Episodes

  • Bonus Episode: I'm Not Okay, and I Don't Think You Are Either

    Bonus Episode: I'm Not Okay, and I Don't Think You Are Either
    Jun 30 2026

    My Raw Reaction to This Week's SCOTUS Rulings

    A note before you press play.

    This isn't a normal episode. There's no outline, no structure, no neat takeaways. It's me, talking through what I'm feeling after two days of Supreme Court decisions that I'm still trying to process myself.

    If you've been doom-scrolling the news the way I have, you already know some of what's in here. The trans rights ruling. Birthright citizenship. Campaign finance. But this isn't a breakdown of the legal details. It's rage and grief and fear, unfiltered, because I didn't want to pretend everything is fine when it isn't.

    I talk about the cowardice I see in how these decisions came down. I talk about Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson, and how grateful I am for the way they've fought back in their dissents. And I talk about what it means to have this dropped the same week we're supposed to be celebrating 250 years of this country.

    Mostly, I wanted you to know you're not alone in whatever you're feeling right now. Whether it's rage or numbness or something in between.

    We're not giving up. We're not going anywhere.

    Sending you love this week, whatever this week looks like for you.



    This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

    Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy
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    10 mins
  • Up at 2AM Researching Everything: What Ally Burnout Looks Like for Parents of LGBTQ+ Kids

    Up at 2AM Researching Everything: What Ally Burnout Looks Like for Parents of LGBTQ+ Kids
    Jun 30 2026
    Talk to other parents who are experiencing burnout, too. Learn more about the Kindred Collective.Loving your child through a hard season can quietly burn you out, and most allies never see it coming.When a child comes out and struggles, parents often carry an invisible weight: vicarious stress, ambiguous grief, and a nervous system stuck on high alert. This episode names what compassion fatigue looks like for allies, and why it shows up differently depending on how you're wired.In this episode, you'll learn how to:Recognize the real signs of ally burnout, even when they don't look like "burnout"Understand why you and your partner might be falling apart in completely different waysStart recovering without waiting for the crisis to end firstPress play to find out why your exhaustion isn't a flaw, it's evidence of how much you love your kid.Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Download my free guide to take you from Panic to Plan.Join a private community with other parents and allies just like you!Stay informed - receive my newsletterInvite me to speak at your workshop or eventRead my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review!Connect heather@heatherhester.netBuy Me A CoffeeWatch on YouTubeListen 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, lesbian, 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.Mentioned in this episode:Contact Hester Painting & Decorating for a consultation! https://go.hesterdecorating.com/mhmkThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy
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    17 mins
  • PFLAG National on Creating Pride in Families: The New Resource Helping Parents Build Support Networks at Work

    PFLAG National on Creating Pride in Families: The New Resource Helping Parents Build Support Networks at Work
    Jun 29 2026
    What if the support you've been looking for was one conversation away, right where you work?PFLAG National's Jamie Henkel joins the show to talk about Creating Pride in Families, a brand new resource library designed to help parents and caregivers of LGBTQ+ people build peer support networks inside their workplaces. Whether your company has a thriving ERG or you're starting from scratch, this episode will show you what's possible and how to get there.Jamie also gets honest about what allyship actually requires: doing your own homework, speaking up even when it's imperfect, and understanding that silence is never the safe choice.In this episode you'll learn how to:Access PFLAG's Creating Pride in Families resource library and use it to start or strengthen a workplace parent groupNavigate the current DEI climate, including why some companies are actually increasing their investment right nowFind PFLAG support if there's no local chapter near you, including free virtual options and identity-specific communitiesTake action as an ally without waiting until you feel ready or perfectly informedUnderstand what your LGBTQ+ loved one actually needs from you, and why getting it wrong is still better than staying silentResources mentioned in this episode:Creating Pride in Families resource library: https://pflag.org/press/creating-pride-in-families/Find a local chapter or PFLAG Connects virtual meeting: pflag.orgPFLAG Connects Communities (free identity-specific virtual support groups)PFLAG Academy Online (monthly webinar program for members and allies)Free publications including Our Trans Loved Ones and Faith in Our Families: pflag.orgAbout Jamie Henkel:Jamie Henkel (she/her) is the Vice President of Learning and Inclusion at PFLAG National, where she has worked since 2008. She oversees the development of PFLAG's Straight for Equality publications and learning sessions, serves as the architect of PFLAG Academy Online, and has spent her career building tools that help families and allies show up with more courage and less fear. She lives in Portland, Oregon.Connect with PFLAG National:pflag.orgHi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Download my free guide to take you from Panic to Plan.Join a private community with other parents and allies just like you!Stay informed - receive my newsletterInvite me to speak at your workshop or eventRead my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review!Connect heather@heatherhester.netBuy Me A CoffeeWatch on YouTubeListen 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, lesbian, 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
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    36 mins
  • When Your Kid's Identity Shifts: How to Love Before You Understand

