Meeting the (Big!) Challenges of Blended Families

 Earn 1.5 CE Contact Hours

“Blended families” come together with big hopes and fervent wishes for a loving new family. In reality, the intensity and complexity of the challenges are often stunningly daunting. Whether you work with individuals, couples, or families, with adults or with children, this webinar will give you practical, evidence-based guidance that integrates 5 decades of research and clinical experience with a wide variety of therapeutic modalities on three levels: Psychoeducational, interpersonal, and intrapsychic/family-of-origin.

You’ll leave with a clear roadmap for the very different territory stepfamilies must navigate, a box of tools for sowing realistic hope and forging connection, and a boat load of great handouts.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Describe some key differences between first-time families and stepfamilies.
• Describe some of the major challenges facing “blended families.”
• Describe how positive stepparenting differs from good parenting.
• List some common “easy wrong turns” that both stepfamilies and clinicians make in response to stepfamily challenges.
• List evidence-informed “things that work” to meet stepfamily challenges.

Who Should Attend:

Couples and family therapists, social workers, psychologists, counselors, marriage and family therapists, school counselors, child therapists, parent coaches, and other mental health professionals who work with couples, parents, children, or blended/stepfamilies—and anyone looking to better understand the unique dynamics and challenges of stepfamily relationships.

Meet Dr. Papernow:

Dr. Patricia Papernow is the internationally recognized expert on stepfamilies. She combines a wide variety of theoretical models, a deep understanding of the research and 5 decades of clinical practice with a wonderfully engaging teaching style. Her work has shaped best practices for families worldwide.