Episodes

What if your child’s costume choice is Halloween fun AND a first, powerful glimpse into their identity? For parents, allies, and advocates raising LGBTQ+ or “othered” kids, Halloween can bring joy and also fear. Costumes are ...

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 sn...

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 l...

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 - real...

Should you shield your child from pain or teach them how to carry it? In this honest and heart-opening episode, Heather Hester explores one of the most misunderstood parts of parenting: how to share hard truths without overwh...

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 epis...

Why do so many LGBTQ+ kids wait until college to come out, and what does that mean for the families they leave behind? In this insightful and compassionate episode, Heather Hester explores why college becomes a powerful turni...

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 fami...

How do we hold space for grief, truth, and humanity when someone who had polarizing views is taken by violence? In moments like these—where headlines are loud and emotions run high—many of us are struggling with what it means...

Is your teen turning to an AI chatbot when they’re in crisis? Would you even know if they were? In this eye-opening episode, Heather Hester explores the booming use of AI mental health apps like Woebot and Replika, especiall...

What if one small act of kindness could keep someone - especially an LGBTQ+ youth - from giving up? In this heartfelt solo episode, Heather Hester unpacks why kindness isn’t just “nice” or “extra.” It’s a radical, science-bac...

Have you ever heard someone say LGBTQ+ kids struggle with mental health because of who they are? In this urgent episode, Heather Hester dismantles one of the most dangerous myths surrounding LGBTQ+ youth: that their mental he...

What if the most life-saving thing you do this week isn’t a therapy appointment or medication, but a single, courageous conversation? For LGBTQ+ youth, suicide risk remains heartbreakingly high — not because of who they are, ...

Are you heading to a holiday weekend gathering with your LGBTQ child where not everyone is affirming and you're wondering how to protect their well-being without creating more tension? For many families, gatherings (family or...

Do you think you're doing the right thing for your LGBTQ+ child, but still feel like you're fumbling through it alone? In this deeply honest and empowering episode, Heather Hester is joined by author Anna MacArthur to explore...

Is your school community confusing “nice” with “kind” and leaving LGBTQ+ students unsupported in the process? As a new school year begins, many of us want to build more inclusive classrooms and communities, but surface-level ...

Is your LGBTQ teen heading to college and you’re wondering how to support them without smothering their independence? The transition to college is a huge milestone. For LGBTQ+ students, it can bring both liberation and new la...

Is your LGBTQ teen heading back to high school, but quietly bracing for judgment, isolation, or burnout? For LGBTQ+ teens, high school is often a complex dance between self-expression and self-protection. This episode explore...

Is your LGBTQ child heading back to school feeling supported or silently dreading the year ahead? While a new school year can be exciting, for many LGBTQ+ kids it also brings fear of being misgendered, misunderstood, or left ...

Is your LGBTQ child carrying invisible emotional baggage every time you travel? For many LGBTQ+ youth, what should be a fun vacation can trigger stress, dysphoria, and emotional shutdown. This episode explores how parents and...

Would your next family vacation make your LGBTQ+ child feel affirmed or anxious? Whether you're planning a road trip or flying internationally, traveling with an LGBTQ+ child brings unique emotional and safety needs. This epi...

Are you raising or supporting an LGBTQ+ teen and wondering how to truly show up for them, especially in today’s climate? In this episode, psychologist and researcher Dr. Heather Littleton joins host Heather Hester to share ho...

What if the most important way to protect LGBTQ+ youth isn’t legislation or policies, but how we care for their mental health ? In the final episode of July’s “Safety” series, Heather Hester gets to the emotional core of LGBT...

Is your child’s school truly safe for all students? For LGBTQ+ youth, safety can’t be assumed; it must be advocated for. In this powerful and practical episode, Heather breaks down what school safety really looks like for LGB...