dating after divorce, please comment on the show notes at blendedfamilypodcast.com/3

If you want to know more about me and my journey, read my blog called Yes, we met at McDonalds

Next Week’s topic is Holidays and Traditions

To donate to the Hardman family, please click here. They suffered a tragic loss a couple of weeks ago when their blended family was in an accident, killing both parents and three of their children.

To join the community

Subscibe on ITunes or Stitcher
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leave feedback, questions, or topic ideas to [email protected]

Gray Divorce, with Carol Hughes and Bruce Fredenburg

Blended Family Podcast

07/12/21 • 45 min

Carol Hughes, PhD, LMFT, holds her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology and her master’s degree in Counseling Psychology, achieving both summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa honors. She is also a two-time Fulbright Scholar. Carol served for ten years as an Associate Professor of Human Services at Saddleback College. In her practice in Laguna Hills, CA, as a California licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and family-focused divorce professional, for more than thirty years, she has assisted hundreds of divorcing families, as a therapist, child and co-parenting specialist, divorce coach, and mediator.

Bruce Fredenburg, MS, LMFT, has been a California licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for more than 30 years and is Board Certified in Clinical Hypnosis. He was a college instructor in Human Services at Saddleback College and at the National Medical Review School in Southern California. He also created and taught parenting classes for adoptive and foster parents. He is trained and experienced in chronic pain management, trauma, addictions, mediation, and collaborative divorce. In his practice in Laguna Hills,

CA, Bruce helps families as a therapist, divorce coach, co-parenting specialist, and mediator.

The topic of this show is Gray Divorce, or divorce that takes place after the age of 50, after the children are typically grown. In this interview we discuss

Bruce and Carols personal stories
What is gray divorce, and why it's becoming more prevalent
Why not many people are talking about this trend
What gray divorce looks like and how it differs from earlier on divorces
How adult children are affected by their parents late divorce
What parents can do to make the transition easier on their adult children
How a couple going through a gray divorce can move forward without fear
Their book, Home will never be the same again: a guide for adult children of gray divorce
And much more!

Connect with Bruce

Website (Orange County Divorce coach)

Website (Psychology Today)

Instagram

Connect with Carol

Website (Dr. Carol Hughes)

Website (Divorce Peacemaking)

Instagram

Buy the Book HERE

Connect with me

Join the Private Facebook Group

Connect with me on Facebook

Schedule an interview or coaching session HERE

Send questions or feedback to [email protected]

Send me a voicemail at Speakpipe

Visit the website at www.blendedfamilypodcast.com

Listen and Rate/Review on Itunes

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