Are you the outcast in your stepfamily? Dating and marriage is a process that is complicated enough on it’s own, never mind coming into a family that has already been established. Marrying someone with children from a previous relationship can be a delicate mind field that requires a certain finesse to master.

Certified Master Stepfamily Coach, Claudette Chenevert, found herself in a similar situation over twenty years ago when she, a single mom to a 6 year old boy, married her husband. She became a stepmom to two girls. After several years worth of failures and successes Claudette was able to determine what steps needed to be taken to successfully integrate oneself into an established family and make it function on its own. From the constant presence of an ex to taking on a parenting role over night, Claudette knows how to handle it all. To find out more about Claudette or her approach, you can visit her Stepmom Coach website.

Are you dreading that trip over the river and through the woods to your in-laws’ house this season?  Does it feel like going to visit the family brings more stress than joy to your holidays?  Dealing with in-laws can be complicated any time of the year, and feeling trapped under their roof during the already high-tension holidays can take things to a whole new level.

Thankfully, Dr. Susan Orenstein is here to share things you can do both for yourself and for your family to keep tensions down and help everyone have a peaceful, joyful holiday together.  Susan is a licensed psychologist with advanced training in cognitive behavioral therapy and couples counseling.  She has her own practice, Orenstein Solutions, with offices in both Cary and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and also holds regular couples workshops.

You can find her online at OrensteinSolutions.com, or call her office at (919) 428-2766 to find out more or set up an appointment.

No matter how many “Happy Holidays” wishes you receive, the season can be just as stressful as it is enjoyable, and that stress can be even greater if you’re part of a blended family. Does shuffling the kids from one home to another feel too disruptive? Does it seem impossible to meet everyone’s vision of that perfect Christmas morning?

Barbara Keyworth returns to the show to talk about the issues stepfamilies face when it comes to the holidays, and to share tips on relieving some of that stress and making the season a happy one for all. Barbara is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a practice in Raleigh and 23 years of experience. Her website is BKeyworth.com, where you can find out more about her counseling services and qualifications, and you can call her office at 919.783.8004 for an appointment.

Do you and your partner follow different religions? Are you unsure of how to respect and appreciate your partner’s beliefs without compromising your own? Are you worried about how your children will identify, and what your families will think?

Reverend Laurie Sue Brockway, an ordained nondenominational minister, joins us today to discuss what interfaith couples face both before and after the wedding, and what they can do to achieve harmony despite the differences. Her new book is Your Interfaith Wedding: A Guide to Blending Faiths, Cultures and Personal Values into One Beautiful Wedding Ceremony, and her writing can also be found at Wedlok.com.

Are you in a last-minute panic about which flowers to buy, where to make dinner reservations, and whether or not you bought this same card for your wife last year? Are you trying to figure out how to top the Valentine’s Day gift you bought last February? Dr. Michael Hall returns to the show to share four sure-fire steps for husbands trying to make a good impression as well as discussing how to move away from focusing on the ever bigger box of candy or flower arrangement and instead paying attention to the individual needs and emotions of your wife.

Michael owns a private practice with his wife Barbara in Charlotte, NC where he not only works with individuals and couples for relationship and marriage counseling, he is a well known figure in the corporate and career counseling world as well. You can give Michael a call at 704.858.2984 to find out more.

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We would like to thank you for listening to our show every week and wish you all a very happy Valentine’s Day. It’s rare that we have more than a few quick minutes in a day to really communicate with our spouses, but It’s important to take every opportunity we can to communicate. It seems like our fast-paced lives often make communication more difficult, but we have far more options now that make keeping in touch throughout the day a whole lot easier. Whatever you do for Valentine’s day, make sure that you do it together and take time to communicate. Thanks again!

Does the upcoming holiday season leave you feeling more anxious than thankful? Dealing with families, money concerns and more can be very overwhelming. How do you juggle everything without losing your head? Is it even possible? Dr. Kim Kimberling joins us to share some helpful tips on keeping yourself and your spouse sane during the hectic holiday season.

Dr. Kimberling has been a professional counselor for over twenty years. He is President and co-founder of Family Christian Counseling in Oklahoma City. He offers the extremely popular Prep for Marriage classes which you can learn more about at PrepForMarriage.com –  You can also check out his latest book ‘Living the Marriage of a Lifetime’ and hear what he has to say on his blog.