Real Talk

Why I Choose to be a Great Stepmom When I met my stepdaughter, or bonus daughter as I like to say, she was the sweetest little six-year-old that I had ever encountered. She immediately bonded with my biological daughter who was three, and assumed the role as big sister gracefully and naturally. My husband and I were married within six months, falling madly in love with our blended family and our similar passions. My daughter’s biological father passed away when she was two, and my husband seamlessly and lovingly stepped into the full-time daddy role, adopting my daughter and becoming her superhero. The future seemed bright, but we had a very long and tumultuous custody battle ahead of us with his...

Disclaimer: While the writer does hold a perinatal mental health certification and is a licensed therapist, this is informational and is not to be taken as medical advice. As always, talk to your health care provider. I’ve heard it more times than I can count, “I don’t have postpartum.” The reasons are varied: Maybe she thinks it's not that bad, or depression and anxiety are not something that is discussed in her family or her culture. Maybe there is a fear that she will be labeled, or that it's just hormones or that she's the only one who feels this way.  It seems we (women/society) have been conditioned to think pregnancy and mothering should always be sunshine and flowers and pure...

“I look tired and feel fat.” “I have no energy and still have so much to do.” “Everyone else seems to have it all together and I struggle with even the basics of everyday life.” You don’t look the way you want to look, act the way you wish you’d act, and “mom” the way you wish you’d “mom." Sound familiar? Most of us have been in, or are currently in, this toxic relationship with … OURSELVES. It’s unhealthy and perpetuates habits of thoughts and actions that become engrained in who we are. We focus on what we do wrong, what our spouses and kids do wrong, what is not done to our standards and likings, and what falls short...

Podcasts to Get You Through the Infertility Struggle Infertility can be all-consuming for the person experiencing it. The ups and downs can be isolating. Friends and family, if you've even shared with them, just don't understand. This is when an online community or source of information can be helpful; however, getting, real, factual information online can be hit or miss. Podcasts are a great way to get factual, helpful, and sometimes, funny information related to infertility. The great thing about a podcast is that you can listen anywhere and no one has to know what you're listening to. These podcasts are either about, or that touch on, infertility in different ways. Podcasts usually have something for everyone. When dealing with...

I’m 2 months away from turning the big 40. You know, the official “over the hill” and entrance into that new phase of “feeling old.” By now, I’ve had high-school classmates pass away and parents of some friends pass away. I am reminded daily by younger demographics that I may be completely out of touch with what’s “cool,” and I don’t expect that to miraculously change after I turn 40. My body hurts. My finances are ok, but my taste has gotten more expensive. My friend circle is pretty defined, and my kids are well on their way to growing up as little know-it-alls. If you can’t tell, I am super stoked for this upcoming birthday. That being said, I’ve...