More Human More Kind: Guidance for Parents & Allies of LGBTQ Teens

Heather Hester
  • 4.7 (112)
  • PARENTING
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

Have you recently been told, "Mom, I think I might be_____."? Whether that sentence ended in gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, or any other identity or orientation, you're in the right place. This podcast is for parents who wish to support and understand their child who has just come out; to be an ally who shows up with courage, clarity, and compassion in your family, workplace, and community. More Human. More Kind. is a twice-weekly podcast supporting concerned parents and allies of LGBTQ kids who are ready to move from fear, grief, and confusion to healing, resilience, and empowered advocacy. Hosted by Heather Hester, author of Parenting with Pride and a fierce advocate for human rights and social justice, each episode blends grounded insights, personal stories, and practical guidance to help you protect what matters, raise brave kids, and spark collective change. * You'll learn to navigate mental health challenges, set loving boundaries, and find hope and support through the messiness of parenting, allyship, and becoming. * Whether you're wrestling with bigotry, searching for connection and community, or ready to shift your mindset toward kindness and open-minded action, this show offers the education and encouragement you need. New episodes drop every Tuesday and Friday, featuring expert interviews, your Butterfly Effect action, and timely solo episodes that encourage growth, empathy, and activism. Start with fan-favorite Episode 3: Embrace the Messiness of Supporting Your LGBTQ Teen (With Resilience & Hope), an honest conversation that will help you exhale, reflect, and show up more fully and fiercely for the people you love. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

  1. Parents, This Is How Grief Evolves Instead of Disappearing

    4H AGO

    Parents, This Is How Grief Evolves Instead of Disappearing

    Join Me on Substack What if the goal isn’t to “move on” from grief, but to carry it differently? Many of us feel pressure to be “over it” by now, to fix our pain, or to move forward faster. But grief doesn’t work that way. It returns, shifts, and lingers, not because you’re doing it wrong, but because love doesn’t disappear. Learn a healthier, more compassionate way to live with griefRelease the pressure of timelines and “getting over it”Discover simple, meaningful ways to honor love while moving forward Press play to learn how one gentle shift in perspective can help you carry grief with more peace, presence, and self-compassion. Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here! Are you ready to take action? Let's connect and create a personalized plan! Stay informed - receive my newsletter 2x/month Invite me to speak at your workshop or event Read my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review! Connect heather@heatherhester.net Buy Me A Coffee Watch on YouTube Listen to *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday! At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous, compassionate connection. For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heart-warming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action. Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re part of this journey. More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers practical guidance and education to parents and allies, fostering empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community—including gay, lesiban, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals—through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

    8 min
  2. Parents and Allies of LGBTQ Teens: From Grief to Grace: Rituals, Repair, and the Sacred Act of Letting Go

    3D AGO

    Parents and Allies of LGBTQ Teens: From Grief to Grace: Rituals, Repair, and the Sacred Act of Letting Go

    Join me on Substack for more tools to stay human in a complicated world. What does it actually look like to live with grief… without letting it take you down? In this final episode of the grief series, Heather shares honest, grounded guidance for parents, LGBTQ families, and allies navigating loss, identity, and a complicated world. Drawing from her own experience grieving her sister Corinne and parenting through change, she introduces her Recognition, Realization, and Repair framework. This episode explores what it means to hold grief and love at the same time, how to set boundaries without losing connection, and why kindness is not the same as compliance. You’ll also hear simple, real-life practices to help regulate your nervous system and stay present in the moments that matter most. If you are a parent adjusting to a new reality, supporting an LGBTQ child, or an ally trying to stay human in a divided world, this conversation will meet you where you are. You’ll walk away feeling steadier, more connected, and better equipped to move through grief with compassion, courage, and clarity. Press play to learn how to carry grief without being crushed by it and discover the small, powerful ways parents and allies can create healing, connection, and lasting impact in their everyday lives. Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here! Are you ready to take action? Let's connect and create a personalized plan! Stay informed - receive my newsletter 2x/month Invite me to speak at your workshop or event Read my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review! Connect heather@heatherhester.net Buy Me A Coffee Watch on YouTube Listen to *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday! At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous, compassionate connection. For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heart-warming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action. Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re part of this journey. More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers practical guidance and education to parents and allies, fostering empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community—including gay, lesiban, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals—through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

