No Guilt Mom | Overcoming Mom Guilt, Parenting Tips, & Self Care for Moms

How to Support Your LGBTQ Child Without Saying the Wrong Thing with Heather Hester

Supporting your LGBTQ child can feel terrifying—not because you don’t love them, but because you do, and you’re afraid of messing it up.

So many moms tell me the same thing: they want to be supportive, but they feel frozen. What if they say the wrong thing? What if they accidentally hurt their child? What if their child thinks they don’t truly accept them?

If that’s you, this episode is here to help.

In today’s conversation, I’m joined by Heather Hester, host of the podcast More Human, More Kind and author of Parenting with Pride. Heather helps parents move from fear into informed love—with clarity, compassion, and courage. Together, we talk about how to show up for your child even when you’re scared, without needing perfect words or performative allyship.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode


The biggest fear that keeps supportive parents silent and why worrying about “saying the wrong thing” doesn’t mean you’re failing your child.


The difference between being a supportive ally and a performative one, and how to show up in ways that actually feel authentic to you.


Three mindset shifts that help you support your LGBTQ child with confidence:

Embracing being messy and imperfect

Understanding that it’s not your child’s job to teach you—it’s your responsibility to learn

Believing your child when they tell you who they are


What to say when you don’t know what to say, including simple language you can return to when fear takes over.


How fear shows up in your body and why recognizing your stress response helps you choose connection instead of panic.

Why This Episode Matters

Your child doesn’t need you to be perfect.

They need you to be present. They need you to be willing. And they need you to keep coming back—even when you stumble.

This episode is about letting go of the pressure to “get it right” and replacing it with something more powerful: connection, repair, and courage.

Resources Mentioned

Heather's podcast More Human, More Kind

Parenting with Pride by Heather Hester

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Work stress doesn’t stay neatly at work.

It follows you home. It shows up in the tone of your voice, the snap of your patience, and that feeling of being “on edge” even when nothing is technically wrong. If you’ve ever walked through the door already exhausted, replaying work conversations in your head while your kids need you now, this episode is for you.

In this conversation, I sit down with psychologist Guy Winch, author of Mind Over Grind: How to Break Free When Work Hijacks Your Life, to talk about why work stress hits moms so hard—and what actually helps. We go beyond “just relax” and get into the science of emotional health, burnout, and how stress quietly spills into parenting and family dynamics.

This episode is especially for moms who are high achievers, caregivers, and the emotional glue holding everything together—at work and at home.

In this episode, we talk about:

Why ruminating about work is actually unpaid overtime—and how it drains your patience at home

How burnout moves in both directions, from work to parenting and back again

The science behind why your body stays in “battle mode” long after the workday ends

Simple, realistic transition rituals that help your brain shift from work mode to home mode

Why taking time for yourself isn’t selfish—it’s protective for your emotional health

How a parent’s stress affects the entire household, even when you think you’re hiding it

What to do when you’re so burnt out that taking action feels impossible

Why this conversation matters

So many moms blame themselves for snapping, zoning out, or feeling disconnected at home—when the real issue is chronic stress and emotional overload. Guy explains why this isn’t a personal failure, but a nervous system problem that needs support, structure, and intention.

You’ll walk away with language to understand what’s happening inside you—and practical ways to stop work stress from hijacking your home life.

About today’s guest

Guy Winch is a psychologist and leading voice in emotional health. He brings science-backed tools to everyday struggles like burnout, rumination, and emotional exhaustion. His book, Mind Over Grind: How to Break Free When Work Hijacks Your Life, explores how modern work culture affects mental health—and what we can realistically do about it.

Resources Mentioned

Mind Over Grind: How to Break Free When Work Hijacks Your Life

Thank You To Our Sponsors

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If you’re co-parenting after separation or divorce, you’ve probably realized something no one really prepares you for:

The relationship doesn’t end… it just changes shape.

And suddenly, every text about pickup times, school forms, or “did you send the sweatshirt back?” feels emotionally loaded. Not because you’re arguing about sweatshirts—but because separation brings grief, fear, anger, and unfinished emotional business into everyday communication.

In this episode of the No Guilt Mom Podcast, I’m joined by Gabriella Pomare, family lawyer, award-winning author of The Collaborative Co-Parent, and co-parenting advocate. We talk about what actually works when communication breaks down—especially if your ex is difficult, high-conflict, or completely uncooperative.

Because co-parenting isn’t about being friends.
It’s about structure, boundaries, and emotional safety for your kids—without you carrying the entire emotional load.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

1) Why communication falls apart after separation (even when you both love your kids)

Gabriella describes separation as a “nervous system earthquake.” When you’re grieving the life you thought you’d have, messages don’t land neutrally anymore. Even something as small as “you’re running late” can feel like criticism, control, or a power struggle.

2) The difference between “moving on” and actually healing

You can look fine on the outside—working, dating, functioning—and still feel your body spike the moment your ex’s name shows up on your phone.

Healing is when you can respond instead of react, stop trying to win, and read a neutral message without creating a high-conflict story in your head.

3) What collaborative co-parenting really means (and what it doesn’t)

Collaborative co-parenting doesn’t mean you’re best friends or agree on everything.

