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If you’ve ever felt like the values you’re trying to instill in your kids get undone the moment they step into the other home, you’re not alone. We’ve been there—and we know how discouraging it can feel.

In this episode, we share a powerful tool we first learned from Ron Deal called the Inoculation Strategy. It’s a simple, practical way to prepare your kids to recognize and resist negative influences—without badmouthing or creating loyalty binds.

We’ll walk you through real-life examples from our own blended family journey, explain how to stay in the “neutral zone” while teaching important lessons, and encourage you to keep planting seeds of character even when it seems like they aren’t taking root.

Over time, your kids will internalize what you've instilled—and those intentional lessons will matter more than you think.

You'll Discover:

• The “wild card factor” that often fuels conflict between households
• Two key realities you must accept before using the Inoculation Strategy
• Practical ways to engage your kids by using movies, books, current events, and personal stories as teaching moments that count
• How to avoid loyalty binds and protect your child’s wellbeing while guiding them toward positive values, character traits, and life skills

Resources from this Episode:

• The Smart Stepfamily by Ron Deal
• Episode 207. Four Myths About Parenting When Your Ex Has Different Rules

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 for a free coaching call to see how we might help you experience more clarity, confidence, and connection in your home. Schedule your free call here: https://calendly.com/mikeandkimcoaching/freesession

Subscribe or Follow the Show

Are you subscribed or following the podcast yet? If not, we want to encourage you to do that today so you don't miss a single episode.

Click here to subscribe in Apple Podcasts

Click here to follow on Spotify

Leave a Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re feeling extra helpful, we would be so grateful if you left us a review over on Apple Podcasts too. Your review will help others find our podcast — plus they’re fun for us to read too! :-) Just click here to Review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and then select “Write a Review” — let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you, we really appreciate your feedback!

Resources

Surviving & Thriving in Stepfamily Relationships by Patricia Papernow

Episode 217. Feeling Overwhelmed and Powerless? How to Regain Hope with Tools that Heal [with EJ and Tarah Kerwin]

Episode 139. The Most Common, Challenging Pain Point Every Blended Couple Experiences

Episode 206. Avoid These 5 Common Pitfalls to Ensure a Successful Partnership

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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 for a free coaching call to see how we might help you experience more clarity, confidence, and connection in your home. Schedule your free call here: https://www.blendedfamilybreakthrough.com/free-call

Subscribe or Follow the Show

Are you subscribed or following the podcast yet? If not, we want to encourage you do that today so you don't miss a single episode.

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Leave a Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re feeling extra helpful, we would be so grateful if you left us a review over on Apple Podcasts too. Your review will help others find our podcast — plus they’re fun for us to read too! :-) Just click here to Review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and then select “Write a Review” — let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you, we really appreciate your feedback!

If you’ve ever wondered why blending a family feels so hard—even when you're "doing everything right"—this episode is for you.

In today’s conversation, we connect with EJ and Tarah Kerwin—professional therapists and co-founders of the Relationship Renovation Counseling Center—who open up about the very real and very raw struggles they faced when they merged their lives into one blended family.

Despite all their training, nothing could have prepared them for the emotional rollercoaster of stepparenting, co-parenting, and navigating deep-seated personal triggers.

But they didn’t give up. They got curious. They did the work. And they developed tools that not only brought healing to their own marriage, but are now helping countless couples thrive through their counseling center, podcast, and programs.

This isn’t a story about perfection—it’s a story about partnership, growth, and hope. If you’ve ever felt powerless, stuck, or just plain exhausted, lean in. There’s light at the end of this tunnel.

You'll Discover:

• You aren't alone - even two trained therapists struggled to understand and work through the challenges of blending
• How to reduce tension in your relationship and move toward healthy communication and partnership
• Helpful mindsets for moving beyond resentment and dread when your step-kids come for visitation
• A path to freedom by learning to recognize your own painful emotions - and nurture yourself through them
• The value of doing repair work with kids when we mess up by using the right approach

Resources from this Episode:

• Relationship Renovation Counseling Center
• The Relationship Renovation Podcast with EJ & Tara Kerwin

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 for a free coaching call to see how we might help you experience more clarity, confidence, and connection in your home. Schedule your free call here: https://calendly.com/mikeandkimcoaching/freesession

Subscribe or Follow the Show

Are you subscribed or following the podcast yet? If not, we want to encourage you do that today so you don't miss a single episode.

Click here to subscribe in Apple Podcasts

Click here to follow on Spotify

Leave a Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re feeling extra helpful, we would be so grateful if you left us a review over on Apple Podcasts too. Your review will help others find our podcast — plus they’re fun for us to read too! :-) Just click here to Review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and then select “Write a Review” — let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you, we really appreciate your feedback!

Resources

Episode 36. How to Change Your "Stories" and Grow Connection [with Mark Warren]

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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 for a free coaching call to see how we might help you experience more clarity, confidence, and connection in your home. Schedule your free call here: https://www.blendedfamilybreakthrough.com/free-call

Subscribe or Follow the Show

Are you subscribed or following the podcast yet? If not, we want to encourage you do that today so you don't miss a single episode.

