Join Heather Hester as she explores the transformative power of Odyssey Teen Camp, a unique space that provides support and acceptance for LGBTQIA teens navigating their identities. Adam Simon, the camp's Executive Director, shares his journey of creating a welcoming environment where campers can truly be themselves, free from judgment. The conversation delves into the importance of representation and community for young people, highlighting how seeing others like them can be life-changing. Heather and Adam discuss the challenges faced by both teens and parents, emphasizing the need for understanding, compassion, and open dialogue. This heartfelt discussion is a reminder that no one is alone on their journey and that there are safe spaces available for exploration and growth.

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[email protected]

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Website:  https://www.odysseyteencamp.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/odysseyteencamp/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/odysseyteencamp

Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!

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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.

Takeaways:

• Creating safe spaces for LGBTQIA youth is crucial for their emotional well-being and identity exploration.
• Parents should remember that their children's struggles are not necessarily a reflection of their parenting.
• Camp Odyssey provides a unique environment where teens can see themselves reflected in others.
• The journey of coming out is ongoing and can span a lifetime for many individuals.
• It's important for parents to stay engaged without overwhelming their children with advice.
• Validation and acceptance from peers can be life-changing for LGBTQIA teenagers.

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 orientation, social justice, and the power of human kindness through a lens of ally support and community engagement.

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

Podder - https://www.podderapp.com/privacy-policy
Blubrry - https://create.blubrry.com/resources/about-blubrry/privacy-policy