Episode Details

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Does the start of a new year feel heavy instead of hopeful? Are you tired, overwhelmed, or carrying a kind of sadness you can't quite name? If you're a parent of an LGBTQ+ teen, this episode is your reminder that nothing is wrong with you, your body, your mind, and your heart are simply asking to be heard.

In today’s deeply grounding episode of More Human, More Kind, Heather Hester gently explores the emotional aftermath of the holidays and why so many parents, especially those parenting LGBTQ+ kids, feel grief instead of motivation in January.

You’ll learn:

• Why grief and hope can coexist (and must)
• How mental health is impacted by unacknowledged stress and survival mode
• What January grief really looks and feels like (hint: it’s not always tears)
• Why emotional support for parents is essential, not optional
• Five simple, research-backed practices to help you feel lighter

This isn’t about pushing through or forcing joy. It’s about understanding the very real mental and emotional cost of caregiving, advocacy, and parenting LGBTQ+ teens in a world that often asks too much.

Heather offers a message of healing, empathy, and deep parental self-trust, helping you move from silent bracing to honest presence.

Listen now to validate your experience and learn one small shift that can lighten your emotional load.

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.

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Listen to *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 gl