More Human More Kind: Practical Guidance for Allyship and Parenting LGBTQ Teens

• Keeping the Peace: Boundaries for LGBTQ+ Holiday Parenting

  Are you feeling pulled between preserving family peace and protecting your mental health this holiday season?You're not alone AND you're not doing it wrong. The holidays are often an emotional minefield, especially for parents of LGBTQ+ kids navigating outdated traditions, family dynamics, and identity stress. This episode is your permission slip to pause, breathe, and make room for something more aligned.Heather Hester offers a powerful, practical conversation about what it means to evolve, not erase, traditions that no longer fit who you or your family are now.Whether you're a mom, dad, caregiver, or fierce LGBTQ+ ally, you'll learn:How to recognize when a tradition has shifted from comforting to constrictingScripts for setting boundaries without guilt or apologyWhy honoring your truth is an act of love, not rejectionHow to build new, inclusive rituals rooted in empathy, safety, and healingWhat your child’s nervous system really needs from you this seasonThis episode offers more than parenting advice, it’s a reframe of what real love looks like during the holidays.When you, as a parent or ally, set boundaries with clarity and compassion, you model inclusion, emotional regulation, and authenticity. You show your LGBTQ+ child and yourself that they belong just as they are.You’ll also hear:A 5-step “Boundaries With Love” framework you can use todayReal-life examples from Heather’s own parenting journeyTools to dismantle the myth that sameness equals loveGentle encouragement to prioritize your family's unique needsListen now and take one simple, powerful action: Release the guilt. Embrace the boundary. Rewrite the tradition.Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!Become a private clientAttend Friday Reflection LIVE on Substack - guided journaling and Q&AInvite me to speak at your workshop or event Receive a free excerpt and reflection guide from my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review!Connect [email protected] 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 foster courageous, compassionate connection.If you’re in the thick of parenting, allyship, or 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...

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• What Your Body Is Telling You: Holiday Care for LGBTQ+ Parents and Allies

  Are you an LGBTQ+ parent, ally, or advocate feeling exhausted by the emotional and logistical weight of the holiday season?You’re not alone. Many parents and caregivers, especially those supporting LGBTQ youth, enter this time of year overwhelmed, overextended, and overstimulated, unsure how to protect their own peace while showing up for others.In this powerful solo reflection, Heather Hester invites you to rethink everything you’ve been told about self-care.Forget the candles and curated routines. This episode explores what your nervous system actually needs to feel safe, grounded, and connected, especially as an LGBTQ+ parent or ally navigating complex family dynamics, grief, or societal pressure.You’ll discover:Why traditional “self-care” often fails LGBTQ+ parents and momsHow to recognize which type of rest you really need (emotional? sensory? social?)The biological and emotional reasons this season feels harder and how to shift itHow rest, boundaries, and breathwork become tools of love, empathy, and inclusionWhat if your rest and regulation were a form of allyship?When you, as a parent or advocate, honor your limits, you create a safer emotional space for your LGBTQ child or loved one. You model softness, stability, and trust just by being more human and more kind.In this episode, Heather offers:A science-backed 1-minute breath technique to lower stress (no meditation required)A breakdown of the 4 emotional “seasons” and how to align your care with each oneA practical guide to identifying your rhythm: motion, depletion, or recoveryGentle encouragement to release perfection, guilt, and performance-based loveBreathe with us. Then take one tiny, tangible step toward true rest. Listen now and rediscover the allyship that starts within.Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!Become a private clientAttend Friday Reflection LIVE on Substack - guided journaling and Q&AInvite me to speak at your workshop or event Receive a free excerpt and reflection guide from my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review!Connect [email protected] 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 foster courageous, compassionate connection.If you’re in the thick of parenting, allyship, or 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...

