The Stepmom's Toolbox

Grab your cup of mocha latte cappuccino and listen in as we delve into how you can replace your old negative programming with new, positive programming. Are you ready to begin living your life with a new perspective? Then you'll want to tune in live or download later!

Tired? Worn out? Depleted? Unhappy? The world of stepmotherhood got you down? Have no fear! Join Peggy Nolan and Erin Erickson as we dish tips, tools, and advice with Rachelle Katz, author of "The Happy Stepmother!"

Join Peggy Nolan and Erin Erickson as we dish tips, tools, and advice with Laura Petherbridge, author of "The Smart Stepmom!" Smart stepmoms do more than survive...they thrive. We'll be talking tips with Laura on how to be a positive influence on children who are caught in a loyalty bind between their mother and you, what to do when you feel ostracized, rejected, or lonely; when to step back during conflict and let your husband to take the lead; how to handle holidays (tips for next Mother's Day!) adult step-children, between-home communication and much more!

Are you caught in the trap of stinkin' thinkin'? You know, "I'm second best," "I'm not his first wife," "I'll never experience all the firsts he had with her..." Are you tired of playing the same messages over and over again? Grab your cup of coffee and join Peggy Nolan as she shares her own cycle of negative self-talk and how she broke free!

Grab your cup of coffee and join Peggy Nolan as she dishes the Stepmom Tip of the Week! This week, it's all about being yourself! "Don't try to figure out what behavior or opinion will make you popular with others. It is disrespectful to the grandeur of who you really are. It is selling your soul for the low outcome of manipulating the superficial affections of others — as if you needed their approval. Be what you are. Be indifferent to the judgments of others, not with a thoughtless or angry defiance, but with the firm knowledge that you are a vital expression of something unspeakably intelligent and good." Ralph Waldo Emerson “Self-Reliance”

Ex-wives and stepmothers don’t have to hate one another. That volatile stress you’ve been feeling doesn’t have to keep damaging your sanity, your relationships, or your kids’ happiness. Two households can live in complete harmony and raise children without having to fight, scream, swear, or consider vengeful acts to get back at each other. Mothers and stepmothers can be partners and allies. And in many cases, they can even be friends. Because "No One's the Bitch." Join Peggy Nolan and Erin Erickson as we dish tips, tools, and advice with Jennifer Newcomb Marine, co-author of "No One's the Bitch." We'll be chatting and learning together: --How the other woman feels about your situation – you may be shocked to find her perspective isn’t at all what you think --What your role in this hostile relationship is – even if you think it’s not at all your fault --How to create a new relationship based on cooperation and partnership – even friendship! --How both of you can hold yourselves accountable for communication and collaboration --What to do when a fight breaks out, and how to regroup and come back even stronger than before --How to bond with the other woman – yes, even if you hated each other before --What to do if she doesn’t want to improve the relationship --Ideas for creating a revolutionary new extended family that makes everyone feel loved, supported, and cared for. Even you. Even her. Especially the kids.

Are you lost under the strain of all you've taken on? Have you lost yourself to the role of stepmother? Are you clear about your boundaries? Are you clear about the agreements you make? Are you taking on more than your responsibility? Does saying "No" make you feel guilty? Have you been pulled into the martyr trap? Join Peggy Nolan and Erin Erickson as we dish tips, tools and advice with our guest, Wilma Ham. Wilma runs an online program called "Women Like Me." In this program, she helps women all over the world reconnect with their authentic selves. About Wilma: "I have changed a lot in the last decade or rather what I think and believe has changed AND that has changed my Life, drastically. The biggest change is how I live my life and how I am be-ing. I feel far less dominated, I rarely feel the need to complain, I am careful not to get into overwhelm and I definitely no longer desire to run around like a lunatic. I have fewer possessions that take up space and cause me grief. Most things that I have, I love and use. In short what changed is that each day, more and more what I do I actually love to do, I love what I have and I love who I have become. I love."

Stepmothering got you down? Sad, depressed, angry, resentful? Ever get the feeling you lost you and want to find that happy person you used to be? Join Peggy Nolan and Erin Erickson as we dish tips, tools and advice with Wednesday Martin, author of Stepmonster, and Mary Kelly-Williams of Marriad With Baggage!

Join Peggy Nolan and Erin Erickson on The Stepmom's Toolbox Radio Show as we dish tips, tools, and advice with Susan Wisdom, author of "StepCoupling." When you keep the main thing the main thing "You can have a solid marriage - and an enjoyable family life. But, to do that, you have to understand the most important relationship in a stepfamily: the stepcouple." This is a great show for you and your man, so pour yourselves a glass of wine and tune in for Susan's practical advice and WISDOM!

Join Peggy Nolan and Erickson as they dish tips, tools and advice for stepmoms with Tricia Powe. Tonight's tips include affirmation cards and assessment tips to help you navigate the murky waters for stepmomdom!

Are you at your wits end being a stepmom? Tired of feeling like you're doing everything and get nothing in return? Are you tired of playing second best to your husband's kids and their mother? Want to learn WHY you feel the way you do? Join Peggy Nolan and Erin Erickson as we dish tips, tools and advice with Wednesday Martin, author of the phenomenal book, "Stepmonster."

Please join Peggy Nolan and Erin Erickson as they chat with Cathryn Bond Doyle on why not taking things personally can benefit you and your role as a stepmom. We will be referencing DM Ruiz' "The Four Agreemenents" pages 43-67 and help you apply the principle and strategies in your life.

Being a stepmom is one of the hardest roles a woman can have. Remarried life is not always easy and when you throw in step kids and your husband's ex-wife, life can become one big sticky ball of goo. Tonight's episode is how stepmoms can best deal with an ex-wife who may not be accepting of her ex-husband's new marriage. Our guests include Tricia Powe, a stepmom for twenty-five years and founder of StepFamily Systems and Cathryn Bond-Doyle, founder of Stepmoms on a Mission and stepmom life coach.

Join hosts Peggy and Erin as they chat about topics relating to our upcoming show on February 1, 2010