It means consistently making decisions through a child-centered lens, with clear systems that reduce emotional volatility—especially in high-conflict situations. Often, that looks less emotional and more business-like.

4) Boundaries that actually work—and how to handle it when they’re crossed

Boundaries aren’t rules you force on your ex.
They’re commitments you make to yourself.

Gabriella explains how to stop engaging with emotional bait, rehashing the past, and escalating conversations—without creating more conflict.

5) A practical tool for high-conflict co-parenting: communication apps

If your ex sends long, hostile messages or constantly pulls you into conflict, Gabriella recommends using a co-parenting app like OurFamilyWizard to:

keep communication child-focused

reduce harassment and message flooding

create clear boundaries and documentation

shift communication from emotional to logistical

6) The 4 pillars of co-parent communication

Gabriella’s framework for reducing conflict:

Listen → Pause → Reflect → Respond

The hardest part? The pause.
Because when emotions are high, the instinct is to respond quickly and win. The pause is what breaks the cycle.

7) What kids need most to feel safe across two homes

Kids don’t need perfect parents.

They need predictability, stability, and emotional safety. When kids know what’s happening, who’s picking them up, and that they’re not responsible for adult emotions, they feel more secure—even across two households.

Quick Favor (It Helps More Moms Find This Parenting Support)

If this episode helped you feel less alone, would you take 30 seconds to leave a review for the No Guilt Mom Podcast? Reviews help other overwhelmed moms find this parenting support when they need it most.

Resources Mentioned

Our Family Wizard co-parenting app

Gabriella Pomare’s book: The Collaborative Co-Parent

Join the No Guilt Mom Circle

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If you’ve ever been told to “just stay calm” when your kids push every single button—and then felt a wave of mom guilt when you couldn’t—you are not alone.

So many overwhelmed moms think their big emotional reactions mean they’re failing at parenting. That they’re “too much,” “not patient enough,” or somehow broken. But here’s the truth I want you to hear right away:

Your reactions are not the problem. They’re information.

In this episode, we’re unpacking why staying calm in the moment often isn’t possible—and why that makes perfect sense. When you’re overloaded, exhausted, and carrying the emotional labor of your family, your nervous system is already at capacity. Of course small things feel big.

This conversation is about emotional intelligence, self-regulation, and emotional awareness—not as another thing to “do better,” but as a way to understand what’s actually happening underneath your reactions so you can respond with more compassion (for yourself first).

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why losing your temper isn’t a moral failure

Anger and frustration are signals that something you value has been crossed—not proof that you’re a bad mom.

The five parts of emotional intelligence and how they work together

We break down self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills—and why emotional regulation doesn’t exist in a vacuum.

How stress and overload shrink your capacity

When you’re running on fumes, your reactions aren’t about “that one moment”—they’re about everything that came before it.

What emotional awareness looks like in real life

From noticing where emotions live in your body to naming them without judgment, this is about practical, usable parenting advice.

How self-compassion reduces mom burnout and emotional reactivity

Self-criticism fuels emotional overload. Compassion helps interrupt the shame spiral so you can repair and reconnect.

Resources Shared

Join the No Guilt Mom Circle

No Guilt Mom Podcast Episode with Dr. Kristen Neff

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
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If you’ve ever told yourself, “Other moms handle this better than I do,” this episode is for you.

So many moms feel overwhelmed—and then feel ashamed for feeling overwhelmed. Like if we were more organized, more disciplined, or better at self-care, we wouldn’t be so on edge all the time.

But what if overwhelm isn’t a personal failure?

In this episode of the No Guilt Mom Podcast, I’m joined by neuroscience-based coach Emelia Ferreira to talk about what actually happens to a woman’s brain during motherhood—and why telling yourself to “just calm down” doesn’t work. We unpack how motherhood rewires your brain for survival, how overwhelm becomes conditioned over time, and why so many traditional parenting and self-care strategies miss the mark for moms.

This conversation is validating, eye-opening, and deeply reassuring—especially if you’ve ever wondered what’s wrong with you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

1. Why motherhood changes your brain—and why that’s not a bad thing

Your brain becomes more specialized and hypervigilant after having a baby. That constant mental load? It’s not a flaw. It’s your nervous system doing exactly what it was designed to do.

2. How overwhelm becomes “normal” for moms

Without the community support mothers once had, our brains stay stuck in survival mode—while parenting, working, managing households, and carrying emotional labor.

3. Why overwhelm isn’t a mindset problem

You can’t think your way out of something that’s physiological. This is why self-care alone and willpower-based parenting strategies often fall short.

4. The connection between guilt, shame, and mom overwhelm

That guilt you feel when you rest or step back? It’s wired into a protective system meant to keep your child safe—not a sign you’re doing motherhood wrong.

5. One small, realistic way to support your mom brain

Emelia shares a simple breath-and-body-based practice that helps override overwhelm without adding another thing to your to-do lis

Resources Mentioned

Emilia Ferreira’s neuroscience-based guide


Learn more about No Guilt Mom Circle—where overwhelmed moms get parenting support that reduces burnout, not adds to it

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