Latter Day Struggles

In this episode Valerie is joined by friend and colleague Dr. Julie Hanks, where they discuss the emotional and psychological complexities of stepping away from the LDS faith for those who feel called to do so. They emphasize the importance of making this transition in a psychologically healthy manner, and how challenging this is to do in a climate where not a lot of resources are available and this decision is fraught with so much distress and loneliness. The discussion covers potential challenges such as navigating changes in relationships with family and the larger community, managing internalized beliefs and fears, and the grief that accompanies leaving one's spiritual community. If this episode resonates with you, please join Valerie and Julie in their upcoming interactive Q&A series happening virtually every Thursday evening in June 2024. Link to enroll is in the show notes. Space is limited and these sessions fill up quickly. Note: Valerie and Julie are not prescribing leaving (or not leaving) the LDS church. They wish to support their LDS and surrounding community in psychologically-thriving independent of church membership or attendance status. For those interested in exploring how to stay involved in the LDS faith in psychologically healthy ways, please listen to episode 193 of Latter Day Struggles. SUPPORT: Like what you’re hearing at Latter Day Struggles Podcast? Support Valerie with a 1-time donation through her business Venmo account or by becoming a recurring donor on Patreon.⁠ ——————————————————————— SUBSCRIBE: All Friday episodes of Latter Day Struggles can be accessed through ⁠⁠⁠a paid subscription ($9.99/month), available here⁠. Thank you for supporting Valerie’s professional commitment to your LDS Faith expansion journey!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For a step-by-step guide on how to subscribe and support the podcast, click here. ———————————————————————WEBINAR: “The Growth Oriented Marriage” Valerie will host a webinar class for individuals and couples seeking guidance on how to stay united during a faith expansion experience. Special question/answer session directly after the webinar. Wednesday May 8th 8:30 CST. Come ask Val your burning questions and be part of the conversation! Register for a spot here. ——————————————————————— STEPPING BACK IN A PSYCHOLOGICALLY HEALTHY WAY: Valerie and Julie Hanks recently finished a similar Q&A event working with their communities wanting to stay engaged in the LDS Church in a healthy way. Valerie and Julie hope the upcoming event will serve the same purpose for those with concerns about stepping back. Their last event sold out very quickly, and this one will also sell fast. To register click here. ——————————————————————— SUPPORT GROUPS: As a trauma therapist, Valerie continues to help our LDS faith expansion community become more psychologically and spiritually healthy. Groups are currently full, however, a new evening group starts September 2024. To learn more click here. ————————————————————— CONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie? Time-limited packages with Valerie are available ⁠here.

In this profound episode 3 [of a four-part series] Valerie and Nathan engage in a crucial discussion on the implications of withholding the sacrament for any reason within the LDS Church. They challenge the harmful practice of using the sacrament as a disciplinary measure, which can reinforce feelings of both public and internalized shame and unworthiness. They emphasize the importance of inclusivity in all spiritual practice and the spiritual damage done (to the denied individual, their families, and the faith community) as a result of the practice of withholding the sacrament. In Friday's concluding episode of this series, Val and Nathan get more granular, reflecting on several aspects of the culture and practice around LDS sacrament administration (everything from exactly worded prayers to the proper uniform and beyond) calling for a more compassionate and understanding church culture that truly reflects the generous and loving nature of the divine.Info on how to subscribe to listen to Friday’s episode is directly below. See you there! ——— SUPPORT: Like what you’re hearing at Latter Day Struggles Podcast? You can support Valerie by making a one-time donation to her business Venmo account or by becoming a recurring donor on Patreon.⁠ —————————————————————————————————————— ————————————————————————————————————— SUBSCRIBE: All Friday episodes of Latter Day Struggles can be accessed through ⁠⁠⁠a paid subscription ($9.99/month), available here⁠. Thank you for supporting Valerie’s professional commitment to your LDS Faith expansion journey!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For a step-by-step guide on how to subscribe and support the podcast, click here. ——————————————————————————————————————LATTER DAY NIGHT LIVE! Register for our latest 3-part webinar series “A Couple’s Guide to Faith Crisis & Expansion.” Valerie will host a question/answer session directly after the class. Part 2 - May 8th 8:30 CST. Ask Val your burning questions and be part of the conversation! Register for a spot here. ——————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT GROUPS: As a trauma therapist, Valerie continues to help our LDS faith expansion community become more psychologically and spiritually healthy. All support groups are currently full, however, a new evening group is scheduled to start in September 2024. To learn more click here. —————————————————————————————————————— CONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available ⁠here.

