Unveiling the Heart Behind 'Parenting with Pride'

Welcome to Just Breathe: Parenting your LGBTQ Teen, the podcast transforming the conversation around loving and raising an LGBTQ child. My name is Heather Hester and I am so grateful you are here. I want you to take a deep breath and know that for the time we are together, you are in the safety of the just breathe nets. Whether today's show is an amazing guest, or me sharing stories, resources, strategies or lessons I've learned along our journey. I want you to feel like we're just hanging out at a coffee shop having cosy chat. Most of all, I want you to remember that wherever you are on this journey right now, in this moment in time, you are not alone

Welcome back, my friends. If this is your first time here I am delighted you found just breathe. We talk all things loving, raising and empowering LGBTQ plus people. But at the core, it is a space for you to take a breath, quiet all of the noise around you and just be I've been fielding a lot of questions about my upcoming book parenting with pride and learn bias and embrace empower and love your LGBTQ plus teen. So I thought I would take today's episode to answer them because next episode, you get the treat of listening to Connor and gray interview me about the book, our journey and a few surprise questions that you will definitely be either entertained by or enlightened by, or maybe both. So, over the past few years, I know I've mentioned little details here and there. The deeply organizational process of creating a book proposal pre pandemic reference to journaling and compiling research. The gratitude for my podcast guest introducing me to her publisher and the subsequent delight when they offered me a contract. The intensity of the writing process as well as the catharsis mental, emotional and spiritual processing, and the personal evolution that took place over not only those 18 months, but oh my goodness, really, the past 789 years, right? The editing, oh my goodness, that was a tough seven months. Partially because I never quite knew when the deadline was, it moved from June to September to finally the end of November. Partially because as all creatives can attest, it can be brutal to have something you've invested your heart, soul and life into be shredded. And partially because I felt very alone in the process. I didn't have a writers group or an agent to turn to to ask questions of or just to vent to. However, at this moment in time, I can tell you two things. One, I am very grateful for all I learned from my editor through my publisher, familiars publishing, she pulled beautiful work for me and to I am ridiculously proud of this book, and I cannot wait for it to be available to you on May 14, which is only three weeks away.

So most of the questions I've received can be filtered into two categories. Why? And what? Broadly, my why for writing parenting with pride is consistent with all that I do. Everything that I do on this podcast on the website and my speaking and my coaching everything. I do not want anyone to feel alone on this journey. I want parents allies, and those who are curious to have the tools, strategies and accurate information to transform. I want to provide a light To end empowerment in a world that is chaotic and messy, the what covers the topics, the stories, the tools and strategies, the research the process, and so on. The entire framework of the book is the four pillars, which if you are a visitor of my website in any way, or listener of this podcast, you've heard me talk about the numerous times, embrace, educate, and unlearn bias, empower, and love. As I was developing the Educate pillar, we realize that much of the work and sharing there actually revolved around unlearning our biases. So that is why that became part of pillar to educate. Because the word bias can be activating for some, I want to be clear that we all have biases, it is not an attempt to point fingers or shame anyone. Unlearning bias is something every one of us have to do. So, in a nutshell, this is what you're going to get self care and grounding tools, and embrace lots of specific stories, research and strategies around the coming out process for your child and for you. dialing in on the kind of support you and your family need. Understanding mental health, self harm, suicide risk, and substance use. Again, each of these with lots of actionable tools, you'll have a deeper understanding of empowerment, effective communication, and leaning into your intuition. And finally, think of love as not only what encapsulates the other three pillars, but cannot be felt or given unconditionally without those pillars. I'm going to say that one more time because I think it's really, really important and it's something that I really, fully felt discovered. Just experienced along this journey. I want you to think of love as not only what encapsulates the other three pillars, the Embrace pillar, the educate and unlearn biases, the Empower pillar, but know that it cannot be felt or given unconditionally without those pillars. The appendices include a super in depth glossary, and several pages of additional resources. This book is my heart, my family's gift of vulnerability and truth. And I cannot wait for you to read it. I'm actively working to get it into as many independent bookstores as possible.

So if you have a favorite one, let me know so I can reach out to them. preorder it for yourself, your family members, and those you know it would benefit. If this podcast just breathe means something to you, it would mean so much to me. If you would take 30 seconds to do two things. First, please follow or subscribe to the show by just clicking on the plus sign or the word follow wherever you listen to your podcasts. And second, if you would be willing to share a five star review and rating I would be so grateful. It isn't just a nice thing for others to read. It actually helps this podcast get in front of those who need it most. I so appreciate you being part of the just breathe community. Big, big hugs to you all. Until next time. Thanks so much for joining me today.

If you enjoyed today's episode, I could be so grateful for a rating or review. Click on the link in the show notes or go to my website, chrysalis mama.com To stay up to date on my latest resources as well as to learn how you can work with me. Please share this podcast with anyone who needs to know that they are not alone. And remember to just breathe. Until next time