Helping Clients Navigate Stepfamily Relationships, and How "Blended Families” Are Very Different from First-time Families

In this podcast, Patricia Papernow discusses her experience as both a stepparent and a parent in a stepfamily, and how this led to first a dissertation on stages of development in becoming a stepfamily, and then a life-long interest in studying and working with stepfamilies. She discusses how stepfamilies are different from first time families, particularly regarding the time and space for the couple to develop their attachment and build some common ground and the challenges children face in stepfamilies. She describes the 5 major challenges for stepfamilies: 1) insider/outsider positions, 2) children’s needs, 3) stepparents and biological parents polarizing around parenting tasks, 4) the other biological parents/ex-partner being part of the family system, and 5) navigating creating new shared rituals. She offers concrete, evidence-based guidance about what works (and what doesn’t) to meet these challenges.​ Patricia Papernow, EdD is well known for her books Surviving and Thriving in Stepfamily Relationships, Becoming a Stepfamily, and, with Karen Bonnell, The Stepfamily Handbook From Dating, to Getting Serious to Forming a “Blended Family,” ​as well as the author of dozens of articles and book chapters about “blended families.” Dr. Papernow is a systems and trauma-trained clinician with a special focus on working with families through the divorce and recoupling process. She is a renowned educator teaching about stepfamilies all over the U.S. and the world. She is also the recipient of the 2017 award for Distinguished Contribution to Family Psychology from APA (American Psychological Association).