In this thought-provoking part one (of a four-part series) Val and Nathan engage in a deep exploration of the sacrament's significance in Christian practice and how it might sometimes diverge from the inclusive message of Jesus Christ. They set this series up by comparing and contrasting the history and diverse practices of sacrament across various denominations. Val then dons her "therapist hat" and discusses why and how embodied ceremonies can be a powerful tool for brain growth, learning, and meaning-making and how the concept of the sacrament has the potential to be a rich means of communion with self, God, and others. They also offer thoughts on how the sacramental ceremony can become less meaningful and even harmful when misappropriated for various reasons, which will be explored in detail in this series. This four-part series is intended to not only explore deeply the concept of sacrament broadly in the LDS faith, but also greatly broadens the concept of sacramental worship in a way that faith-expanding Latter-day Saints can embrace as an expression of their own growth journey. Info on how to subscribe to listen to Friday’s episode is directly below. See you there! ——— SUPPORT: Like what you’re hearing at Latter Day Struggles Podcast? You can support Valerie by making a one-time donation to her business Venmo account or by becoming a recurring donor on Patreon.⁠ —————————————————————————————————————— ————————————————————————————————————— SUBSCRIBE: All Friday episodes of Latter Day Struggles can be accessed through ⁠⁠⁠a paid subscription ($9.99/month), available here⁠. Thank you for supporting Valerie’s professional commitment to your LDS Faith expansion journey!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For a step-by-step guide on how to subscribe and support the podcast, click here. ——————————————————————————————————————LATTER DAY NIGHT LIVE! Register for our latest 3-part webinar series “A Couple’s Guide to Faith Crisis & Expansion.” Valerie will host a question/answer session directly after the class. Part 2 - May 8th 8:30 CST. Ask Val your burning questions and be part of the conversation! Register for a spot here. ——————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT GROUPS: As a trauma therapist, Valerie continues to help our LDS faith expansion community become more psychologically and spiritually healthy. All support groups are currently full, however, a new evening group is scheduled to start in September 2024. To learn more click here. —————————————————————————————————————— CONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available ⁠here.

In this episode Valerie welcomes special guest Brian Dille, a BYU alumnus and member of a professional organization responsible for accrediting institutions of higher learning in the USA. This series tackles the complex and pressing issue of academic freedom at Brigham Young University, especially in light of recent curriculum changes where the “musket” talk was made required reading for all incoming BYU freshmen. Brian and Valerie delve into the definition and historical context of academic freedom, exploring its crucial role in scientific progress and how it relates to current issues connected to BYU's relationship with academic accreditation. Friday's episode stresses the impact of the "musket talk" on all individuals at BYU and how integration of this talk signals not only concern for academic freedom but also the need for ongoing corrective dialogue inviting love, inclusion, and reform in an effort to protect those on the margins at church and on the campuses of church-operated schools. Join Valerie and Brian for both of these powerful episodes as they navigate some crucial Latter Day Struggles with respect, insight, and a firm commitment to honest discourse. Info on how to subscribe to listen to Friday’s episode is directly below. See you there!———SUPPORT: Like what you’re hearing at Latter Day Struggles Podcast? You can support Valerie by making a one-time donation to her business Venmo account or by becoming a recurring donor on Patreon.⁠—————————————————————————————————————— —————————————————————————————————————SUBSCRIBE: All Friday episodes of Latter Day Struggles can be accessed through ⁠⁠⁠a paid subscription ($9.99/month), available here⁠. Thank you for supporting Valerie’s professional commitment to your LDS Faith expansion journey!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠For a step-by-step guide on how to subscribe and support the podcast, click here.——————————————————————————————————————LATTER DAY NIGHT LIVE! Register for our latest 3-part webinar series “A Couple’s Guide to Faith Crisis & Expansion.” Valerie will host a question/answer session directly after the class. Part 2 - May 8th 8:30 CST. Ask Val your burning questions and be part of the conversation! Register for a spot here.———————————————————————————————————SUPPORT GROUPS: As a trauma therapist, Valerie continues to help our LDS faith expansion community become more psychologically and spiritually healthy. All support groups are currently full, however, a new evening group is scheduled to start in September 2024. To learn more click here.—————————————————————————————————————— CONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available ⁠here.

