Amy Bellows
PsychCentral
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Past articles by Amy:
Can Meeting with the Ex-Wife or Stepmom in Your Life Mend Bridges?
Could a face-to-face discussion with the stepmom or ex-wife in your life improve your situation by opening your eyes and heart? That's the challenge that was → Read More
How Do Relationship Patterns Shape Our Expectations and Responses?
Expectations are what we base our days on and what we rest our emotions in. We grow accustom to certain interactions, responses and cycles that set our → Read More
3 Ways to Create Realistic Holiday Expectations
For many people the holiday season can be seen as several weeks of stress, anxiety and obligations. Taking time to level set early on and to bring intention into your planning can make this holiday season more enjoyable for everyone. Have Direct Conversations. //... → Read More
Using Self-Hypnosis to Reduce Stress
This is the time of year when stress begins to spike for many people. Family conflict, custody disagreements, loneliness, financial pressures and unmet expectations can create the perfect environment for anxiety and stress. Finding ways to lower your... → Read More
Loyalty Issues After Divorce and Remarriage
When reading about stepfamilies and issues they face, one of the most common terms you will see is loyalty bonds. Loyalty concerns are something that occur at one time or another in every blended family. The level of intensity will often depend on the... → Read More
Veterans, Do You Ever Feel Undeserving?
Please bear with me while I take a moment to venture away from the regular focus of this blog (remarriage and blended families) to pay attention to what I consider a heart issue. // Veteran’s day can be a mixed bag for me. I served active duty... → Read More
Have You Created a Habit of Busyness?
In our home we have a child nearing the age of one that still enjoys our late night company. I used to fear that she was trying to slowly kill us through the method of sleep deprivation, but now I understand that she loves us so much that she wants... → Read More
Improve Your Marriage in 3 Minutes a Day
The average couple can be summed up in one word: Busy Work, kids, volunteer activities, household chores, soccer practice, dance class and family obligations can leave a family running ragged. In this time of constantly moving and continually planning... → Read More
Tools for Parallel Parenting in a High-Conflict Situation
While looking for information on co-parenting you will find loads of data telling you that working together with your ex-spouse is the healthiest outcome for everyone. You will read bullet points of how to improve communication, you will hear tips on... → Read More
Step-Relationships: Family or Friend?
A nationwide Pew Research Center survey found that 42% adults have at least one stepparent, stepchild, or stepsibling in their family. This number continues to grow each year with remarriage rates increasing throughout the United States. Even though... → Read More
All You Need is Love?
There’s a common belief that penetrates stepfamilies and often sets them up for failure. // “Stepparents should treat and love their stepchildren as their own.” “The way to reduce conflict is to make everything fair – just treat them... → Read More
Are You Ready to Co-Parent?
While the goal post-divorce should be finding a way to peacefully co-parent with your ex, this may not always be possible. Both individuals need to be ready and able to move forward with only the children’s best interest at heart in order for co-parenting... → Read More
When Kids Collide: Successfully Merging Stepsiblings
Stepparent-stepchild relationships can often be tricky and initially full of landmines. A whole host of question swirl around the relationship when the new family is first created and there is often confusion on both sides of the fence. How close is... → Read More
The Benefits of Being Raised in a Stepfamily
Much of what you hear about with stepfamilies revolve around the conflicts and struggles: Ex-spouse’s can’t communicate or peacefully co-parent, ex-spouse and new spouse don’t get along, children are feeling torn between two homes,... → Read More
A Road Map for Stepfamilies: Later Stages
Unfortunately, not all stepfamilies will make it out of both the Early Stages and Middle Stages of growth and development. Those that are able to identify issues and successfully make changes have most likely experienced a lot of conflict and hardship... → Read More
A Road Map for Stepfamilies: Middle Stages
Making your way through the developmental stages of a stepfamily and out of the Early Stages isn’t easy and it can take longer than one would hope. By moving into the Middle Stages, you have given up on fantasy thoughts that were impacting your... → Read More
A Road Map for Stepfamilies: The Early Stages
All families have their phases and roller coaster moments. Changes in dynamics, children becoming more independent, or a switch in roles or obligations can have an influence on every person in the family. Stepfamilies are unique in that they have additional... → Read More
Strengthen Your Marriage: Quality Time
We are wrapping up our five part series on how to strengthen your marriage by looking at one of the most important things you can give your spouse – your time and attention. With the large number of priorities you are likely juggling, it can be... → Read More
Strengthen Your Marriage: Humility & Forgiveness
Humility is the ability to have a modest opinion of yourself and to reduce your own view of importance, while forgiveness is a decision to let go of resentment or anger and to let go of the notion of revenge. At first glance it may not seem that these... → Read More
Strengthen Your Marriage: Respect
Day three of this five day series on strengthening your marriage focuses on respect in your relationship. Communication Kindness Respect Humility & Forgiveness Quality Time Respect and love go hand in hand and it’s difficult to have one... → Read More