#140 | What Happens When Empathy Becomes Overwhelm and How to Reclaim Your Strength (lgbtq ally guidance)

Are you feeling a heavy, unshakable weight lately and wondering if anyone else truly understands what you're going through?

You’re not imagining it, and you're not alone. The emotional weight many of us are feeling right now goes beyond the news cycle. In this episode, Heather offers grounding support and tangible tools for anyone feeling overwhelmed by the current political and cultural climate, especially allies and parents of LGBTQ+ youth.

• Learn how to identify and process the heaviness you're carrying without guilt or shame.
• Discover practical self-regulation techniques to calm your nervous system when anxiety strikes.
• Explore how to balance deep empathy and sustained activism without losing yourself.

Take a breath, press play, and let this episode guide you through the emotional fog with compassion and clarity.

Links referenced in this episode:

• chrysalismama.com
• humanrightscampaign.org
• thetrevorproject.org
• glad.org
• pflag.org

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

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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 explores connection, courage, and community for every concerned parent, mom, or ally navigating fear, grief, and bigotry with hope, resilience, and empathy. Through open-minded education, inclusive parenting guidance, and advocacy for mental health, safety, and a human first approach, we support LGBTQ youth and stand for human rights and social justice. More Human. More Kind. empowers listeners to shift their mindset, embrace activism and allyship, and lead with kindness, healing, and purpose.