Intro to Chrysalis Mama

Do you have a child or loved one who has recently come out or is struggling with being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer? Do you feel alone and overwhelmed with where to find accurate information and support? I can certainly empathize with you, which is why I've created the Pillars of Transformation. This is exactly what I wish were available for our family 4 years ago. My name is Heather Hester, and I am the founder of Chrysalis Mama and creator of the podcast Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen. My mission is to offer support and education to parents and allies of LGBTQ kids and young adults so that you feel empowered and know that you are not alone. When our son came out to us as gay in February of 2017 at the age of 16, not only were we in shock, we were completely overwhelmed, struggled to find helpful information, and felt totally alone. We had so many questions and wanted to support him, He was exploring and expressing at breakneck speed, and we were at least 5 steps behind him for the entire first year. It was terrifying and frustrating, especially when you add in the fact that we were parenting, and are parenting, his 3 younger siblings as well. Once I caught my breath a bit, I was overcome to create something that would help other parents and allies. I couldn't bear the thought of others going through what we did. I jumped into creating my podcast, Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen, which led me to create the Pillars of Transformation. Do you struggle with religious and/or societal beliefs? Is this whirlwind affecting your sleep, your stress level, your ability to focus on your work or other tasks? Is the relationship with your child who is out, as well as your other children and your spouse and partner, affected? Are you concerned with your child's mental health, including depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicidal ideation, and attempts? Does the thought of what your child may be finding on the internet frighten you? It is filled with really dark places that parents have no idea exist. Do you worry about substance abuse and abuse? There are 4 pillars that I've created: Embrace, Educate, Empower, and Love. Here are the top 3 benefits to the Pillars of Transformation. You will learn that you are not alone on this journey. There is a community support, and honestly, sometimes just knowing that there are others who are traveling a similar path is comfort enough. You will learn a ton about what it means to be LGBTQ and the coming out process. Most importantly, you will learn how to communicate with and support your child or loved one. Imagine being able to take a breath and know that you are supporting your child and yourself in the best way possible. That's such an incredible feeling, right? Imagine feeling empowered and educated and able to continue this journey with your child with optimism and without fear. Imagine a grounded, happy, fulfilled kid Imagine a better understanding of self and an improved relationship with your other children, your spouse or your partner, other family members, and friends. Imagine the ability to breathe again. You can achieve a shift in your mindset, a commitment to embrace this journey, a willingness to become educated and a complete understanding of unconditional love. I did it, and I know you can too. In the next video, I'll show you how to start implementing these Pillars of Transformation, and I'll walk you through a simple strategy that you can use to get results fast. So make sure you stay out on the lookout so you don't miss this next video. And for those of you who are super serious about learning the Pillars of Transformation Stay tuned for information about my course, Learning to Just Breathe. I'm going to take a handful of parents and allies and teach them exactly how to implement these 4 pillars. I want to share this with as many people as possible, but I've found that my students get the best results when I work in a smaller group setting. That way everyone can get the help and support they really need. Spots are granted on a first-come, first-served basis, so if you're feeling like, yes, I need this, click on the link below and put your name on the early bird waitlist. I hope you enjoyed this video. If you have any questions, please send me a message, and I am more than happy to help. Stay tuned for the next video because I'll be showing you exactly how to start with the Pillars of Transformation and achieve a renewed and shifted relationship with your LGBTQ child with optimism and without fear. See you soon.