More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids, Unlearning Fear, Becoming More Human

Heather interviews Rochelle Pattison in this episode and it is packed with emotion, education, "a-ha" moments, and large doses of reality and love in equal measure! Rochelle shares her journey as a transgender woman with refreshing transparency. Her reflection on her life and the decisions that brought her to where she is now will not only increase your understanding but also make you want to cheer!

"Time is limited. Seize the moments to be accepting while we have them and be open...and be seen to be open." 

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

Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my website

Join the Conversation on Substack

Read my book, Parenting with Pride.

Support the Show - Learn more here!

Watch on YouTube

Listen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!

This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.

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 connection.

For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming 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 on this journey with me.

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 the wisdom of lived experience and practical guidance and education to parents and allies, teaching 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 episode is Just Breathe's one-year anniversary episode! Heather's husband Steve joins her (finally!) to share his perspective of the past four years. He opens up with incredible vulnerability and offers meaningful wisdom and advice.

Steve welcomes any questions and can be reached at [email protected].

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

Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my website

Join the Conversation on Substack

Read my book, Parenting with Pride.

Support the Show - Learn more here!

Watch on YouTube

Listen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!

This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.

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 connection.

For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming 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 on this journey with me.

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 the wisdom of lived experience and practical guidance and education to parents and allies, teaching 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.

In this episode, Heather chats with Kirsten Beverley-Waters about her new book, Struggle Guru. Kirsten is a fitness instructor, devoted yogi, personal growth champion and coach, and LGBTQ public speaker. The guiding principles she shares come from decades of personal experience as well as experience coaching others.

You will love finding out how to access your struggle guru because if 2020 has taught us nothing else it is that we all struggle! You will also learn how to adjust your internal compass.

Everything Kirsten and Heather discuss can be found on Kirsten's website - www.kbwaters.com.

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

Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my website

Join the Conversation on Substack

Read my book, Parenting with Pride.

Support the Show - Learn more here!

Watch on YouTube

Listen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!

This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.

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 connection.

For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming 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 on this journey with me.

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 the wisdom of lived experience and practical guidance and education to parents and allies, teaching 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.

In this episode, Heather highlights Depression Awareness Month in an interview with Maureen Kebo. Maureen is a well-being therapist and is certified in the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM) which is a cutting-edge model for addressing attachment, relational, and developmental trauma. On a personal level, Maureen is extraordinarily special to Heather because she is her therapist of 5+ years. 

Maureen imparts her wisdom, shedding light on and offering a basic education on depression especially as it relates to LGBTQ youth. 

This interview is packed with valuable information and strategies that can be implemented right away.

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

Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my website

Join the Conversation on Substack

Read my book, Parenting with Pride.

Support the Show - Learn more here!

Watch on YouTube

Listen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!

This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.

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 connection.

For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming 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 on this journey with me.

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 the wisdom of lived experience and practical guidance and education to parents and allies, teaching 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.

In this episode, Heather interviews LGBTQ+ activist Susan Buss, LCSW. Susan is the president of her private practice, Big Sky Consulting, Inc where she sees adolescents and adults. She has 35 years of experience in social work, working in community agencies as well as teaching at the Master's level. In addition to psychotherapy, Susan facilitates different workshops working with transgender people, focusing on healthy dating, and overcoming hoarding. She is the proud mom of a transgender child.

Susan imparts her wisdom, shedding light on and offering a basic education on gender identity, specifically the transgender experience. She shares valuable resources which are all listed below.

• Trans Lifeline 877-565-8860
• PFLAG - transgender support
• Human Rights Campaign - transgender resources
• WPATH - World Professional Association of Transgender Health
• Lurie Children's Hospital
• The Gender Quest Workbook
• The Survival Guide for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Teens
• The Transgender Child: A Handbook for Families and Professionals
• TomboyX - Hip and comfy clothes and undergarments for all sizes, gender neutral

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

Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my website

Join the Conversation on Substack

Read my book, Parenting with Pride.

Support the Show - Learn more here!

Watch on YouTube

Listen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!

This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.

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 connection.

For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming 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 on this journey with me.

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 the wisdom of lived experience and practical guidance and education to parents and allies, teaching 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.

Heather's husband, Steve, was so blown away by Connor's three episodes that he suggested a recap episode to highlight the emotional journey and lessons learned from their perspective. They both also thought it would be great for all of the resources mentioned to live in one place.

Heather shares:

• An in-depth look at specific moments during their journey
• Which decisions were fantastic and which were underwhelming at best
• Specific takeaways and thoughts to ponder
• A look into her soul the soul of her family

Resources, resources, resources!!!

