About 75 percent of the 1.2 million Americans who divorce each year eventually remarry. Most have children and find that stepfamily life is more complex than they ever imagined. It’s rife with complicated schedules, squabbling stepsiblings, issues with ex-partners, and new spouses who’ve never been parents trying out childcare. Creating a blended family that is successful in managing all of these challenges is one of the more difficult transitions that post-divorce families confront.
The term “stepfamily” was derived from the Old English word steop, which described a bereaved orphan. A blended family is born of loss – of a parent, perhaps extended family, home, school, friends, family rituals, etc. Loss is part of the blending process, and there will be a period of grieving and adjustment for all family members. Navigating the blending process challenges the parents and the children differently and in ways that are difficult to predict.
Goals of Blended Family Therapy
- Establish new family rituals
- Establish respect for the children’s other family
- Establish effective patterns of communication among all family members
- Establish boundaries between family members
- Establish an effective parental unit
To discuss if Blended Family Therapy is appropriate for you and your spouse, please contact Miles Wagman @ The Relationship Center at 732-345-1399.