    14 min
  3. What Your LGBTQ Teen Hears When You Say, “Let’s Not Tell Anyone Yet”

    APR 3

    What Your LGBTQ Teen Hears When You Say, “Let’s Not Tell Anyone Yet”

    Are you an overwhelmed mom of a gay or lesbian teen who's feeling lost trying to navigate the coming out process, and wants to let go of shame and embarrassment, as well as build a deeper connection of trust within yourself and your teen? Click here to learn how to work with me 1-1. You may have said, “Let’s not tell anyone yet,” believing you were protecting your child. And maybe you were trying to. But what if that silence communicated something deeper than you intended? In this episode, Heather explores the emotional impact of secrecy after a child comes out. She names the fears many parents feel: fear of judgment, conflict, misunderstanding, or how others might react and gently challenges the hidden cost of making silence the family norm. You’ll hear: what secrecy can communicate to a childhow protection can unintentionally become shamewhy hiding creates distance, even in loving familiesthe difference between privacy and secrecyone powerful question every parent needs to ask If you’ve ever felt torn between loving your child and fearing the world’s response, this conversation will help you move from fear toward understanding, and from silence toward connection. Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here! Are you ready to take action? Let's connect and create a personalized plan! Stay informed - receive my newsletter 2x/month Invite me to speak at your workshop or event Read my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review! Connect heather@heatherhester.net Buy Me A Coffee Watch on YouTube Listen to *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday! At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous, compassionate connection. For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heart-warming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action. Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re part of this journey. More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers practical guidance and education to parents and allies, fostering empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community—including gay, lesiban, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals—through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

    15 min
  4. Parenting Through Division: Grieving the World, Our Expectations, and Finding Grace

    MAR 31

    Parenting Through Division: Grieving the World, Our Expectations, and Finding Grace

    Join me on Substack for more tools to stay human in a complicated world. What happens when the grief you carry isn't about losing a person, but about losing the world you thought your child would grow up in? In this second episode of the grief series, Heather goes where most parenting conversations won't: into the tender, often-shamed space of mourning expectations. She explores why parents of LGBTQ kids frequently carry a grief they feel they aren't allowed to name — the exploding movie reel of the life you imagined — and why acknowledging that grief is actually an act of deeper love, not a betrayal of it. Then she widens the lens. The doom-scrolling at 2 AM. The bone-deep fatigue. The frantic bargaining of "if I just call one more representative." Heather names what so many of us are feeling but can't articulate: we are collectively grieving. And she connects it directly to the stages of grief explored in last week's episode about her sister Corinne. But this episode doesn't leave you in the heaviness. Heather offers a profoundly practical antidote: curiosity. Through a real-time guided body check-in, she walks you through the physical difference between judgment and curiosity — and shows you how that single shift creates enough spaciousness to hold grief AND take action. To feel furious at injustice AND still lead with compassion. To sit in sadness AND show up at your kid's school board meeting. This is where sustainable change lives. This is the sweet spot. ACTION: This week's Butterfly Effect micro-action: Put your hand on your heart for 10 seconds before you respond to anyone. Then answer from your actual self — not your panic. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

    14 min
  5. Parents, Do You See Therapy As Support or Correction?

    MAR 27

    Parents, Do You See Therapy As Support or Correction?

