Stepcouples hope and pray they can have peaceful relations with their former spouses, and it is possible. But for some couples, no matter how much they try, the venom and vitriol of the former spouse drowns out all reason and compromise. Rodney and Lisa Webb, and counselor and therapist Helen Wheeler share their difficult blended journey.

Roles in traditional homes grow with the family. But in stepfamilies, it’s not always clear how everything should work.