Blended Family Life Coach and Speaker Jessica Pickens brings real-life insights into the highs, lows, challenges, and triumphs of blended family life. With over 21 years of experience, Jessica and her husband married within 90 days of meeting, blending their four children at lightning speed and welcoming two more within their first three years together. Join Jessica and her co-host, daughter Jayla, as they candidly share their Pickens’ Realities and Blended Family Truths. Through their uniqu ...
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We're Mike and Kim Anderson and we believe in a world where blended families experience a future full of hope, connection, and peace. That's why we focus on helping couples in stepfamilies move from a place of confusion and conflict to a life of confidence and connection. Thanks for joining us to discover how you can live the blended family life you really want! If you've been following us for a while — yes, we recently changed the podcast name from "The Blended Family Coaching Show" to "Ble ...
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Helping families and individuals live a happier, healthier, more fulfilled life!
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As an Blended Family Expert my goal is to serve as a GPS that will assist blended families to navigate through some of the stress, uncertainties that are associated with making the blended family journey a successful one. Dr. “Dee” Duane Mangum
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Welcome to Enjoying Your Blended Family! We bring new episodes every Monday and Friday. Mondays are on hot topics in blended families and Fridays are all about fun ideas you can do with your blended family. This podcast is all about strengthening your blended family relationships and having more fun, giving you hope and encouragement so everyone is enjoying the journey together.
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The Blended Family Guy - helping people blend family, work and career. It IS possible to do all three successfully, let me show you how.
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The Blended Family Podcast is a weekly show with a strong focus on strategies and methods to help your family thrive. Blended Families face many difficulties and challenges which can sometimes drive families apart. The goal of this podcast is is to help your family grow together through these challenges and create the peaceful and loving home you desire. Your host, Melissa, understands these struggles because she has a blended family of her own. When you listen to this podcast, you will see ...
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A blended family is such an important topic because it’s dealing with so many lives, not just that of you and your spouse. You have your kids and your spouses kids of course, but you also have the other sets of parents to contend with (if there is shared custody). With so many cooks in the kitchen, it can make sanity hard to come by on some days. We can lose our way in the midst of chaos, jealousy, insecurity, frustration, anger, confusion, miscommunication, and power struggles. This podcast ...
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Resources Episode 151. What has the potential to steal your joy and how can you hold onto it? (Part 1 of 2) Suggest a Topic or Ask a Question Would you like us to discuss something specific or answer your question on the show? Let us know! We've made it easy. Just click here: https://www.blendedfamilybreakthrough.com/share Ready for some extra supp…
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Από τον Jessica Pickens
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Resources Episode 200. A Heart-to-Heart Conversation Exploring the Secrets to Lasting Love Episode 165. How important is your mindset when it comes to blended family life? Suggest a Topic or Ask a Question Would you like us to discuss something specific or answer your question on the show? Let us know! We've made it easy. Just click here: https://w…
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In this heartfelt and insightful episode of Pickens' Realities: Our Blended Family Truths, we welcome special guests Calvin, aka Caliko (our regular resident videographer!), and his fiancée Dee Dee. As they prepare to merge their families in anticipation of their 2025 wedding, Calvin and Dee Dee open up about their journey of prepping to blend Dee …
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200. A Heart-to-Heart Conversation Exploring the Secrets to Lasting Love
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Can you believe it? We’ve made it to our 200th episode! 🎉 We’re so thankful for your support and excited to celebrate with a heart-to-heart conversation. Today, we’re diving into the topic of marriage wellness and how generosity can create a foundation for lasting love. Throughout our candid conversation, we openly assess our marriage and identify …
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In part 2 of episode 10, Jessica, Jayla, and special guest, Cheryl Shumake continue discussions of the compounding stresses of being Black in America and being part of a blended family. They also discuss the lack of existing church ministries and programs designed specifically to support blended families, and how that further puts blended families …
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Being Black & Blended & Church Resistance to Blended Family Ministries & Supports | EP 10 Part 1
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In this powerful and transparent continuation of our discussion, Jessica and Jayla dive even deeper into the unique challenges and stresses of being Black and part of a blended family. This week, we’re joined by a special guest, Cheryl Shumake, Executive Director of Sawubona Blended Families and Founder of Stepmom Sanity. Cheryl opens up about her …
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In Part 2 of Episode 9 of Pickens' Realities & Blended Family Truths, we continue our heartfelt discussion on the complexities of being a Black, blended family. Picking up from Part 1, we dive deeper into the emotional, cultural, and social challenges that come with blending families in a world where race and identity often add extra layers of stre…
