While the step-couple may be experiencing the bliss of their new relationship, children are likely experiencing a myriad of emotions. When a stepfamily forms, changes often happen too quickly for the children. According to Dr. Patricia Papernow, this presents a common challenge that stepfamilies encounter: Children are dealing with losses, … Read More
Yours, Mine, and Ours: 5 Tips for Merging Two Families
When families blend and stepfamilies are created, it is not uncommon for problems or conflict to arise. This adjustment process comes with its own unique rewards and challenges. Research findings suggest that a stepfamily takes several years to develop into a family unit. In order to increase your best chance … Read More
Strengthening Your Stepfamily: Part 2
One of the most frequent challenges I see with the step-couples that I work with is that one of them is struggling with feeling like an outsider in their own family. According to Dr. Patricia Papernow (2013), stuck insider/outsider positioning is a core challenge for the stepfamily. And for those … Read More
Strengthening Your Stepfamily: Part 1
In her book, “Surviving and Thriving in Stepfamily Relationships: What Works and What Doesn’t,” Patricia Papernow, EdD, discusses the five common challenges that a stepfamily can face and offers some straightforward guidance to help address them. In my work with stepfamilies and in my own stepfamily experiences, I have witnessed … Read More
Children and the Financial Impact of Divorce
Recently, I was asked to be an expert on a podcast with IRC Wealth discussing divorce and how to manage the financial impacts that it may have on children. With divorce, decisions made regarding the children are often some of the most difficult. Will we split custody? Where will the … Read More
Divorce Is a Process: Counselors Can Be Helpful
The process of divorce can be a traumatic and stressful event. The process becomes even more complex when there are children involved. At GROW Counseling, we believe that having a skilled team of professionals is essential to having the best possible outcome when a couple decides to end their marriage. … Read More
How Counselors Can be Helpful to Your Clients
The divorce process for many is very complex. It consists of many different aspects including legal, financial and mental health that can be difficult to navigate. The divorce process can leave individuals bitter, depressed, and scarred. Professionals are often frustrated and overwhelmed because they feel alone in the process. At … Read More
Helping Your Children After a Divorce
Divorce introduces a tremendous change in the life of a child. For most children, divorce will be the first major crisis of their lives. It turns a child’s life upside down. How, and to what extent this happens, varies among different families. Young children may not be old enough to fully … Read More
Helping Your Child Through Your Divorce
No one wants to go through a divorce, especially when there are children involved. Unfortunately, divorce is a reality for many couples. If you are going through a divorce and you have children, you have a responsibility as a parent to do what you can to protect your child. It’s … Read More
Emotions and Divorce
When the idea of divorce becomes an unwelcome reality, there are a lot of emotions that drive decision making. Even if you’ve determined to be as gracious and collaborative as possible, guilt, fear, shame, anger, hurt, and pain all make pretty quick appearances. Sometimes people are really caught off guard … Read More
