In this deeply honest and timely conversation, Kari and Lisa sit down with gender diversity therapist, parent coach, and AFFIRM Coaching Program founder Rachel Hulstein-Lowe to talk about allyship, LGBTQ+ advocacy, parenting gender-diverse youth, and the emotional realities families are navigating in today’s polarized climate. Together, they explore what meaningful allyship actually looks like beyond performative support, the emotional cost of silence and passivity, how affirmation impacts a child’s nervous system and sense of safety, and what parents can do when they feel scared, uncertain, or overwhelmed. Rachel shares insight from more than twenty years as a licensed therapist, along with her personal journey of stepping more boldly into her voice in midlife, helping listeners understand how to move from anxious parenting to empowered connection. This episode is a compassionate, nuanced conversation about identity, emotional safety, LGBTQ+ youth, parenting transgender and gender-diverse children, and what it means to truly show up for the people we love in real life.

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And if you are craving deeper conversations, meaningful connection, and space to reconnect with yourself, we would love to invite you to join us for the Best Chapter Yet Fall Retreat 2026, happening September 18 through 20 in Portland, Oregon. This year’s retreat, YOUnique & Amazing, is designed for women who are ready to trust themselves more deeply, stop shrinking to fit expectations, and step more fully into the life that feels true to them. We will gather for a weekend of honest conversation, reflection, laughter, connection, and growth in a beautiful retreat setting in Portland’s Mississippi District. You can learn more here: Best Chapter Yet Fall Retreat 2026