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Welcome to Episode 9, Part 1 of Pickens' Realities & Blended Family Truths! In this episode, we dive deep into the unique challenges of navigating life as a Black, blended family. The journey of merging different family dynamics is never easy, but adding cultural nuances, societal pressures, and generational expectations can amplify the stress. Joi…
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Resources Article by Big Life Journey: 7 Effective Ways to Help Children Overcome Social Anxiety Episode 136. How to Intentionally Create Positive Family Time and Reduce Relational Tension Suggest a Topic or Ask a Question Would you like us to discuss something specific or answer your question on the show? Let us know! We've made it easy. Just clic…
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Generational Parenting Story | How Jessica's Upbringing Impacted Her Parenting | EP 8 Part 2
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Welcome back to Part 2 of Episode 7 of Pickens' Realities & Blended Family Truths! In this episode, Jayla moderates an intimate conversation between Jessica Pickens, her mother, Bobbi, and her sister, Teresa. Together, they delve deep into the complexities of family dynamics, sharing personal stories and insights that will resonate with audiences o…
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In this episode, we’re diving into a topic that hits close to home for every parent—social wellness for kids and step-kids. If you’ve ever felt unsure about how to guide your children through the ups and downs of friendships, bullying, or personal boundaries, you’re not alone. We’ve been there, too, and we’re sharing some of our own experiences—bot…
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Loyalty vs Boundaries| How The Family You're Born into Impacts The Family You Create | EP8 Part 1
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In this episode, we dive into a crucial topic: how loyalty to the family you were born into can create unexpected challenges in the family you’re building through marriage. We share candid stories from our own journey as a blended family, exploring: The impact of weak boundaries on your new family, the roles and expectations that carried over from …
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Resources: Episode 198. How do sleep habits impact the health and wellness of your kids? [with Jessica Bryant] Reach out to Jessica for a Free 15-minute sleep Audit if you have questions about sleep The Better Sleep Counsel Episode 178. Surviving the Turbulent Teen Years: Expert Insight and Strategies for Today's Parent [With Dr. Michael Bradley] B…
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Generational Parenting Story | How Jessica's Upbringing Impacted Her Parenting | EP 7 Part 2
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Check out the 2nd half of this episode, as my daughter moderates the discussion with me, my mom Bobbi Norman, and my sister Teresa Price, as we discuss emotional details of our childhood experiences, upbringing, and how my mom's parenting style impacted the way we parent(ed).Από τον Jessica Pickens
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Generational Parenting Impacts | How Jessica's Upbringing Impacted Her Parenting | EP 7 Part 1
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In this heartfelt and eye-opening episode of Pickens' Realities & Blended Family Truths, Jayla moderates an intimate conversation between Jessica Pickens, her mother Bobbi, and her sister Teresa. Together, they dive deep into how their childhood experiences, upbringing, and Bobbi’s parenting style shaped Jessica's and Teresa's lives—and how these i…
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Welcome back to the 6th episode of Pickens' Realities & Blended Family Truths. In this 2nd part of the episode, Jessica and Jayla continue their open and honest discussion about sensitive topics such as guilty parenting, enabling adult children, the choices adult children make, and trauma bonding. Join us as we uncover the realities of navigating t…
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198. How do sleep habits impact the health and wellness of your kids? [with Jessica Bryant]
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Are your kids ever irritable, anxious, or just "off"? Maybe they aren't getting enough sleep. You might be surprised how inadequate or inconsistent sleep habits can negatively impact your kid's ability to focus, tolerate stress, and manage relationships. Lack of sleep increases fatigue, affects mood, and decreases overall wellness. In fact, our gue…
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Welcome! In Episode 6 of Pickens' Realities & Blended Family Truths, Jessica is joined by her daughter, Jayla, for an in-depth discussion about the complexities and challenges of being a bonus mom in a blended family. Together, they explore the nuanced dynamics of blending families, addressing the emotional and relational adjustments required to fo…
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Authoritarian or Permissive? Inside Our Blended Family’s Parenting Choices | EP 5 Part 2
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In Episode 5, Part 2, join us (Jessica, Tyrone, Jayla, and Dominick) as we dive into the real impact of different parenting styles and how they shaped our blended family. Parenting in a blended family can feel like building a bridge between two worlds. We talk about how different parenting styles impact kids, share insights on adapting and compromi…
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Join us for this episode involving Parenting Style Showdown conversations! Authoritarian, Permissive, or Authoritative? In this episode, we dive into how different parenting styles shaped our blended family, and how they might impact blended families in general, as parenting in a blended family can feel like building a bridge between two worlds. We…
