BOUNUS Interview Episode!

What if empathy wasn’t something you had to be born with but something you practiced, moment by moment?

In today’s bonus episode, Heather sits down with Maria Gallucci, a CODA, LGBTQ+ parent, bestselling author, and fierce advocate for underrepresented voices. Her story will challenge how you think about empathy, identity, and belonging, and might just change how you show up in the world.

• Hear how growing up in a deaf family taught Maria the power of nonverbal communication, deep listening, and compassion
• Understand the emotional impact of being believed when coming out as LGBTQ+
• Learn why “just trying” can change someone’s entire day
• Discover how inclusive schools, small gestures, and language access ripple into lifelong healing

Key Themes & Takeaways:

• Empathy begins with presence not perfection
• You don’t have to understand someone to support them
• Silence, when shared with love, becomes a bridge
• Children thrive when they are believed, seen, and supported
• “Just try” is more powerful than you think whether in communication or allyship
• Inclusive environments save lives (especially in schools)
• Everyone has a story and those on the margins deserve center stage

Learn more about Maria's work

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 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.