In this part two (of a three part series) Valerie and Nathan explore words—(because words very much matter in this conversation). They talk about the expanding use of the words "authority" and "power" connected to females and priesthood, thereby encouraging LDS women to understand their already-existing status in the church, while (significantly) never ever connecting women's roles and responsibilities to priesthood "keys". Val and Nathan discuss how these semantics games tend to land on modern-day LDS women (not well!) and further begin a discussion about how this disparity in equality shapes the psyches in the women of this organization. Val and Nathan contend that not having priesthood "keys" is *not* about women desiring status, attention, or prestige. It is about longing for their spiritual system to support their innate equality in the eyes of God. It is about providing women with a spiritual context wherein they are allowed to grow and thrive as human beings. Friday's final episode in this series breaks down five ways that women's development is stifled due to their unequal status in the LDS church. Subscribe to catch this [and every past and future Friday] episode. Info on how to subscribe to listen to Friday’s episode is directly below. See you there! —————————————————————————————————————SUBSCRIBE: All Friday episodes of Latter Day Struggles can be accessed through ⁠⁠⁠a paid subscription ($9.99/month), available here⁠. Thank you for supporting Valerie’s professional commitment to your LDS Faith expansion journey!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠For a step-by-step guide on how to subscribe and support the podcast, click here.——————————————————————————————————————SUPPORT: Like what you’re hearing at Latter Day Struggles Podcast? You can support Valerie by making a one-time donation to her business Venmo account or by becoming a recurring donor on Patreon.⁠——————————————————————————————————————SUPPORT GROUPS: As a trauma therapist, Valerie continues to help our LDS faith expansion community become more psychologically and spiritually healthy. All support groups are currently full, however, a new evening group is scheduled to start in September 2024. To learn more click here.—————————————————————————————————————— LATTER DAY NIGHT LIVE! Register for our latest 3-part webinar series “A Couple’s Guide to Faith Crisis & Expansion.” Valerie will host a question/answer session directly after the class. First session April 3rd 8:30 CST. Come ask Val your burning questions and be part of the conversation! Register for a spot here.——————————————————————————————————————CONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available ⁠here.

Join Valerie as she explores a variety of topics connected to the 2024 rebirth of the Law of Common Consent demonstrated by LDS women throughout the world who recently voted "opposed" to claims that women in the LDS church have more authority than women of other church's worldwide. In this episode, Valerie processes a variety of topics including: ** Several reasons why the LDS church has chronic struggles with allowing women equality. **A conversation about historical lack of collaboration with systems of learning, knowledge, and worldwide restoration enlightenment. **A maladaptive commitment to "immovability". ** A conversation about the need to address intersectionality of the feminine divine and queer issues in LDS "eternal family" theology. **Encouragement to embody love as the foundational energy of lasting spiritually-empowering social reform. Friday's episode begins a three-part conversation between Valerie and Nathan addressing how structural issues within the LDS church powerfully communicates its value of women, regardless of what is spoken *about* women or *to* women. Info on how to subscribe to listen to Friday’s episode is directly below. See you there! ————————————————————————————————————— SUBSCRIBE: All Friday episodes of Latter Day Struggles can be accessed through ⁠⁠⁠a paid subscription ($9.99/month), available here⁠. Thank you for supporting Valerie’s professional commitment to your LDS Faith expansion journey!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For a step-by-step guide on how to subscribe and support the podcast, click here. —————————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT: Like what you’re hearing at Latter Day Struggles Podcast? You can support Valerie by making a one-time donation to her business Venmo account or by becoming a recurring donor on Patreon.⁠ —————————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT GROUPS: As a trauma therapist, Valerie continues to help our LDS faith expansion community become more psychologically and spiritually healthy. All support groups are currently full, however, a new evening group is scheduled to start in September 2024. To learn more click here. —————————————————————————————————————— LATTER DAY NIGHT LIVE! Register for our latest 3-part webinar series “A Couple’s Guide to Faith Crisis & Expansion.” Valerie will host a question/answer session directly after the class. First session April 3rd 8:30 CST. Come ask Val your burning questions and be part of the conversation! Register for a spot here. —————————————————————————————————————— CONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available ⁠here.

