75 – Coming Out Coach Teaches Families How to Cope, Communicate & Connect During Difficult Transition

Coming out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community can be a sensitive, complex process for someone to navigate. Enter Annie Henderson, Life coach, educator, consultant, and coming-out coach. After getting married at age nineteen, Annie embarked on her own journey of rejecting her people-pleasing ways and embracing her authentic, full self. These days she helps people who are struggling through a uniquely curated combination of counseling, compassion, and alternative therapies. Take a listen to Episode 75 of Open Mike Podcast for more information about her vocation as a coming-out coach, as well as her thoughts on the current progress of LGBTQ+ rights in a deeply divided nation.

Show Notes

[00:23] Annie’s background and bio. [01:40] Introducing our guest, Annie Henderson! [02:55] You help kids and family as a life coach —how did you get into that particular business, and what makes a good life coach? [05:15] You say you’re an EFT… what does that mean? [06:35]Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) are actually physical treatments, they’re not energy-based, and they start conversations? [08:06] This is not just for emotional issues, this is also treats physical pain? [08:45] You also specialize as a coming-out coach for the LGBTQ community. I’ve never heard that term before. Can you take us through that process? [10:36] You were married, had a daughter…how old is your daughter? [10:47] Does she know your whole history now? [11:32] Were there many gay people in your high school? [12:05] In high school, did you have an inkling? [13:16] Does conversion therapy still exist these days? [14:25] You do hear stories these days of kids coming out earlier and earlier. Does it feel like it’s easier and a more accepting process today? [15:00] Coming out to your friends and family while you had a husband and child must have been very difficult. What was that process like? [18:11] Did you lose any friends during your coming-out process? [18:48] If someone is showing up in your social media feed and they’re draining you, you should not feel guilty about hiding or snoozing them in the name of self-preservation. [19:27] What would you say to someone listening who’s afraid to come out, what are some things you’d tell them to make the transition easier? [21:49] “Worry is a misuse of the imagination” —Dan Zadra [22:13] Suicide rates are really high in the LGBTQ+ community. Does this come up in your coaching or have you had any experience with this? [24:34] Annie and members of her church have started a community of support for LGBTQ+ people and allies that can be found on Facebook [24:50] October is LGBTQ+ History Month. How far do you think we’ve come as a society, and where do you think we’re going in this movement? [25:38] There have been great strides that have been made… however, there’s current discussion of removal of Marriage Equality and further protection needed, so there is still a long way to go. [26:49] Is private coaching your main focus right now? [28:06] It’s important to not allow certain areas of our life to become depleted while working on other areas. [28:31] You mention how people-pleasing is such an issue in current society… what are your top five tips for people-pleasers? [31:05] Oftentimes we apologize for things we don’t need to be sorry for when we can easily modify our language to not consistently reinforce guilt. [33:20] Thank you to Annie Henderson for being on the show! You can find out more about Annie on her social, website, blog, or through her latest book, She Did It: 20 Inspiring Stories from Female Entrepreneurs Who Said Yes to Success [33:53] Thanks for tuning in to Open Mike!