The Stepmom Side Podcast
Do you find yourself googling for "Stepmom help" or "Stepmom struggles" more than you'd care to admit?
If so, you're in the right place. The Stepmom Side Podcast is a conversational podcast about being a Stepmom and what that actually looks like. Host Alicia Krasko covers everything from part-time, full-time, to being an empty nester as a Stepmom.
Every week, you'll get a bit of humor, advice, and a conversation that will have you taking an objective look at how you're showing up. You can expect honest (and uncomfortable) conversations with perspective shifts mixed in to help you create the life you no longer have to google for help.
Episodes
141 episodes
#141: The Hidden Reason Stepmoms Feel Like the Least Supported Person at Home
In this episode, Alicia explores why stepmoms often feel like the least supported person in their own home. She breaks down the emotional and mental load stepmoms carry, the role of over-functioning, and how relationship dynamics with partners ...
•
Episode 141
•
24:55
140: Stepmom Burnout: When Family Expectations Don’t Match Your Capacity
In this episode of The Stepmom Side Podcast, Alicia wraps up the Role Clarity Series by exploring what happens when expectations in blended families exceed a stepmom’s emotional and mental capacity. Many stepmoms feel pressure to ov...
•
Episode 140
•
15:59
#139: How to Communicate Your Stepmom Role to Your Partner (Without Starting a Fight)
Alicia continues the Role Clarity Series by discussing how stepmoms can communicate their role to their partner without creating conflict or defensiveness. Many stepmoms struggle to speak up about their needs because they fear being seen as dif...
•
Episode 139
•
11:13
#138: Choosing Your Stepmom Role on Purpose (Not by Default)
Alicia helps stepmoms define their role intentionally instead of defaulting into expectations placed on them in blended families. Many stepmoms feel confused about where they fit and end up over-giving to keep the peace. This episod...
•
Episode 138
•
6:19
#137: Responsibility Without Authority Is Why You’re Exhausted
Alicia explores why stepmoms feel exhausted when they carry responsibility without real authority in blended families. Many stepmoms take on emotional and logistical labor without having equal decision-making power, which leads to burnout and r...
•
Episode 137
•
8:27
#136: Build Your Trigger Protocol (So You’re Not Feral in the Moment)
In this episode of The Stepmom Side Podcast, Alicia teaches stepmoms how to create a personal Trigger Protocol to handle emotionally charged moments without spiraling or snapping. If you often react in the heat of the moment and the...
•
Episode 136
•
17:09
#135: Why Being the Mature One Is Quietly Burning You Out
If you’ve ever said, “I understand why this happened, so I shouldn’t still feel upset,” this episode is for you.Alicia explores why so many stepmoms intellectualize their emotions instead of processing them — and how that patter...
•
Episode 135
•
16:19
#134: Why You Handle It “So Well”… Then Fall Apart Later
Have you ever handled a stepfamily moment calmly, maturely, and with impressive emotional intelligence — only to completely unravel hours later?Alicia breaks down the difference between your thinking self and your nervous syste...
•
Episode 134
•
18:41
#133: Why Being Self-Aware Isn’t Helping (And Might Be Making It Worse)
You’ve done the work.You’re self-aware.You can explain everyone’s behavior in the situation…So why do you still feel triggered, exhausted, or quietly resentful?In this episode, Alicia breaks down why insight alone doesn’t ...
•
Episode 133
•
13:58
132: Why Type A Women Struggle as Stepmoms (Control, Perfectionism & Burnout)
If you’re a Type A, high-achieving woman who suddenly felt like she lost her footing after becoming a stepmom — this episode is for you.In this episode of The Stepmom Side Podcast, Alicia speaks directly to driven, control-lovin...
•
Episode 132
•
23:33
#131: What to Do When Your Stepkid Says ‘I Miss My Mom’ Without Losing Your Cool
When your stepkid says, “I miss my mom” especially right after a consequence, it hits different. It’s not just the words; it’s the sting behind them. The comparison. The reminder that no matter how much yo...
