family

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.

Has your fairy tale marriage turned into a nightmare? Ripped from the pages of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice we’ve been made to believe that happily ever after is possible. People spend years looking for their perfect partner and come to find that all the spark and je ne sais quoi that had attracted them to their partners has now fizzled into an unhappy marriage. Family therapist, Lesli Doares, doesn’t believe in having only two choices: either remaining in a miserable marriage or getting a divorce; Lesli believe in happily ever afters.

Leslie Doares is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a private practice in Cary, NC. In her practice, Balance Family Therapy, her focus is on helping couples build strong, secure relationships. It is her belief that marriage is a different kind of relationship and, with the proper tools and techniques, most couples can have a happy and successful relationship. Lesli bring both her personal experience and professional training to her work with couples. Her passionate belief in marriage has led to the development of a five step theoretical approach that Lesli detailed in her book Blueprint for a Lasting Marriage: How to Create Your Happily Ever After With More Intention, Less Work.

To find out more Lesli Doares and her practice you can visit the Balanced Family Therapy website or call for an appointment at 919-924-0463. Lesli’s book, Blueprint for a Lasting Marriage: How to Create Your Happily Ever After With More Intention, Less Work, is now available on Amazon.com.

Is your hectic schedule damaging your relationship? We all have busy schedules filled with work, appointments, children’s activities, and family events. No matter how much we seem to get done we can’t seem to muster any more free time. This lack of time can begin to affect our families, and even our spouse. Dr. Kristen Wynns joins us to discuss why you should always make time to do three things with your spouse: eat, sleep and play.

Dr. Kristen Wynns holds a Doctorate and Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology and is a Licensed Psychologist. She is founder and owner of Wynns Family Psychology, is a therapy and testing specialist for children, adolescents, and families. Dr. Wynns is experienced in individual, family, group, play, and couples therapy. To find out more about Dr. Wynn you can visit www.wynnsfamilypsychology.com or call 919-467-7777 for an appointment.