Episode 216

Parents, Fixing Is Hurting Your Relationships! This Is What To Do Instead.

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 simple, science-backed practice to shift from reactivity to presence

✔️ Discover how to listen without rushing, rescuing, or retreating

✔️ Use Heather’s LISTEN method to guide any difficult conversation with love

✔️ Get grounded tools to calm your nervous system when tensions rise

Press play now to discover the one shift that builds trust, deepens relationships, and reclaims connection, no fixing required.

Key Takeaways:

  • Fixing is often rooted in fear, not love
  • Silence is not awkward, it’s sacred
  • Listening without correcting builds psychological safety, the key to long-term trust
  • “Do you want advice or just a listening ear?” can transform your relationships
  • You don’t need the right answers, you just need presence

LISTEN Framework Recap:

  • LLeave space: Breathe before responding
  • IInquire gently: Ask what kind of support is needed
  • SStay curious: Reflect, don’t assume
  • TTrust the silence: Let quiet be part of connection
  • EEmpathize, don’t evaluate: Say “That sounds really hard”
  • NNormalize not knowing: “I don’t have the answer, but I’m here.”

Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!

Become a private client


Attend Friday Reflection LIVE on Substack - guided journaling and Q&A


Invite me to speak at your workshop or event


Receive a free excerpt and reflection guide from my book, Parenting with Pride.


Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review!


Connect heather@heatherhester.net


Watch on YouTube


Listen to *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!

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 foster courageous, compassionate connection.

If you’re in the thick of parenting, allyship, or pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heart-warming 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 glad you’re part of this journey.

More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast and space where a mom and mental health advocate offers guidance on parenting with empathy, inclusion, and open-minded allyship, fostering growth, healing, and empowerment within the LGBTQ community—including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals—while addressing grief, boundaries, education, diversity, human rights, gender identity, sexual orientation, social justice, and the power of human kindness through a lens of ally support and community engagement.



This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podder - https://www.podderapp.com/privacy-policy
Blubrry - https://create.blubrry.com/resources/about-blubrry/privacy-policy

About the Podcast

Show artwork for More Human More Kind: Guidance for Parenting LGBTQ+ Teens & Growing Into a Courageous Ally
More Human More Kind: Guidance for Parenting LGBTQ+ Teens & Growing Into a Courageous Ally
Parenting and Ally Skills to Advocate for Your LGBTQ+ Teen with Love and Confidence

About your host

Profile picture for Heather Hester

Heather Hester

She’s a butterfly in motion—transforming spaces, stories, and hearts. Heather Hester is a rare blend of fierce advocate and gentle guide, using her voice to build bridges across divides. As the host of *More Human. More Kind.*, author of *Parenting with Pride*, and founder of Chrysalis Mama, Heather doesn’t just speak about love, allyship, and authenticity—she *embodies* them.

Her superpower? Turning complex, messy truths into clear, compassionate conversations that leave you feeling empowered, curious, and just a little more human. From Substack to podcast, workshop to stage, she creates spaces where healing is possible, voices are heard, and no one stands alone.

Whether she’s amplifying marginalized stories, coaching parents through life’s pivots, or unpacking the First Amendment with a side of soul, Heather leads with purpose and heart. She’s not here for surface-level support—she’s here to change how we show up for each other.

Married to the funniest guy she’s ever known and mom to four extraordinary kids (two of whom are LGBTQ) and one sassy mini Bernedoodle, Heather is all about showing up with humor, humility, and heart. You can almost always find her with a cup of coffee in hand—at her computer, on her yoga mat, or dancing in the kitchen to her favorite playlist. She believes in being fully human, embracing the messiness, and helping others do the same.