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Resources Episode 20. 4 Big Myths About Parenting When an Ex Has Different Rules Episode 197. Conquer Digital Overload: Parenting Tips for Raising Tech-Savvy Kids [with Steve Arterburn] Suggest a Topic or Ask a Question Would you like us to discuss something specific or answer your question on the show? Let us know! We've made it easy. Just click h…
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197. Conquer Digital Overload: Parenting Tips for Raising Tech-Savvy Kids [with Stephen Arterburn]
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In today's screen-saturated world, parents are facing a unique challenge that previous generations never had to navigate… …how to raise tech-savvy kids! Screens are everywhere. Your children may wake up to the morning news on TV. They might work on a laptop or even a government-issued tablet while at school. Throughout the day and into the evening,…
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In this episode Jessica and Jayla talk about a parent's reality verses a child's reality. As a parent you may think everything is cool with your child. You are soon to realize that your kids aren't always thinking or receiving things how you think they are. In turn things can be misconstrued in communication, body language, voice inflection, etc.. …
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In this episode Jessica and Jayla talk about a parent's reality verses a child's reality. As a parent you may think everything is cool with your child. You are soon to realize that your kids aren't always thinking or receiving things how you think they are. In turn things can be misconstrued in communication, body language, voice inflection, etc.. …
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Join Co-hosts Jessica and Jayla and their special guest Jeri, Jayla's biological mom, as they delve into Jessica and Jeri's relationship as bonus and bio moms. Emotions sometimes run high, as this is the first time Jessica and Jeri have ever had this type of discussion, and they were brave enough to do it on camera, all for the purpose of helping o…
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Join Co-hosts Jessica and Jayla and their special guest Jeri, Jayla's biological mom, as they delve into Jessica and Jeri's relationship as bonus and bio moms. Emotions sometimes run high, as this is the first time Jessica and Jeri have ever had this type of discussion, and they were brave enough to go it on camera, all for the purpose of helping o…
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Join us for Episode 2, where Jayla and Jessica discuss the "The Meet" and the early stages of the Pickens' family from Jayla's perspective. Context and background are so important, as Jessica learns for the first time from Jayla key information about why there was a struggle and disconnect for the two of them in the beginning.…
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Join us for Episode 2, where Jayla and Jessica discuss the "The Meet" and the early stages of the Pickens' family from Jayla's perspective. Context and background are so important, as Jessica learns for the first time from Jayla key information about why there was a struggle and disconnect for the two of them in the beginning.…
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Join us for part 2 of Episode 1 - "The Meet, " where Jessica and Tyrone relive their version of how they met, while Jayla challenges them to dig a bit deeper in some areas! Subscribe and watch us every week as we dive deep into Pickens' Realities, our Blended Family Truths - our story, our lessons, your roadmap to a stronger, healthier blended and …
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Married in just 90 days back in 2002, we combined our four children, added two more, and have been through it all. Our podcast offers real, unfiltered truths from our family’s experiences, practical and spiritual tools to overcome challenges, and the honest lessons that helped us grow closer and become blended and bonded over time.…
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Suggest a Topic or Ask a Question Would you like us to discuss something specific or answer your question on the show? Let us know! We've made it easy. Just click here: https://www.blendedfamilybreakthrough.com/share Ready for some extra support? We all need some extra support along the blending journey — we're here to help. You can connect with us…
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The holidays can be a time of excitement and high hopes for family "togetherness". You probably want to plan fun, festive activities so that you're able to enjoy memorable moments as a family. But nothing can rob you of all that fun like struggling to negotiate some details about scheduling or other logistics with your Ex. We've been there more tim…
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Resources Episode 195. Connecting with Kim's HARD Child - Facing the Challenges of Parental Alienation Suggest a Topic or Ask a Question Would you like us to discuss something specific or answer your question on the show? Let us know! We've made it easy. Just click here: https://www.blendedfamilybreakthrough.com/share Ready for some extra support? …
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Do you ever stop to think about what it will be like 15 years from now? What will your relationship with each of your children be like? Maybe you've got a HARD kid (Hurt, Angry, Rejecting, Distant) who's putting up walls and seems to have turned against you - and it feels like this painful season will never end. The tension in your relationship wit…
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Resources: Episode 194. Powerful Tips for Effectively Connecting with Your Angry or Distant Child [with Dr. Amy J.L. Baker] Book by Amy J.L. Baker: and Paul R. Fine Parenting Under Fire Article by Amy J.L. Baker: Five Things to Never Say to an Alienated Child Suggest a Topic or Ask a Question Would you like us to discuss something specific or answe…
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194. Powerful Tips for Effectively Connecting with Your Angry or Distant Child [with Dr. Amy J.L. Baker]