    When Your Kid's Identity Shifts: How to Love Before You Understand
    Jun 26 2026
    Check out in depth essays, meditations, and tips and strategies on the More Human More Kind Substack!Your kid changed how they describe themselves again, and some part of you is still waiting for the "real" answer.This Friday Reset picks up where Tuesday left off. One small shift, one word, one line you can carry into the week for the moments when not-knowing feels like too much, and you need a gentler way to hold it.In this episode you'll learn how to:Use one simple word to make space for what's still unfoldingRespond to an unexpected identity shift without needing it to mean something right nowCarry a line that lets you love without needing to defineAction: Press play for this week's Butterfly Effect, a small shift toward more room, more ease, more yet.Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Download my free guide to take you from Panic to Plan.Join a private community with other parents and allies just like you!Stay informed - receive my newsletterInvite me to speak at your workshop or eventRead my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review!Connect heather@heatherhester.netBuy Me A CoffeeWatch on YouTubeListen 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, lesbian, 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.Mentioned in this episode:Contact Hester Painting & Decorating for a consultation! https://go.hesterdecorating.com/mhmkThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy
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    7 mins
  • Beyond the Binary: Why Fluid Doesn't Mean Unsure (Important Guidance for Parents of LGBTQ Kids)

    Beyond the Binary: Why Fluid Doesn't Mean Unsure (Important Guidance for Parents of LGBTQ Kids)
    Jun 23 2026
    Find connection with other parents in the Kindred Collective!Your kid said something different about who they are than they did six months ago, and some part of you panicked.For a lot of parents, fluidity feels like the hardest version of this journey, not because it's harder to love, but because it doesn't offer the relief of a finish line. This episode is about what happens when you stop needing one. It's about a conversation that changed how one parent saw not just their child, but everyone around them and what that kind of letting go can open up.In this episode you'll learn how to:Understand what fluidity actually means and the misconception that keeps tripping parents upShift from "so are you..." questions to ones that keep the door openRecognize when your need for certainty is becoming your kid's job to manageAction: Press play to find a little more room to breathe when the answers keep changing.Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Download my free guide to take you from Panic to Plan.Join a private community with other parents and allies just like you!Stay informed - receive my newsletterInvite me to speak at your workshop or eventRead my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review!Connect heather@heatherhester.netBuy Me A CoffeeWatch on YouTubeListen 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, lesbian, 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.Mentioned in this episode:Contact Hester Painting & Decorating for a consultation! https://go.hesterdecorating.com/mhmkThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy
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    15 mins
  • Parents, Love Is Not What You Feel. It's What They Get to Feel.

