Stepfamily
The family that forms when two partners with children from previous relationships come together.
How it shows up
Each brings their own rules, rhythm and history. The children are often not in the same place as the adults — the adults are in love, while the children are still grieving the previous shape of the family.
What we do with it in therapy
The most common mistake is establishing the new partner’s authority too soon. We work on the biological parent keeping the parenting role at first, while the relationship grows at its own pace.
See also
The sandwich generation
The position of people caring at once for their children and for their parents.
Envy
An uncomfortable feeling about what someone else has — and often a precise indicator of what you want yourself.
Hope
Not the belief that things will be good, but the perception that a path exists and that you are able to walk it.