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Children of divorce who are hurt, angry, rejecting, and distant (HARD) are challenging to parent. They can be rude, uncooperative, and disagreeable. It's difficult to relate to or connect with them, and they can appear hardened against the love and guidance you want to provide. When conflict between two homes intensifies, children often become enta…
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Resources: Episode 193. The Advantage of Learning The Basics BEFORE You Blend CLICK HERE to receive a curated podcast list to help you learn the Basics of Blending Episode 109. Preparing to Blend: The Couples Guide to Becoming a Smart Stepfamily [with Ron Deal] Book by Ron Deal: Preparing to Blend: The Couple's Guide to Becoming a Smart Stepfamily …
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193. The Advantage of Learning The Basics BEFORE You Blend
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Most of us start off on the blending journey with some ambiguity about how to deal with the complex dynamics that will come as families merge. It usually doesn't take long before you're blindsided by the reality that there's SO MUCH MORE to blending than first anticipated. Feelings of overwhelm, frustration, and disappointment might hit and you rea…
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Resources: Episode 172. 2 Key Elements to Resolve Your Parenting Style Differences - And Get United Suggest a Topic or Ask a Question Would you like us to discuss something specific or answer your question on the show? Let us know! We've made it easy. Just click here: https://www.blendedfamilybreakthrough.com/share Ready for some extra support? We …
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What's one of THE most challenging "feats" for blended couples to successfully master? Building a healthy, collaborative parenting partnership! What makes this so difficult? The sensitive topic of parenting can naturally kick off an emotionally-charged conversation, ending in disagreement, conflict, and disconnection. If you're anything like us, yo…
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Resources Episode 191. Achieve Financial Harmony: Expert Guidance for Blending Your Finances [with special guests Ron Deal & Greg Pettys] Book by Ron Deal, Greg Pettys & David Edwards: The Smart Stepfamily's Guide to Financial Planning: Money Management Before and After You Blend a Family Click here to connect with Greg Pettys for a FREE consult re…
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191. Achieve Financial Harmony: Expert Guidance for Blending Your Finances [with Ron Deal & Greg Pettys]
1:10:48
1:10:48
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Money is emotional. That's why it can be a touchy subject for couples — whether they're preparing to blend or if they've been blending for a while. Discussing finances can lead to very real challenges. The process of "merging money" can easily become complicated and overwhelming for blended family couples. The complexities tap into deeper emotions …
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In this episode, Jamee from Make it a Date joins me to discuss the importance of looking for the good in your husband. Connect with her here https://www.instagram.com/makeitadate_/ Join me for the next few weeks as we read our way through the book, Loving Him Well by Gary Thomas. https://a.co/d/07petDij This book will discuss some pretty serious is…
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Resources: Episode 139. The Most Common, Challenging Pain Point Every Blended Couple Experiences (Stranded Stranger / Trapped Teammate Dynamic) Episode 5. How to Get Over the Hurts and Triggers From Your Past Dr. Patricia L. Papernow - Stepfamily Relationships Suggest a Topic or Ask a Question Would you like us to discuss something specific or answ…
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I (Mike) have had so many moments of just feeling stuck. I wondered how we would ever move forward and I figured out pretty early on that I wouldn't be able to sort out all the complex chaos without some support. The problem was, I had no idea what kind of support we needed. And when we were stuck in unhealthy patterns that kept leading to disconne…
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Suggest a Topic or Ask a Question Would you like us to discuss something specific or answer your question on the show? Let us know! We've made it easy. Just click here: https://www.blendedfamilybreakthrough.com/share Ready for some extra support? We all need some extra support along the blending journey — we're here to help. You can connect with us…
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189. Bringing Hope to the Realities of Grief: A Path to Understanding and Healing [with Krista St-Germain]
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It's hard to accept that grief is simply a part of every blended family's journey. But that's your reality because everyone in your family has experienced some kind of loss along the way. If you aren't able to acknowledge grief and create a safe space to process through it, you'll miss out on valuable opportunities that lead to healing. In this epi…
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238. How to Love Your Husband Well in a Blended Family (Summer Book Series)
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As Randall and I have been moving in and out of this empty-nester season, we have found it hard to prioritize each other. When we don't prioritize each other, the enemy can and will use it to cause division. I don't know about you, but I do not want a roommate for a husband, where we barely get to see each other much less have intimate conversation…
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Resources: Episode 20. 4 Big Myths About Parenting When an Ex Has Different Rules Episode 187. Basics for Blending: How to Tolerate and Manage Discomfort and Distress (Part 1) Episode 188. Basics for Blending: How to Tolerate and Manage Discomfort and Distress (Part 2) Suggest a Topic or Ask a Question Would you like us to discuss something specifi…
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