SELF-ESTEEM SAMPLER
By Kay Walburger
Do You Feel It Would Take A Miracle to Have
A Successful Stepfamily?

Very few couples realize the enormous, often overwhelming, emotional and practical challenges they will face when they decide to enter into a stepfamily relationship. As a result, a staggering two out of three stepfamilies break up each year, according to the Stepfamily Foundation of New York.

“Hello, I’m Sue Rasmussen, and I am successfully walking the stepfamily path you may be on right now. My husband and I chose to enter stepfamily life only to be overwhelmed, frustrated, and despairing of ever figuring it out, until we finally discovered the Stepfamily School, the Stepfamily Foundation, and a program that really worked for us.”

A healthy, working stepfamily is not too good to be true
“Many successful stepfamilies have discovered that if they deliberately choose how to set up and manage their stepfamily, the discord and chaos become clarity and calm. The secret is clearly defining the roles and expectations of each stepfamily member instead of assuming everything will just work out simply because the new couple loves each other.

“As much as I love my husband, I was at the point of calling it quits, because I had run out of ideas about how to make this thing called a stepfamily work. That was when we found the Stepfamily Foundation program.

“I know the pain our stepfamily has gone through, and I realize that many other stepfamilies are also experiencing that same pain. According to the Stepfamily Foundation, over 75% of stepfamilies are concerned about not having the effective, practical resources available to help them succeed.

“I had already been working as a professional coach since 1998. Based on the support and encouragement from my husband Paul, our stepfamily coach Aileen (and literally everyone else I knew!) I decided to become certified as a Stepfamily Foundation Coach and re-orient my entire practice to focus on giving stepfamilies the tools and resources to succeed.

“My business background includes marketing and program development for companies in France, as well as for employees and consultants of major U.S. companies including Motorola, Boeing, and American Express. After working in the corporate arena for 12 years, I shifted my focus to private practitioners, coaching clients of such companies as Peter Montoya, Inc. and Successful Professionals.

“I have worked with well over 2000 clients in my coaching practice, supporting them in reaching specific personal and business goals. Most recently, inspired and led by my own personal experiences, I have transitioned into working with stepfamilies.

“In addition to working with my clients one-on-one, I also specialize in leading small coaching groups. I am a Certified Teleclass Leader with Teleclass International and Teleclass.com and an active teleclass-leading faculty member of Coach U.

What some of Sue’s clients say:
“While this was my first foray into hiring a professional coach, I couldn’t be more pleased with the results. Working with Sue, I have learned how to: 1) set my boundaries for greater clarity, self-esteem, understanding and communication, 2) set my internal compass “due north,” and always strive for the best possible outcome in any challenging situation and 3) become a better coach and mentor to others through her example. Indeed, Sue has helped me “kick up the dust” in my life, and make sense of the confusion, anxiety and self-doubt that comes with making decisions outside of my comfort zone, reports.”  
— Tina Miller-Steinke

“Working with Sue has been life altering. I realized that I am strong, independent and in full control of my life. There are countless ways I have benefited from our coaching, but most important was realizing that everything I need to succeed, I already have. No longer do I say to myself I can’t do something, because I know I can.”          
 — Lisa Sperry

“The value of our coaching is priceless! Our work together empowered me to begin to understand my strengths…and weaknesses, and how to harness the strengths into a beam of direction; the value is priceless. The impact a coach brings to someone when they interact has many unseen threads; the impact from these interactions is life altering.”
  — Mike Padgett

“Because I was able to find help that worked miracles for my own stepfamily, I am excited to take my own experiences, training, and compassion to other families. I know the trauma of ‘stepfamily breakdown’ can have a long-lasting consequence to all, but especially the children. All future relationships will be helped or hindered by their primary relationship with the model to whom the family exposes them. I believe when they are part of a stepfamily that works, they will have the tools to work out all other relationships in their future lives,” declares Rasmussen.

Sue Rasmussen is a Master Certified Coach, stepfamily coach, and stepmom. She is internationally recognized for her straight-forward, practical, down-to-earth approach in supporting her clients to achieve many significant changes in their lives.

To learn more about how Sue helps stepfamilies become strong, stable, and happy, and for FREE stepfamily articles and interviews, you may email her at: sue@stepfamiliesthatwork.com  or also visit the website at: www.StepfamiliesThatWork.com 

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