About...
With over a decade of clinical experience as a Registered Nurse (BSN, MSN), I’ve spent my career helping others heal. But nothing prepared me for the emotional complexity, loyalty binds, and silent burdens that come with being a stepmom.
Despite my education and training, I found myself searching, desperately, for guidance. I scoured books, joined groups, and took courses, but most resources didn’t speak to the real, raw challenges I was facing.
That journey took me through therapy, high-conflict co-parenting courses, and the family court system. Along the way, I gathered tools, not just theories, but actionable, proven steps rooted in psychology, neuroscience, and medical research.
Today, I use those tools to help other stepmoms navigate the hardest days, rebuild their peace, and protect their hearts. You are not alone in this. There is a way to step-parent with grace, clarity, and strength—and this guide is here to help you do exactly that.
Who I am...
I’m a bio mom to two and a stepmom to two—which means I live at the intersection of nearly every dynamic a blended family can hold.
I understand what it’s like to navigate not just one co-parenting relationship, but multiple: My own kids and their dad. My stepkids and their mom. Watching my husband interact with my ex, his ex. Watching my children learn how to live, share, and bond with their step-siblings. And balancing all of this within one home, with different custody schedules, conflicting court orders, and emotional landmines that shift from day to day.
Nothing about this is simple. And unless you’re living it, it’s hard to explain just how layered and nuanced it really is.
That’s why I won’t pretend to know exactly how you’re feeling, because every family, every child, and every dynamic is different. But I do know what it feels like to feel alone in it. I know the emotional weight that comes from trying to hold everything together.
So I’m here, not to fix everything, but to offer support, perspective, and practical tools that can actually help. And if nothing else, I’ll hold space for you on the hard days. Because stepmotherhood may be complicated, but you don’t have to carry it alone.
FINDING PEACE IN CHAOS
We’re the Herrings—a blended family of six doing our best to navigate the chaos, beauty, and challenges that come with complex family dynamics. Around here, we wear a lot of hats. I’m a bio mom and a stepmom. I have a husband and a co-parent. We’re raising both biological and stepchildren.
There’s no perfect formula for this kind of life—no one-size-fits-all guide. And I won’t pretend to have every answer. But I do see you. I know how hard it can be. And I’m here to help lighten the load where I can.
LOVE THROUGH IT ALL
No matter what hat—or hats—you wear, our purpose is the same: to create the healthiest environment possible for our kids.
Sometimes that means doing the hard work, facing our own flaws, healing old wounds. Other times, it means setting boundaries, protecting our peace, and holding space.
Everything I share here, is meant to help with one thing: raising these little ones in a home that’s steady, safe, and full of love.
Because this isn’t about us. It’s for them.