In this heartfelt episode, Valerie and special guest Nick take an intimate look into the personal journey his healing and self-discovery. They dive deep into Nick's past, discussing the challenges of reconciling his relationship with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while confronting lifelong negative beliefs about himself. Nick candidly shares his experiences with loneliness, sexual shame, and his reliance on pornography as a coping mechanism. Together, they explore the significance of nurturing one's inner child, the detrimental effects of internalized shame, and the beauty in transforming pain into compassion and understanding for both oneself and others. As they dissect the complex emotions tied to faith and sexuality, both Valerie and Nick underscore the importance of self-compassion, removing judgment, and fostering open conversations as tools for healing and growth. Friday's episode continues this conversation between Nick and Valerie as they explore another aspect of his LDS faith expansion personal journey: Healing from betrayal trauma connected to the Book of Mormon. If you want to find peace in your relationship with the Book of Mormon, listen to this tender episode.Info on how to subscribe to listen to Friday’s episode is directly below. See you there! Info on how to subscribe to listen to Friday’s episode is directly below. See you there! ————————————————————————————————————— SUBSCRIBE: All Friday episodes of Latter Day Struggles can be accessed through ⁠⁠⁠a paid subscription ($9.99/month), available here⁠. Thank you for supporting Valerie’s professional commitment to your LDS Faith expansion journey!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For a step-by-step guide on how to subscribe and support the podcast, click here. ——————————————————————————————————————SUPPORT: Like what you’re hearing at Latter Day Struggles Podcast? You can support Valerie by making a one-time donation to her business Venmo account or by becoming a recurring donor on Patreon.⁠ —————————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT GROUPS: As a trauma therapist, Valerie continues to help our LDS faith expansion community become more psychologically and spiritually healthy. All support groups are currently full, however, a new evening group is scheduled to start in September 2024. To learn more click here. —————————————————————————————————————— LATTER DAY NIGHT LIVE! Register for our latest 3-part webinar series “A Couple’s Guide to Faith Crisis & Expansion.” Valerie will host a question/answer session directly after the class. First session April 3rd 8:30 CST. Come ask Val your burning questions and be part of the conversation! Register for a spot here. —————————————————————————————————————— CONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available ⁠here.

This week Valerie and Nathan tackle two fundamental aspects of LDS observance--scriptures and prayer--and walk you through ways in which each of these concepts can be either helpful to our spiritual journeys are harmful to our spiritual growth experiences. Episode 207 reflects on the complexities of scripture, tackleing the risks associated with misusing scriptures as tools of oppression and highlighting the damage caused when sacred texts are used to justify harmful actions, even on a catastrophic scale. They discuss the importance of expanding our definition of what "counts" as scripture, the importance of truly tapping into our powers of personal revelation to discern when a voice is prophetic, and how books can be a mirror reflecting our connection to the divine. Friday's episode 208 tackles how concept of prayer in the LDS faith tradition can be experienced as both deeply connecting to our true selves and our higher powers OR how teachings and practices associated with prayer can be instrumental in harming our relationship with self, others, and God. Valerie and Nathan's desire in this series is to shine a light on the impact of certain aspects of religious faith and practice in the hopes that we can all experience our faith tradition in ways that truly support our spiritual development. Info on how to subscribe to listen to Friday’s episode is directly below. See you there! ————————————————————————————————————— SUBSCRIBE: All Friday episodes of Latter Day Struggles can be accessed through ⁠⁠⁠a paid subscription ($9.99/month), available here⁠. Thank you for supporting Valerie’s professional commitment to your LDS Faith expansion journey!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For a step-by-step guide on how to subscribe and support the podcast, click here. ——————————————————————————————————————SUPPORT: Like what you’re hearing at Latter Day Struggles Podcast? You can support Valerie by making a one-time donation to her business Venmo account or by becoming a recurring donor on Patreon.⁠ —————————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT GROUPS: As a trauma therapist, Valerie continues to help our LDS faith expansion community become more psychologically and spiritually healthy. All support groups are currently full, however, a new evening group is scheduled to start in September 2024. To learn more click here. —————————————————————————————————————— LATTER DAY NIGHT LIVE! Register for our latest 3-part webinar series “A Couple’s Guide to Faith Crisis & Expansion.” Valerie will host a question/answer session directly after the class. First session April 3rd 8:30 CST. Come ask Val your burning questions and be part of the conversation! Register for a spot here. —————————————————————————————————————— CONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available ⁠here.