Click here to subscribe in Apple Podcasts

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Leave a Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re feeling extra helpful, we would be so grateful if you left us a review over on Apple Podcasts too. Your review will help others find our podcast — plus they’re fun for us to read too! :-) Just click here to Review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and then select “Write a Review” — let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you, we really appreciate your feedback!

If you're feeling stuck in a blended family marriage that’s filled with constant conflict, emotional disconnection, or overwhelming stress, you're not alone—and you're not without hope.

Wes and Jennie were right where you are. Ten kids, a new marriage, and the chaos of the pandemic had pushed them into survival mode. Their arguments were frequent and intense. Their connection was fading fast. And they had no idea how to move forward.

But instead of giving up, they chose to reach out for help.

That’s when they found us—and together, we walked through a proven coaching process that provided them with tools to reconnect, resolve conflicts, and build a strong foundation in their marriage. In this episode, you’ll hear the breakthroughs they experienced and how they transformed not only their relationship but their entire family dynamic.

You'll also hear the amazing update four years later—including BIG wins in building genuine connections with their kids, becoming grandparents, and a special first-time experience as a family.

Listen in and be encouraged! You can experience transformation too - all it takes is one brave step forward.

You'll Discover:

• How Wes and Jennie moved from explosive arguments to calm, clear communication
• Why investing in your marriage is essential for blended family success
• The surprising power of understanding your personal past in order to show up better in the present
• The long-term results of imperfect progress, even in the toughest seasons

Resources from this Episode:

• CLICK HERE to continue learning, growing, and investing in the health of your relationship

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 for a free coaching call to see how we might help you experience more clarity, confidence and connection in your home. Schedule your free call here: https://calendly.com/mikeandkimcoaching/freesession

Subscribe or Follow the Show

Are you subscribed or following the podcast yet? If not, we want to encourage you do that today so you don't miss a single episode.

Click here to subscribe in Apple Podcasts

Click here to follow on Spotify

Leave a Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re feeling extra helpful, we would be so grateful if you left us a review over on Apple Podcasts too. Your review will help others find our podcast — plus they’re fun for us to read too! :-) Just click here to Review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and then select “Write a Review” — let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you, we really appreciate your feedback!

Resources

Episode 215. Does Your Relationship Feel Hopeless? Why Giving Up Might Not Be the Answer

The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman

Episode 155. How to Easily Enjoy Meaningful Conversations and More Connection with Your Spouse [with Jennifer Zumbiel]

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 for a free coaching call to see how we might help you experience more clarity, confidence, and connection in your home. Schedule your free call here: https://www.blendedfamilybreakthrough.com/free-call

Subscribe or Follow the Show

Are you subscribed or following the podcast yet? If not, we want to encourage you do that today so you don't miss a single episode.

Click here to subscribe in Apple Podcasts

Click here to follow on Spotify

Leave a Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re feeling extra helpful, we would be so grateful if you left us a review over on Apple Podcasts too. Your review will help others find our podcast — plus they’re fun for us to read too! :-) Just click here to Review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and then select “Write a Review” — let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you, we really appreciate your feedback!

In this important episode, we’re talking to the spouse who feels stuck, discouraged, or even ready to throw in the towel. We get it. We’ve been there too.

We’re diving into a powerful resource: Dr. Gary Chapman’s book, Loving Your Spouse When You Feel Like Walking Away. We’ll unpack four painful myths that keep couples stuck and explore six powerful “realities” that can spark real change, starting with you. And yes, we’re sharing our own story of how we nearly gave up, what we did instead, and why we’re so thankful we didn’t walk away.

Whether you’re barely hanging on or just in a tough season, this episode is filled with vulnerability, truth, encouragement, and hope. We hope you know you’re not alone, and there is a path forward.

You'll Discover:

• Four common myths that keep couples stuck, feeling hopeless in their relationship
• Six powerful realities that can shift your mindset and help you move forward
• Why shifting your own attitudes and actions is the key to influencing your relationship
• How “reality living” helped us break destructive patterns in our marriage
• The difference between giving up and letting go with peace and clarity

Resources from this Episode:

• Loving Your Spouse When You Feel Like Walking Away by Gary Chapman
• Episode 138. How Relational Dysfunction Plagued Our Marriage and How We Finally Broke Free
• Episode 202. How to Break Free From Painful Cycles and Enjoy Deeper Levels of Intimacy [with Ron and Nan Deal]
• Episode 200. A Heart-to-Heart Conversation Exploring the Secrets to Lasting Love
• Episode 190. Where can you turn for help? Understand the Difference Between Counseling and Coaching
• Episode 65. 6 Simple Steps for Inviting Your Spouse to Get Help with You
• Episode 147. Do Sensitive Conversations End Up Creating Conflict in Your Relationship?
• Episode 139. The Most Common, Challenging Pain Point Every Blended Couple Experiences (The Stranded Stranger & Trapped Teammate Dynamic)
• Episode 120. 3 Valuable Lessons That Saved Our Marriage and Blended Family
• Episode 101. Are you overwhelmed because your marriage feels like too much work? (Part 1 of 2)
• Episode 51. Overcoming Discouragement (Part 1 of 3)

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 for a free coaching call to see how we might help you experience more clarity, confidence, and connection in your home. Schedule your free call here: https://calendly.com/mikeandkimcoaching/freesession