About
Stephanie Sternes
Stephanie Sternes is a dual-licensed therapist (LMFT, LCPC), supervisor, educator, and founder of specialized training in two-home family systems.
Her work focuses on the clinical, ethical, and systemic complexities that arise in divorce, co-parenting, stepfamilies, foster care, and adoption. She trains professionals across disciplines to better understand and respond to the realities of children and families living across two homes.
Stephanie is known for helping clinicians move beyond a traditional one-home lens and recognize when a case requires a two-home systems approach, particularly in situations involving moderate to high-conflict co-parenting, loyalty binds, and resist and refuse dynamics.
Why This Work Matters
Many professionals are trained to treat individuals or single households.
But a significant number of children live in two homes.
When those systems are not properly assessed, therapy can unintentionally increase conflict, deepen divides, and leave children carrying the emotional weight of adult relationships.
Stephanie’s work addresses this gap by equipping professionals with practical tools for assessment, ethical decision-making, and coordinated care across both homes.
All Two-Home Systems Begin With Loss.
Professional Background
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC)
Registered Supervisor (Idaho)
Adjunct Educator, Northwest Nazarene University
Community-Based Rural Clinic Director (Emmett, Idaho)
Brainspotting Certified
Infant Mental Health Specialist (0–5)
Previous Small Claims Mediator
Stephanie provides clinical training, supervision, and continuing education for counselors, educators, and legal professionals working with complex family systems.
Two-Home Culture
Specialization
Stephanie specializes in:
Two-Home Family Systems
Stepfamily and Blended Family Dynamics
High-Conflict Co-Parenting
Loyalty Binds and the Love–Loyalty Paradox
Resist and Refuse Cases
Ethical Decision-Making in Complex Family Systems
Her work integrates clinical expertise, teaching experience, and real-world application in high-conflict and multi-system cases.
These are Complex Fammily Systems
Clinical Storytelling and Educational Content
Stephanie uses clinical storytelling as a teaching tool to help professionals understand complex family dynamics.
Her content reflects composite patterns observed across many cases and systems.
Details are intentionally altered to protect privacy and do not represent any specific individual or family.
You’re not broken. It’s the system.
Understanding the system changes everything.
41 years of lived and professional experience.
Personal Perspective
Stephanie’s professional work is informed not only by clinical practice and research, but also by lived experience within complex family systems.
This perspective strengthens her ability to recognize patterns, understand system pressure, and guide professionals in navigating real-world dynamics that extend beyond textbook models.
Mission
To improve outcomes for children and families living across two homes by equipping professionals with the knowledge, structure, and ethical clarity needed to work effectively within these systems.
