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What If One Conversation Could Save a Life? Suicide Prevention for LGBTQ+ Youth
Episode 1932nd September 2025 • More Human More Kind: Guidance for Parents & Allies of LGBTQ Teens • Heather Hester
00:00:00 00:26:46

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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, but because of the rejection, fear, and silence they too often face. In this vital episode, Heather Hester cuts through the discomfort to teach parents and allies how to break that silence with compassion, clarity, and life-affirming guidance.

  • Learn the real reasons behind the suicide risk facing LGBTQ+ youth and what the data actually says
  • Recognize critical warning signs and how to respond without fear, judgment, or overwhelm
  • Discover the “index card” strategy and other proven tools that make hard conversations easier AND can literally save lives

Press play to learn how your presence, your love, and your willingness to speak can become the most powerful allyship tool you have.

Resource Spotlight

  • The Trevor Project – 24/7 crisis support for LGBTQ youth: Call 1-866-488-7386, Text “START” to 678-678, or use the chat at thetrevorproject.org
  • Trans Lifeline – 877-565-8860 (U.S.), 877-330-6366 (Canada)
  • Crisis Text Line - Text "HELLO" or "HOLA" to 741-741
  • TWLOHA Suicide Prevention Month Campaign
  • Mental Health Toolkit

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

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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 grow their capacity for courageous, compassionate connection.

For parents, allies, and those 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 in a heartfelt and empowering space where a mom and advocate offers practical guidance and education to parents and allies, fostering empathy, kindness, love, and strong boundaries while supporting LGBTQ teens and the diverse LGBTQ community—including gay, lesiban, bisexual, trans, transgender, and queer individuals—through conversations about mental health, grief, gender identity, sexual orientation, human rights, social justice, parenting, parent support, and meaningful LGBTQ allyship and allyship in action.

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