S3E9: Parenting Trans Kids with Rebecca Minor

S3E9: Parenting Trans Kids with Rebecca Minor

In this episode, author Rebecca Minor, talks about how supportive parenting can transform your child's well-being. Rebecca shares her messaging framework developed over a decade of working with queer and trans youth. Discover how gender works beyond binary myths and why understanding distinctions between gender identity, biological sex, and cultural expectations is crucial. Explore practical steps for parents, from creating openness to understanding gender affirming care. Learn how societal beliefs influence fears and misconceptions about medical interventions. Rebecca also covers insights on navigating sports, school policies, and societal bias. This episode is perfect for parents, educators, and allies committed to supporting gender-diverse youth with confidence and compassion. ABOUT REBECCA MINOR Rebecca, LICSW, is a queer clinician, educator, and gender specialist who works with trans and gender-expansive youth and their families. She is the founder of Prism Therapy Collective and the author of Raising Trans Kids: What To Expect When You Weren’t Expecting This.  * Learn more about Rebecca's work at genderspecialist.com [https://www.genderspecialist.com/] * Follow Rebecca on Instagram @gender.specialist [https://www.instagram.com/gender.specialist] * Evolving glossary of terms [https://www.genderspecialist.com/terms] * My kid just came out, now what?! [https://www.genderspecialist.com/nowwhat] ABOUT THE HAPPILY NEVER AFTER The Happily Never After is a podcast that features stories of big endings that led to personal breakthroughs. While endings can hurt, they also provide opportunities to heal and grow, and sometimes, they even set us free. Endings can offer an opportunity to begin anew, in a better way, and that’s what we’re here to talk about. * New episodes every Tuesday. * Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thatheathermcg/?hl=en]@thatheathermcg⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thatheathermcg/]on IG for related content and discussion. * Read The Happily Never After on Substack at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thehappilyneverafter.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://thehappilyneverafter.substack.com/] * Learn more about Heather McG at ⁠⁠⁠www.heathermcg.com [https://www.heathermcg.com/]

S3E8: Get Divorced Without Losing Your Mind with Olivia Howell

Most people don’t realize how much emotional and practical support you need when going through a divorce, until they're in the thick of it. Olivia Howell, a pioneering founder of the first-ever divorce support ecosystem, reveals how her personal journey through divorce inspired the groundbreaking Fresh Starts Registry, founded by Olivia and her sister Genevieve "Jenny" Dreizen. This first of its kind platform offers free resources, expert advice, and a community for people navigating life’s most difficult transitions, demonstrating that healing, hope, and fresh starts are possible no matter how overwhelming the stakes. In this episode, listeners will discover how Olivia’s own childhood experience with divorce fueled her understanding of what people really need to break free from emotional abuse, financial hardship, and social isolation. You’ll learn about the unspoken emotional challenges people face when divorcing from abusive relationships, and how societal conditioning keeps many stuck in silence and shame. Olivia emphasizes the importance of healing in community, and how social media, support groups, and expert networks can radically change the narrative around divorce, turning it from failure into a transformative beginning. You’ll get her candid advice on when to consider dating again, the importance of taking your time to heal, and that how divorce can also be a doorway to authenticity, strength, and freedom.  Divorce can take people through one of life's deepest trenches, but Olivia is dedicated to helping people make it through to the other side with peace, clarity, and sanity. ABOUT OLIVIA HOWELL Olivia is a nationally recognized divorce educator, visionary founder, clinical hypnotherapist, and the CEO and co-founder of Fresh Starts Registry, the premier expert-led divorce support network.  Through Fresh Starts, she provides access to vetted experts, divorce registries, educational resources, and a robust media ecosystem designed to guide people through the emotional, financial, and logistical realities of starting over — all with trauma-informed care at the center. She is the author of the Fresh Starts Divorce Guide book series — including What to Consider When You’re Considering Divorce, Divorce Dictionary, and How to Get Divorced as a Stay-At-Home Parent — and serves as host and producer of several acclaimed podcasts. With an extensive background in marketing, PR, and content creation, Olivia also supports professionals in expanding their influence through podcasting and connection-based publicity. Her writing has appeared in New York Magazine, Newsweek, and Business Insider, and she is frequently quoted in The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, and Scary Mommy, among others. A solo mom of two tween boys, Olivia brings warmth, clarity, and lived experience to every conversation — and when she’s not advocating for people rebuilding their lives, you can find her crafting or listening to her favorite 90s music. Find Olivia on Instagram or Threads using @oliviahowell Find Fresh Starts Registry on Instagram or Threads using@freshstartsregistry Learn more about Fresh Starts Registry at freshstartsregistry.com [https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/] ABOUT THE HAPPILY NEVER AFTER The Happily Never After is a podcast that features stories of big endings that led to personal breakthroughs. While endings can hurt, they also provide opportunities to heal and grow, and sometimes, they even set us free. Endings can offer an opportunity to begin anew, in a better way, and that’s what we’re here to talk about. * New episodes every Tuesday. * Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thatheathermcg/?hl=en]@thatheathermcg⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thatheathermcg/]on IG for related content and discussion. * Read The Happily Never After on Substack at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thehappilyneverafter.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://thehappilyneverafter.substack.com/] * Learn more about Heather McG at ⁠⁠⁠www.heathermcg.com [https://www.heathermcg.com/]