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• Parents, This Is What Your Queer Teen Wants This Holiday Season

  Feeling the pressure to find the perfect gift for your LGBTQ+ teen?In this soft, grounding episode, Heather shares what really matters to LGBTQ+ kids this time of year and how your presence and thoughtfulness can be more powerful than anything wrapped in a bow.Discover 5 human-centered gifts that build connection and joyLearn how to create belonging through slow rituals and shared presenceGet practical tips for meaningful, low-stress gift-giving even on a budgetUnlearn the myth that more gifts = more loveTune in now and walk away with a heart-centered plan to gift with meaning, not pressure. Your presence is already enough.Key TakeawaysPresence is the gift. The most meaningful thing you can give your LGBTQ+ teen is the feeling of being seen and safe.Intentional gifts build trust. Gifts that reflect identity, interests, or emotional needs foster connection not just excitement.Rituals matter. The 13 Sacred Nights tradition offers a grounding space for reflection, bonding, and family storytelling.You don’t have to spend a lot. A mug, a journal, a game, a handwritten note, or a shared recipe can say: I love who you are becoming.Performative gifting doesn’t equal love. True generosity is rooted in connection, not cost.Links mentioned in the episode:Human Being JournalOverthinker JournalWTF NotebooksEtsy for mugs, recipe cards, and an apronGames - Hitster and Who's Most Likely to...are two faves (instructions for Fishbowl are below)

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• I Am Thankful For...Me! A Practical Tool for Parents of LGBTQ+ Teens

  Do you pour out gratitude for everyone else, but forget to include yourself?As the holidays approach, gratitude can start to feel like a performance. In this soulful solo episode, Heather helps you reclaim it, starting with the most overlooked person in your life: you.Learn how thanking yourself rewires your brain and soothes your nervous systemUnderstand why authentic gratitude embraces both joy and griefTry a 3-minute practice to anchor appreciation in your body not just your mindReframe self-directed gratitude as strength, not selfishnessListen now to remember why you belong on your own gratitude list and how to gently come back to yourself, one breath at a time.Key TakeawaysMost gratitude practices leave you out of the equationSelf-gratitude is not arrogance, it’s acknowledgmentGratitude is most powerful in complex emotional landscapes, not perfect onesSelf-directed appreciation calms the nervous system and supports resilienceA gentle daily ritual can anchor gratitude into your body, not just your thoughts“Gratitude and grief can coexist” and often must, especially during the holidaysHi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!Become a private clientAttend Friday Reflection LIVE on Substack - guided journaling and Q&AInvite me to speak at your workshop or event Receive a free excerpt and reflection guide from my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review!Connect [email protected] 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 foster courageous, compassionate connection.If you’re in the thick of parenting, allyship, or 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 and space where a mom and mental health advocate offers guidance on parenting with empathy, inclusion, and open-minded allyship, fostering growth, healing, and empowerment within the LGBTQ community—including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals—while addressing grief, boundaries, education, diversity, human rights, gender identity, sexual...

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• Parents, Fixing Is Hurting Your Relationships! This Is What To Do Instead.

  Are you constantly jumping in with advice only to feel more disconnected from the people you love?Whether you're navigating hard conversations with your LGBTQ+ teen or sitting down at a tense holiday dinner, the urge to "fix" is often fear in disguise. In this calming and powerful solo episode, Heather Hester unpacks why real connection doesn’t come from solving but from seeing.✔️ Learn a simple, science-backed practice to shift from reactivity to presence✔️ Discover how to listen without rushing, rescuing, or retreating✔️ Use Heather’s LISTEN method to guide any difficult conversation with love✔️ Get grounded tools to calm your nervous system when tensions risePress play now to discover the one shift that builds trust, deepens relationships, and reclaims connection, no fixing required.Key Takeaways:Fixing is often rooted in fear, not loveSilence is not awkward, it’s sacredListening without correcting builds psychological safety, the key to long-term trust“Do you want advice or just a listening ear?” can transform your relationshipsYou don’t need the right answers, you just need presenceLISTEN Framework Recap:L – Leave space: Breathe before respondingI – Inquire gently: Ask what kind of support is neededS – Stay curious: Reflect, don’t assumeT – Trust the silence: Let quiet be part of connectionE – Empathize, don’t evaluate: Say “That sounds really hard”N – Normalize not knowing: “I don’t have the answer, but I’m here.”Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!Become a private clientAttend Friday Reflection LIVE on Substack - guided journaling and Q&AInvite me to speak at your workshop or event Receive a free excerpt and reflection guide from my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review!Connect [email protected] 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 foster courageous, compassionate connection.If you’re in the thick of parenting, allyship, or 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....

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