    Are you an overwhelmed mom of an LGBTQ+ teen who's feeling lost trying to navigate the coming out process, and wants to let go of shame and embarrassment, as well as build a deeper connection of trust within yourself and your teen? Click here to learn how to work with me 1-1. Are you trying to do the right thing for your LGBTQ child by finding them a therapist, but quietly hoping that someone will help them realize this “isn’t who they really are?” In this episode, I gently unpack the fix reflex, the well-intentioned but deeply damaging pattern of using therapy as a tool for correction instead of support. If you’ve been scheduling appointments, switching therapists, and asking careful questions while a quiet hope hums underneath it all, this episode will help you see what your child already feels as well as what it’s costing your relationship. Learn why the instinct to "fix" your child's identity quietly erodes the trust you're trying so hard to protectDiscover what your child actually hears when help comes with a hidden agenda and why they stop letting you inGet access to a free intro coaching call where we unpack the fear underneath the fix reflex and begin building real connection If you're ready to stop letting fear drive your decisions and start showing up as the safe place your child needs you to be, press play now and let the shift begin. Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here! Are you ready to take action? Let's connect and create a personalized plan! Stay informed - receive my newsletter 2x/month Invite me to speak at your workshop or event Read my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review! Connect heather@heatherhester.net Buy Me A Coffee Watch on YouTube Listen to *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday! At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous, compassionate connection. For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heart-warming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action. Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re part of this journey. More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers practical guidance and education to parents and allies, fostering empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community—including gay, lesiban, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals—through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

    17 min
  6. Grief Shape-Shifts: Guidance for Parents and LGBTQ Allies Navigating Loss

    MAR 24

    Grief Shape-Shifts: Guidance for Parents and LGBTQ Allies Navigating Loss

    Join me on Substack for more tools to stay human in a complicated world. Do you ever feel like you should be "past" your grief by now? Like there's some invisible finish line you haven't reached? On what would have been her sister Corinne's 49th birthday, Heather opens up about the moment that cracked her wide open and why grief doesn't expire, it shape-shifts. In this deeply personal episode, she walks through the five stages of grief not as a checklist, but as a living landscape and draws a powerful through-line between personal loss, the hidden grief parents of LGBTQ+ youth carry, and the collective heartbreak so many of us are feeling right now. Whether you're an ally looking for guidance, a parent navigating your child's identity, or simply a human carrying something heavy you haven't been able to name, this episode is for you. In this episode, you'll learn: Why the five stages of grief aren't linear and why that's actually good newsHow denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance show up for parents of LGBTQ+ kids and for allies navigating a world in crisisA powerful reframe: acceptance isn't complacency, it's the birthplace of sustainable action This is the first episode in a three-part grief series. Next week, we'll explore how personal grief maps onto the collective, and what it looks like to hold space for LGBTQ+ families while also holding space for yourself. If you're ready to stop judging your grief and start getting curious about what it's teaching you, press play now. Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here! Are you ready to take action? Let's connect and create a personalized plan! Stay informed - receive my newsletter 2x/month Invite me to speak at your workshop or event Read my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review! Connect heather@heatherhester.net Buy Me A Coffee Watch on YouTube Listen to *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday! At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous, compassionate connection. For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heart-warming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action. Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re part of this journey. More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers practical guidance and education to parents and allies, fostering empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community—including gay, lesiban, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals—through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

    21 min
  7. Nothing Without a Company: Creating Spaces Where No One Feels Alone

    MAR 22

    Nothing Without a Company: Creating Spaces Where No One Feels Alone

    SPECIAL EPISODE If you’ve ever wondered where you belong or longed for spaces where you can show up fully as yourself then this episode is for you. In this special Podcastathon spotlight, Heather highlights the work of Nothing Without a Company, a Chicago-based nonprofit theater company creating immersive, inclusive storytelling experiences that center LGBTQIA+, trans, gender non-binary, AANHPI, and BIPOC voices. Founded by a group of queer and cultural students who wanted to see themselves reflected on stage, Nothing Without a Company has spent nearly two decades creating performances that go beyond traditional theater. Their site-specific productions invite audiences into the story, blurring the line between observer and participant, and creating moments of deep human connection. In this episode, Heather shares: The heart and mission behind Nothing Without a CompanyHow immersive storytelling fosters empathy, healing, and belongingReal audience reflections that highlight the impact of their workA powerful story from one of their productions where connection continued long after the performance endedThe challenges facing nonprofit arts organizations today and why support matters more than ever This conversation is a reminder that storytelling is not just entertainment, it’s a bridge. A mirror. A place where we can feel less alone. Resource SpotlightNothing Without a Company Website: https://nothingwithoutacompany.org Instagram: @nothingwithoutacompany Support by attending performances, donating, following, and sharing their work. Final ReflectionYes, it gets better… but only if we make it better. Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here! Are you ready to take action? Let's connect and create a personalized plan! Stay informed - receive my newsletter 2x/month Invite me to speak at your workshop or event Read my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review! Connect heather@heatherhester.net Buy Me A Coffee Watch on YouTube Listen to *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday! At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous, compassionate connection. For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heart-warming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action. Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re part of this journey. More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers practical guidance and education to parents and allies, fostering empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community—including gay, lesiban, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals—through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