S3E7: Adoptee Voices with Anna Bryant

Society embraces the narrative that adoption is simple, but the truth is much more complex. By centering adoptee voices, we can speak more truthfully about the adoption experience. Anna Bryant’s journey into her Black identity, her reunion with family of orgin, and her search for belonging reveal the fuller side of adoption.  In this episode, you’ll discover how societal narratives around adoption erase the true depth of adoptees’ experiences, and the importance of embracing both love and loss in the process of healing. Anna shares the emotional rollercoaster of reconnecting with her family of orgin as an adult, revealing how those reunions—sometimes overwhelming, sometimes healing—add new layers to her story. Anna breaks down the impact of cultural disconnection and how the adoptee community offers vital support for navigating those complex feelings. You’ll learn about the significance of Atlanta as a cultural mecca, how social media is transforming the conversation around adoption, and why hearing adoptee stories is crucial for both prospective parents and adoptees. Anna emphasizes the importance of acknowledging trauma, honoring heritage, and building relationships that honor a child's full identity. This episode is perfect for adoptees searching for their roots, parents considering transracial adoption, or anyone interested in the reality behind one of society’s narratives.  ABOUT ANNA BRYANT Anna Bryant is a transracial adoptee from Iowa. She grew up in a multiracial household with White parents and international adoptee sisters from South Korea. She has been in reunion with her family of origin for 8 years which has brought both joys and heartbreaks. She is currently working on her memoir Cultural Fraud which explores her reunion journey and her search for Black identity. She currently resides in the Black Mecca of Atlanta with her husband and loves to travel, spend time with friends, and occasionally review new snacks. * Follow Anna on Instagram: @annab_living [https://www.instagram.com/annab_living/] ABOUT THE HAPPILY NEVER AFTER The Happily Never After is a podcast that features stories of big endings that led to personal breakthroughs. While endings can hurt, they also provide opportunities to heal and grow, and sometimes, they even set us free. Endings can offer an opportunity to begin anew, in a better way, and that’s what we’re here to talk about. * New episodes every Tuesday. * Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thatheathermcg/?hl=en]@thatheathermcg⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thatheathermcg/]on IG for related content and discussion. * Read The Happily Never After on Substack at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thehappilyneverafter.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://thehappilyneverafter.substack.com/] * Learn more about Heather McG at ⁠⁠⁠www.heathermcg.com [https://www.heathermcg.com/]

