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

Are you constantly bracing for impact this holiday season, snapping at your kids, holding your breath, pushing through? If you’re a parent of an LGBTQ+ child, an ally, or simply a human feeling stretched thin, this episode invites you to soften, not as a weakness, but as a radical act of strength, love, and nervous system regulation. In a world that rewards hard edges and overextension, Heather He...

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 The holidays are often an emotional minefield, especially for parents of LGBTQ+ kids navigating outdated traditions, family dynamics, and identity stress.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 mor...

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 i...

Feeling the pressure to find the perfect gift for your LGBTQ+ teen? In this 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 joy Learn how to create belonging through slow rituals and shared presence Get practic...

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 system Understand why authentic gratitude embraces both...

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 simpl...

When your child comes out or shares something vulnerable do you freeze, fumble, or fear saying the wrong thing? Whether it’s about gender, sexuality, faith, or mental health, what your child is really asking in that moment is, “Can I trust you?” In this essential episode, Heather Hester shares the neuroscience, parenting wisdom, and personal stories behind why believing your child, even without fu...

Are you overwhelmed by the speed, noise, and pressure of the season and craving a moment of genuine connection? In a world obsessed with performance and big gestures, we often forget the transformative power of the quiet, small moments: eye contact, a text, a name used correctly. Heather shares how these micro-moments of humanity can reset our nervous systems and ripple out more powerfully than we...

BOUNUS Interview Episode! What if empathy wasn’t something you had to be born with but something you practiced, moment by moment? In today’s bonus episode, Heather sits down with Maria Gallucci, a CODA, LGBTQ+ parent, bestselling author, and fierce advocate for underrepresented voices. Her story will challenge how you think about empathy, identity, and belonging, and might just change how you show...

What if the most radical thing we can be right now is fully, imperfectly human and deeply, fiercely kind? In this foundational episode of More Human, More Kind , host Heather Hester pulls back the curtain on the heart of the podcast and the movement behind it. Born out of advocacy for LGBTQ+ youth and expanded into a space for universal healing, this episode outlines the four pillars that guide ev...

What if love was never meant to be earned, just allowed? In this powerful and tender episode of More Human, More Kind , Heather Hester invites you to examine the stories you carry about love, especially the ones you learned before you even had the words to question them. Through science, psychology, and personal reflection, she explores how childhood attachment patterns shape our adult definitions...

What if the thing that hurt you most was disguised as love? In this emotionally honest and deeply necessary episode of More Human, More Kind , Heather Hester invites you to explore one of the most painful and liberating truths: that not all love is safe, and some of it was never love to begin with. As parents, LGBTQ allies, and humans trying to live with more empathy and intention, we often confus...

What if the quirks, questions, and beautiful edges your LGBTQ child expresses aren’t something to fix, but something to fiercely celebrate? This Halloween, we’re flipping the script on fear and reframing what it really means to embrace “the strange.” So many parents and allies want to support their LGBTQ kids but struggle with the discomfort of difference, especially when it challenges how we were...

LGBTQ+ History Month isn’t just a celebration of the past; it’s a warning about the present. With over 600 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in play, what will you do to protect what truly matters? In this powerful episode, Heather Hester walks you through key moments in LGBTQ+ history, from Stonewall to marriage equality, and connects them to the rising threats queer youth face today. You’ll gain tools, context,...

What if the witches we grew up fearing weren’t villains, but visionaries, healers, or queer-coded rebels whose power threatened the status quo? In today’s rich and revolutionary episode of More Human, More Kind , Heather Hester uncovers the truth behind witch hunts, both historical and modern. From midwives to queer teens, anyone who dared to live outside the norms has been branded dangerous. But...

What if the monster your child identifies with…isn’t a threat, but a symbol of courage, survival, and truth? For many LGBTQ+ teens, horror films offer more than scares; they offer safety, self-expression, and even joy. While many parents associate horror with violence and fear, queer youth see something radically different: empowerment , visibility , and a chance to survive in a world that often m...

What do parents need to know about the masks LGBTQ+ kids wear for survival? For queer kids, and the parents, moms, and allies supporting them, masks (figurative and literal)can mean safety, expression, or survival. But not all masks are harmless. Some start to suffocate. In this episode, we explore what playful costumes and emotional disguises have in common and how to help our kids (and ourselves...

What if your child’s costume choice is Halloween fun AND a first, powerful glimpse into their identity exploration? For parents, allies, and advocates raising LGBTQ+ or “othered” kids, Halloween can bring joy and also fear. Costumes are often treated as trivial, but for many queer children, dress-up is a rare, safe opportunity to try on who they truly are. In this episode, you’ll learn how to meet...

What if the ghosts haunting your parenting aren’t spooky but silent? And what if your child’s future depends on whether you face them? For parents and allies of LGBTQ+ kids, cycles of silence, shame, and inherited fear can sneak into how we parent, often without us realizing it. These “ghosts” may have protected us once, but now they risk being passed down unless we pause to acknowledge and unlear...

What if the monsters you feared growing up were never the real threat but a reflection of the parts of yourself society told you to hide? For LGBTQ youth, and the parents, moms, and advocates walking alongside them, labels like “weird,” “freak,” and “monster” aren’t just childhood fears, they’re often used to dehumanize. In this episode, we explore how queer communities have reclaimed “monstrosity...

What if your child’s “difference” isn’t a problem to fix, but a story we’ve been taught to fear? In this raw and compassionate episode, Heather Hester opens up about the emotional rollercoaster of parenting LGBTQ kids - really any kid that we have labeled as "different" and how to shift from grief and fear to love and clarity. Whether you’re facing the first waves of realization or years into the...

Should you shield your child from life's hardest moments or teach them how to face and carry them? In this honest and heart-opening episode, Heather Hester explores one of the most misunderstood parts of parenting: how to share hard truths without overwhelming your child. From navigating her own cancer diagnosis to supporting a child through crisis, Heather reveals what it really means to protect...

Is free speech really free anymore, or are we watching the First Amendment unravel in real time? Whether you're raising LGBTQ+ kids, working to become a more informed ally, or just trying to make sense of the noise, this episode breaks down the five essential freedoms that shape our democracy and why they’re all in danger right now. From the weaponization of media to the rise of disinformation, un...

Why do so many LGBTQ kids wait until college to come out, and what does that mean? In this insightful and compassionate episode, Heather Hester explores why college becomes a powerful turning point for many LGBTQ young people and what parents and allies need to understand. From the need for distance and safety to the importance of chosen community, you'll learn how to support your child without ma...

Do you ever feel like the harder you try to guide your LGBTQ child, the more they pull away? You’re not alone. In this deeply personal episode, Heather Hester explores the emotional weight of control, how it shows up in families, and why learning to lead with influence, not force, can transform your relationship with your child. Whether you’re parenting a queer or trans teen or simply navigating a...