• Need help finding a therapist for your child or yourself? THIS is a great place to start!
• Support groups for you and your child:
• PFLAG
• Freed Hearts
• The Trevor Project
• National Council on Family Relations
• Colage
• Education - this is a sample - go to my website for MUCH more!
• GLSEN
• GSA Network
• The Family Acceptance Project
• Advocates for LGBTQ Youth
• Understanding Mental Health and Substance Use Specific to your LGBTQ child
• Mental Health - HERE and HERE
• Substance Use and Abuse - HERE and HERE
• How to find an Educational Consultant - HERE 
• Newport Academy
• Want to start a gratitude practice - THIS article and THIS book have valuable guidance
• My favorite meditation teacher and website
• On making mistakes - This article and this Brene Brown YouTube video

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

Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my website

Join the Conversation on Substack

Read my book, Parenting with Pride.

Support the Show - Learn more here!

Watch on YouTube

Listen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!

This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.

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 connection.

For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming 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 on this journey with me.

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 the wisdom of lived experience and practical guidance and education to parents and allies, teaching 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.

Heather's son Connor has returned to the mic for a three-part series! In this episode, he shares the third part of his story (taking us to the present day) with humor, vulnerability, and the ability to recount what happened then, why, and what he has learned since. 

Connor shares:

• His transition to his freshman year of college - life at NYU and in New York City
• The struggles and triumphs of his freshman year
• The positive AND negative coping strategies he experimented with as he continued his coming out journey
• Lessons learned during COVID and his hopes and plans for the future

**TRIGGER WARNING - Connor shares stories of substance use, so please do not listen if this is a trigger in any way for you**

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

Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my website

Join the Conversation on Substack

Read my book, Parenting with Pride.

Support the Show - Learn more here!

Watch on YouTube

Listen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!

This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.

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 connection.

For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming 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 on this journey with me.

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 the wisdom of lived experience and practical guidance and education to parents and allies, teaching 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.

Heather's son Connor has returned to the mic for a three-part series! In this episode, he shares the second part of his story with humor, vulnerability, and the ability to recount what happened then, why, and what he has learned since. 

Connor shares:

• His transition back home after being away for 7 months
• The struggles and triumphs of his senior year of high school
• The positive AND negative coping strategies he experimented with as he continued his coming out journey
• His preparation to leave for college

**TRIGGER WARNING - Connor shares stories of substance use, so please do not listen if this is a trigger in any way for you**

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

Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my website

Join the Conversation on Substack

Read my book, Parenting with Pride.

Support the Show - Learn more here!

Watch on YouTube

Listen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!

This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.

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 connection.

For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming 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 on this journey with me.

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 the wisdom of lived experience and practical guidance and education to parents and allies, teaching 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.

Heather's son Connor has returned to the mic for a three-part series! In this episode, he shares the first part of his story with humor, vulnerability, and the ability to recount what happened then, why, and what he has learned since. Heather and Connor experimented with a new format in this episode which allowed Connor to share his thoughts and reflections with Heather responding toward the end of the episode.

Connor shares:

• Who he was and how he felt in the years before he came out
• How he came out to friends and family and what it felt like
• What it felt like the first few months and the different struggles he encountered

**TRIGGER WARNING - Connor shares his suicide attempt, so please do not listen if this is a trigger in any way for you**

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

Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my website

Join the Conversation on Substack

Read my book, Parenting with Pride.

Support the Show - Learn more here!

Watch on YouTube

Listen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!

This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.

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 connection.

For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming 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 on this journey with me.

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 the wisdom of lived experience and practical guidance and education to parents and allies, teaching 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 episode is part two of Heather Hester's interview with Diane Becker. Diane is a nationally certified juvenile treatment specialist, a licensed clinical social worker, licensed continuing education provider for social workers and professional counselors, and has been connecting with families and professionals for over 30 years. Diane and Heather have been friends for more than 15 years.

The main topic of this two-part interview is the subject of boundaries - what are they? how do you set them? what do they look like in different environments? Diane emphasizes the importance of connectedness, health and safety, and family.

Below is a list of the resources Diane mentions in the interview:

National Crisis Hotlines

International Association for Prevention of Suicide:   https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

Domestic Violence:  https://www.thehotline.org/

Find a health care provider:

GLMA:  health professionals advancing equality:  www.glma.org   

Connections:

Parents:  PFLAG  www.pflag.org

Youth to 25y:   Trevor Project:  www.thetrevorproject.org

Information:

American Academy of Pediatrics:  www.heatlhychildren.org 

Strong Family Alliance: www.strongfamilyalliance.org

It Gets Better Project:  www.itgetsbetter.org

NAMI: National Alliance For Mental Illness:  www.nami.org

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

Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my website

Join the Conversation on Substack

Read my book, Parenting with Pride.

Support the Show - Learn more here!

Watch on YouTube

Listen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!

This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.

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 connection.

For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming 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 on this journey with me.

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 the wisdom of lived experience and practical guidance and education to parents and allies, teaching 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.