    9 min
  8. Parents of LGBTQ Teens, Have You Ever Prayed "Please Let This Go Away?"

    MAR 20

    Parents of LGBTQ Teens, Have You Ever Prayed "Please Let This Go Away?"

    Are you an overwhelmed mom of an LGBTQ+ teen who's feeling lost trying to navigate the coming out process, and wants to let go of shame and embarrassment, as well as build a deeper connection of trust within yourself and your teen? Click here to learn how to work with me 1-1. Have you ever prayed, "God...please let this go away?" For many parents of LGBTQ teens, faith has always been the place they turn when life feels uncertain. But when a child comes out, something shifts. The prayer that once sounded like “Protect them” or “Guide them” quietly becomes something else: Please fix this. Please change this. Please don’t let this be permanent. In this episode, Heather explores the quiet spiritual tension many parents experience when a child comes out. You’ll learn: Why praying for your child’s identity to change can unintentionally create spiritual distanceHow children interpret silence and hesitation around faith conversationsWhy unresolved spiritual tension creates divided emotional safety in familiesWhat happens when a child feels like they are competing with doctrine for a place in your heart You are not defined by a prayer whispered in fear. But the relationship you build with your child from this moment forward will be shaped by how you choose to respond. Press play to listen now. Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here! Are you ready to take action? Let's connect and create a personalized plan! Stay informed - receive my newsletter 2x/month Invite me to speak at your workshop or event Read my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review! Connect heather@heatherhester.net Buy Me A Coffee Watch on YouTube Listen to *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday! At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous, compassionate connection. For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heart-warming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action. Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re part of this journey. More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers practical guidance and education to parents and allies, fostering empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community—including gay, lesiban, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals—through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action. parents of LGBTQ teens faith and LGBTQ parenting Christian parents LGBTQ child supporting LGBTQ teen religion and LGBTQ families LGBTQ parenting guidance coming out conversations parenting LGBTQ youth allyship for parents family relationships LGBTQ This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

    15 min
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Have you recently been told, "Mom, I think I might be_____."? Whether that sentence ended in gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, or any other identity or orientation, you're in the right place. This podcast is for parents who wish to support and understand their child who has just come out; to be an ally who shows up with courage, clarity, and compassion in your family, workplace, and community. More Human. More Kind. is a twice-weekly podcast supporting concerned parents and allies of LGBTQ kids who are ready to move from fear, grief, and confusion to healing, resilience, and empowered advocacy. Hosted by Heather Hester, author of Parenting with Pride and a fierce advocate for human rights and social justice, each episode blends grounded insights, personal stories, and practical guidance to help you protect what matters, raise brave kids, and spark collective change. * You'll learn to navigate mental health challenges, set loving boundaries, and find hope and support through the messiness of parenting, allyship, and becoming. * Whether you're wrestling with bigotry, searching for connection and community, or ready to shift your mindset toward kindness and open-minded action, this show offers the education and encouragement you need. New episodes drop every Tuesday and Friday, featuring expert interviews, your Butterfly Effect action, and timely solo episodes that encourage growth, empathy, and activism. Start with fan-favorite Episode 3: Embrace the Messiness of Supporting Your LGBTQ Teen (With Resilience & Hope), an honest conversation that will help you exhale, reflect, and show up more fully and fiercely for the people you love. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

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