    Parents, Love Is Not What You Feel. It's What They Get to Feel.
    Jun 19 2026
    Join me on Substack for deeper conversations (and extra tools and reflections for paid subscribers!)You already love your child deeply. But love that lives only inside you is invisible to the person who needs it most.In this Friday Reset, Heather offers one small, powerful shift: moving from loving to demonstrating. For parents of LGBTQ+ kids, the difference between feeling love and making that love visible can be the difference between a child who wonders and a child who knows. Through a word of the week, a tiny action, and a micro-rebellion, Heather shows how imperfect, specific, consistent acts of demonstrated love are what actually create belonging.In this episode, you'll learn how to:Make the shift from feeling love privately to demonstrating it in ways your child can see and receiveTake one small, specific action this week that names and includes who your child actually isRelease the myth of the "right moment" and let love become visible now, imperfectly and on purposePress play to discover how one sentence, one brave choice, and one ripple this week can begin to close the gap between the love you have and the love your child gets to feel.Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Download my free guide to take you from Panic to Plan.Join a private community with other parents and allies just like you!Stay informed - receive my newsletterInvite me to speak at your workshop or eventRead my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review!Connect heather@heatherhester.netBuy Me A CoffeeWatch on YouTubeListen 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, lesbian, 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.Mentioned in this episode:Contact Hester Painting & Decorating for a consultation! https://go.hesterdecorating.com/mhmkThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy
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    11 mins
  • Love vs. Feeling Loved | Guidance for Parenting LGBTQ Teens

    Love vs. Feeling Loved | Guidance for Parenting LGBTQ Teens
    Jun 16 2026
    Be part of a private community filled with parents just like you! Learn more about the Kindred Collective.You love your LGBTQ+ child. But does your child actually feel that love? And if there's a gap between the two, what does it cost them?In this episode, Heather explores the difference between loving your child and your child feeling loved. Research tells us that felt family acceptance is one of the strongest protective factors for LGBTQ+ youth mental health. But acceptance isn't just a position you hold. It's something your child has to be able to receive. Heather also addresses something that doesn't get talked about enough in parenting spaces: love bombing in the queer community, why LGBTQ+ young people can be especially vulnerable, and what parents can actually do to protect their kids without pushing them away.In this episode, you'll learn how to:Recognize the difference between loving your child and demonstrating love in a way they can actually feelUnderstand what researchers call "quiet rejection" and why silence or ambiguity can feel unsafe to your LGBTQ+ childIdentify the signs of love bombing in online and community spaces and use four practical strategies to make home the most compelling source of belonging in your child's lifePress play to discover how closing the gap between loving and feeling loved can transform your relationship with your LGBTQ+ child and strengthen their foundation for life.Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Download my free guide to take you from Panic to Plan.Join a private community with other parents and allies just like you!Stay informed - receive my newsletterInvite me to speak at your workshop or eventRead my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review!Connect heather@heatherhester.netBuy Me A CoffeeWatch on YouTubeListen 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, lesbian, 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.parenting LGBTQ kids, family acceptance, love bombing, queer youth mental health, LGBTQ teen support, unconditional love, family belonging, Trevor Project, affirming parents, LGBTQ familyMentioned in this episode:Contact Hester Painting & Decorating for a consultation! https://go.hesterdecorating.com/mhmkThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy
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    17 mins
  • Quiet Allyship: Parenting Guidance for When Your Child Is Only Out to You

    Quiet Allyship: Parenting Guidance for When Your Child Is Only Out to You
    Jun 12 2026
    Learn more about the Kindred Collective - a private community for parents of LGBTQ kidsYour LGBTQ teen trusted you before they trusted the world. But what happens when parent allyship has to stay quiet?When your queer or gay teen is only out to a small circle, you're doing the emotional work of affirming parenting without any of the visibility. This episode is parenting guidance for that specific loneliness: how to be a true ally and coming out support system for your child while honoring their timeline and protecting their trust.In this episode you'll learn how to:* Understand why privacy and shame are not the same thing, and how that reframe changes everything for LGBTQ teen support* Recognize when well-meaning parent allyship accidentally becomes pressure, and what to say instead* Create meaningful, affirming ways to celebrate Pride and show lgbtq allyship without outing your childPress play to find your footing as a parent advocate when love requires holding something beautiful in private.Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Download my free guide to take you from Panic to Plan.Join a private community with other parents and allies just like you!Stay informed - receive my newsletterInvite me to speak at your workshop or eventRead my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review!Connect heather@heatherhester.netBuy Me A CoffeeWatch on YouTubeListen 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, lesbian, 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
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    12 mins