Summary: As a parent, it's important to be aware of the unique mental health challenges that LGBTQIA+ kids face. Unfortunately, many families don't know how to talk about these issues, or even how to recognize them. When Heather's son came out as gay, she realized that he had been hiding himself from her for years and it had taken a serious toll on his mental health. Now she is an advocate and coach helping parents connect with the resources they need to best support their LGBTQIA+ children. The book Heather refers to in the episode is: Raising LGBTQ Allies: A Parent's Guide to Changing the Messages from the Playground by Chris Tompkins Heather is a podcast host and coach for parents and allies of LGBTQIA+ adolescents and young adults. She believes the coming out process is beautiful. She works with her clients to let go of fear and the feelings of isolation so that they can reconnect with themselves and their child in a meaningful, grounded way. She is a writer, the mother of four (two of whom are LGBTQIA), and a student of life who believes in embracing the messiness, opening to education, strengthening through empowerment, and overcoming anything with love.
