Laurie Rodriguez (mother of 3, two of which identify as LGBQ) and Dr. Mary Elizabeth Wilde (integrative pediatrician, mother of 8) talk about how to support LGBTQ family members. These two sisters have unique and powerful insights from different perspectives: Laurie with a direct and personal one as a mother with LGBTQ children, and Mary with a professional/clinical one as a pediatrician who supports families.

If you are a parent, friend or local leader and want to better understand the research and personal stories on how to help LGBTQ family members, please listen to this podcast. It will give you better tools to improve LGBTQ emotional health and keep the family circle together.

You can learn more about Dr. Wilde at https://drmarywilde.com or connect with her on IG @drmarywilde.

Connect with Laurie Rodriguez through the Chicago Affirmation Chapter at https://www.facebook.com/AffimationChicagoChapter/ or at [email protected]

Other resources mentioned:

• The Family Acceptance Project at https://familyproject.sfsu.edu/publications or https://www.listenlearnandlove.org/articles (article #7)

• Debra Oaks Coe’s article https://www.ldsliving.com/Preventing-Youth-Suicide-in-Our-Wards-and-Families/s/88081

Debra Oaks Coe quotes Brene Brown from these sources:

Huffington Post, updated December 6, 2017, “Brene Brown On Why Courage, Vulnerability and Authenticity Have to Be Practiced”

Psychology Today, Aug. 2012. “Connect To Thrive – Social Connection Improves Health, Well-Being & Longevity” by Emma M Seppala Ph.D. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/feeling-it/201208/connect-thrive

Brene Brown, Daring Greatly, p. 140 Penguin Group US

• Sara Hughes-Zabawa (whose work is mentioned at [28:00]) can be found at https://sarahugheszabawa.com.