Do you have a child, teen, or young adult who identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer? Do you feel alone in your effort to support them on their journey or navigate your own? Heather Hester from Chrysalis Mama is here to transform the conversation around loving and raising an LGBTQ+ teenager. In the four+ years since her son embraced his sexual identity as a gay teen/young adult, Heather and her family have felt every emotion, and have experienced dozens of situations rangin…
Continue Reading >>
Do you have a child, teen, or young adult who identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer? Do you feel alone in your effort to support them on their journey or navigate your own? Heather Hester from Chrysalis Mama is here to transform the conversation around loving and raising an LGBTQ+ teenager. In the four+ years since her son embraced his sexual identity as a gay teen/young adult, Heather and her family have felt every emotion, and have experienced dozens of situations ranging from heartwarming and humorous to terrifyingly life-threatening. She and her husband initially felt alone and overwhelmed, moving her to want to support others traveling a similar path. She desires to discuss taboo topics and erase stigmas surrounding the coming out process and parenting an LGBTQ+ teen. Heather's approach is based on four pillars - to Embrace, Educate, Empower, and Love - and most of all, to reinforce to all LGBTQ people, their families, and their allies that they are not alone!
<< Show Less
Top Snippets from Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen
What's the Difference Between Sex, Gender, and Gender Expression?
Founder of The Gender Fck Club an online coaching community, and Practical Audacity, a gender and sex therapy practice, Rae McDaniel gives us a primer to the language used when it comes to sex, gender, and gender expression. It's important to understand the differences between the three, and it basically boils down to respecting the labels people want you to use.
Demystifying Pronouns
In this episode, Heather Hester and her 15-year-old daughter Grace have a thoughtful and enlightening discussion about pronouns. Grace has wisdom far beyond her 15 years, and yet is acutely in touch with the teenage experience. If you are curious about how to use pronouns properly and what they mean, this is the episode for you!
Pretending is Torture
Coming Out Coach Rick Clemons encourages listeners, LGBTQIA and straight, to be vulnerable, be true to who they are. "The truth of who you are is far more powerful than the false truth of who you are pretending to be."
Parents, You Get a Process, too!
In this episode of Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen, Heather talks about the six stages that parents go through when their child comes out to them. The stages are shock, denial, guilt, expression of feelings, making decisions, and true acceptance. She explains each clearly and without judgment, weaving her own stories throughout. This episode provides insight and tools to help you through your process and on your journey!
The Importance of Inclusive Literature for our Kids
Heather is joined by author Greg Howard in this on-point discussion about inclusive literature, the importance for our kids to be able to see themselves in the characters of books, and appreciating the unexpected moments of connection with our kids.
Hey Parents, This is What Your Teen Wants You to Know!
Connor co-hosts this mom/son episode with Heather giving us all specific questions to ask our LGBTQ+ kids (and ones not to!), insight on what is going on in our teen's brain and body, and so much more! Heather and Connor have a very close and transparent relationship that is the result of a ton of hard work on both of their parts - and they want to share that closeness with everyone listening - love is how you create it with another - no shoulds or shouldn'ts. Just love. (and laughter ;))
Surviving the Holidays
Appropriately timed, in this episode about surviving crises during the holidays Heather Hester shares another snippet of her personal story and gives seven strategies that worked for her. Her ultimate goal is for the listener to feel supported and like they have options and choices for working through tough times that happen to occur during this most wonderful - and most hectic - time of year!
Coming Out - What does this mean??
Heather Hester discusses the six stages of the Cass Model of Coming Out and shares personal experiences along the way. This episode is loaded with great information and links in the show notes to help you understand and support your teen through this process.
Understanding the Mental Health of Your LGBTQ Teen
Heather Hester breaks down the specific statistics regarding LGBTQ+ mental health, including what behaviors or symptoms to look for and how we as parents and allies can offer support at home and how to find professional help.