•
Episode 131
•
27:38
#130: How to Handle In-Laws Who Stay Friends with the Ex-Wife
When your in-laws are still close with your partner’s ex, it can feel like emotional whiplash. You’re trying to build a future while they’re still tethered to the past—and it leaves you wondering where (or if) you fit in. In this extended episo...
•
Episode 130
•
21:24
#129: When Kids Flip the Switch (and You Take It Personally)
Kids are emotional chameleons — sweet one minute, sassy the next, and then asking for help like nothing ever happened. For stepmoms (especially those without kids of their own), those mood swings can feel deeply personal.In this...
•
Episode 129
•
23:56
#128: Too Close to Be Heard: The Real Reason Your Partner Shuts Down
Are you tired of repeating yourself and feeling like your partner just doesn’t hear you? Whether it’s dad guilt, lack of boundaries with the kids, inconsistency in parenting, or not feeling prioritized in your relationship — this episo...
•
Episode 128
•
19:24
#127: My House, Her Hoodie, and a Whole Lotta Feelings
In this deeply honest episode, we’re getting into the emotional weeds of what happens when the ex’s belongings, photos, or influence are still showing up in your home. From hoodies and framed photos to never-ending texts between your p...
•
Episode 127
•
31:46
#126: When the Ex Still Haunts Your Blended Family: Stepmom Jealousy Explained
Is your partner’s past still taking up space in your present-day relationship? You’re not alone—and you’re not crazy. Whether it's memories of the ex, old traditions, or constant reminders of “how things used to be,” retroactive jealou...
•
Episode 125
•
25:52
#125: When Adult Stepkids Don’t Accept You (and How to Stop Letting It Steal Your Peace)
When you thought things would finally get easier once they were grown… but your adult stepkids still make you feel like an outsider. In this episode, Alicia digs into what’s really going on when adult stepkids won’t accept you...
•
Episode 125
•
21:30
#124: When Kids Don’t Listen (And It’s Not Because You’re the Stepmom)
Are you a childless or childfree stepmom feeling like a broken record? Alicia gets real about the exhausting cycle of repeating yourself to your stepkids—whether it's chores, routines, or basic expectations—and feeling like it's never ...
•
Episode 124
•
16:10
#123: Why Stepmom Resentment Sneaks In (and How to Stop It)
In this truth-telling episode, Alicia pulls back the curtain on one of the most common (but least talked about) emotions in stepfamily life: resentment. It doesn’t show up overnight—it builds quietly from all the unspoken expectations, invisibl...
•
Episode 123
•
31:06
#122: When Co-Parenting Isn’t Possible (Because the Ex Is a Nightmare)
If you’ve tried to co-parent with someone who thrives on drama, control, or straight-up chaos… this episode is your safe space and wake-up call. In Episode 122 of The Stepmom Side Podcast, Alicia breaks down what to do when co-parenting feels i...
•
Episode 122
•
18:06
#121: Peace Over Presents: Letting Go of Comparison in Your Blended Family Christmas
When the holidays roll around, so does the pressure — to make it fair, to make it magical, and to not lose your mind when the ex goes overboard or your stepkids start comparing gifts. In this episode of The Stepmom Side Podcast, Alicia...
•
Episode 121
•
31:28
#120: Sibling Rivalry + Stepkid Drama: Holiday Edition
The holidays can feel like a ticking time bomb in blended families — forced togetherness, high expectations, and the pressure to make everything magical can lead to major tension between stepkids and bio kids.In this episode, Alicia Kras...
•
Episode 120
•
16:49
#119: Feeling Left Out as a Stepmom: Why It Happens and What to Do
Have you ever felt like an outsider in your own home? In this heartfelt and practical episode, Alicia breaks down why stepmoms often feel left out of family moments — and what you can do about it.From unspoken group texts to being exclud...
•
Episode 119
•
15:07
#118: When Your Partner Sides With the Kids: What Every Stepmom Needs to Know
When your partner sides with the kids, it can feel like betrayal — or at the very least, like you’ve been completely shut out. This episode of The Stepmom Side Podcast digs into those moments of emotional hurt and confusion that so man...
•
Episode 118
•
32:33