S3E6: Grace in the Face of ALS with Phillip Klapperich

In this episode of The Happily Never After, host Heather McG is talking with Phillip Klapperich, a writer and friend who was diagnosed with ALS about a year ago. Phillip shares how his diagnosis has connected the dots of his life, leading to epiphanies of presence, love, gratitude, and ultimately, grace. This is a compelling conversation with deeply meaningful takeaways for any listener. ABOUT PHILLIP KLAPPERICH Phillip Klapperich has worn many hats throughout his life. He is a playwright, who has in contrast also acted as a tour guide and HVAC controls administrator. He's gotten very drunk with a Russian air force colonel, been dressed down by Sheryl Crow in a lilith fair press conference, and gotten cursed in a market in Cairo. Phillip has never been one to pass up an adventure. * Learn and read more from Phillip at www.rocketcorps.com [http://www.rocketcorps.com] ABOUT THE HAPPILY NEVER AFTER The Happily Never After is a podcast that features stories of big endings that led to personal breakthroughs. While endings can hurt, they also provide opportunities to heal and grow, and sometimes, they even set us free. Endings can offer an opportunity to begin anew, in a better way, and that’s what we’re here to talk about. * New episodes every Tuesday. * Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thatheathermcg/?hl=en]@thatheathermcg⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thatheathermcg/]on IG for related content and discussion. * Read The Happily Never After on Substack at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thehappilyneverafter.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://thehappilyneverafter.substack.com/] * Learn more about Heather McG at ⁠⁠⁠www.heathermcg.com [https://www.heathermcg.com/]

S3E5: The Well-Trained Wife with Tia Levings

Tia Levings is talking to The Happily Never After about her escape from Christian fundamentalism, domestic abuse, and her journey to healing. She is the New York Times bestselling author of The Well-Trained Wife. Her new book I Belong to Me offers a first-hand account of overcoming deep indoctrination, psychological abuse, and building a new, authentic life. Tia talks about the links between her experiences and Christian nationalism, political power, and the fight to strip away women’s rights, all rooted in a strategic effort to uphold particular visions of control and dominance.You'll hear key insights on: * The spiritual practices and pressure tactics that keep women obedient and unheard * The high-control religious practices that silence questions about health, safety, and bodily autonomy * How the “Quiverfull” movement aims to swell the ranks of white Christian supremacy * The not-so-subtle ways legal and societal restrictions are aligned with religious agendas, threatening women’s freedom * The healing journey from religious trauma to sovereignty, empowering survivors to break free and rebuild their lives Tia's work sheds light on the intersection of faith, trauma, and political power, sharing her journey in an effort to empower others.  ABOUT TIA LEVINGS Tia Levings is the New York Times Bestselling author of A Well-Trained Wife, her memoir of escape from Christian Patriarchy. She writes about the realities of religious trauma, evangelical patriarchy, and the trad wife life, decoding the fundamentalist influences in our news and culture. Her work and quotes have appeared in Teen Vogue, Salon, Newsweek, and The Huffington Post. She also appeared in the hit Amazon docu-series, Shiny Happy People. Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, she is mom to four incredible adults and likes to travel, hike, paint, and daydream. Find her on social media @TiaLevingsWriter. Her second book, I Belong to Me, releases May 5, 2026. ABOUT THE HAPPILY NEVER AFTER The Happily Never After is a podcast that features stories of big endings that led to personal breakthroughs. While endings can hurt, they also provide opportunities to heal and grow, and sometimes, they even set us free. Endings can offer an opportunity to begin anew, in a better way, and that’s what we’re here to talk about. * New episodes every Tuesday. * Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thatheathermcg/?hl=en]@thatheathermcg⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  [https://www.instagram.com/thatheathermcg/]on IG for related content and discussion. * Read The Happily Never After on Substack at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thehappilyneverafter.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://thehappilyneverafter.substack.com/] * Learn more about Heather McG at ⁠⁠⁠www.heathermcg.com [https://www.heathermcg.com/]