Encountering your stepmother in a dream denotes grappling with a maternal presence in your life, possibly indicating feelings of being either smothered or neglected. If a stepmother isn’t a figure in your reality, the dream might be addressing unresolved tensions with your biological mother. Alternatively, it could play on the words, hinting that either you or someone else is metaphorically "stepping" over your mother. Reflect on showing gratitude and kindness for all her contributions.