In this part three (of a four-part series) Valerie and her therapist colleague Liz Macdonald delve further into the complexities of navigating faith disaffiliation among young adults in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Their conversation today focuses on the unique challenges faced in families who belong to "covenantal religions", including the anxiety and isolation that both parents and their evolving young adult children can feel when facing the eternal threats of noncompliance with church covenants. Liz and Valerie delve into the double-bind that people might feel in "covenantal" religious systems (such as LDS and Judaism) where some may feel that they must choose between the crucial human task of authentic spiritual self development and requirement to make and keep certain belief-based covenants in order to be allowed connection with God and family for eternity. Friday's final episode of this series (available via subscription) delves deeply into a highly respected model of human growth and development and explores a possible correlation between the degree of psychological (under) development and one’s inability to tolerate the faith expansion process of loved ones. They also discuss how the healthy development of the young adult children might be impacted by lack of support from their parents in the crucial young adult years. This series is intended to offer love and empathy for all both the more traditionally believing LDS parents and their disaffiliated young adult children, shining a light on the extreme complexity of this situation and hoping to offer insights that will help families in our community heal. Please share this series with those who might benefit from this enlightening and healing discussion! Info on how to subscribe to listen to Friday’s episode is directly below. See you there! ————————————————————————————————————— SUBSCRIBE: All Friday episodes of Latter Day Struggles can be accessed through ⁠⁠⁠a paid subscription ($9.99/month), available here⁠. For a step-by-step guide on how to subscribe and support the podcast, click here. ——————————————————————————————————————SUPPORT: Like what you’re hearing at Latter Day Struggles Podcast? You can support Valerie by making a one-time donation to her business Venmo account or by becoming a recurring donor on Patreon.⁠ —————————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT GROUPS: As a trauma therapist, Valerie continues to help our LDS faith expansion community become more psychologically and spiritually healthy. All support groups are currently full, however, a new evening group is scheduled to start in September 2024. To learn more click here. —————————————————————————————————————— LATTER DAY NIGHT LIVE! Register for our latest 3-part webinar series “A Couple’s Guide to Faith Crisis & Expansion.” Valerie will host a question/answer session directly after the class. First session April 3rd 8:30 CST. Come ask Val your burning questions and be part of the conversation! Register for a spot here. —————————————————————————————————————— CONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available ⁠here.

In this episode one of a mind-expanding four-part series, Valerie and special guest and fellow therapist Liz Macdonald delve into the delicate nature of the relationship between a certain type of Latter-Day Saint parent and their young adult children who navigate different paths regarding their faith. In this episode, Liz offers and overview of an in-depth research project she did learning more about the extreme turmoil experienced by those in conflict with their parents due to LDS disaffiliation. They also begin to unpack the findings in this research paper. Friday's episode (available by subscription) delves into more of the specific findings of this research, including an analysis of what the disaffiliated young adults experienced in their relationships with their parents. Liz and Valerie explore not only the phenomenon uncovered in this research but potential reasons for these findings embedded in the theology. They also offer ongoing empathy for all parties in this challenging dynamic. This series is intended to offer love and empathy for all both the more traditionally believing LDS parents and their disaffiliated young adult children, shining a light on the extreme complexity of this situation and hoping to offer insights that will help families in our community heal. Please share this series with those who might benefit from this enlightening and healing discussion! Info on how to subscribe to listen to Friday’s episode is directly below. See you there! Info on how to subscribe to listen to Friday’s episode is directly below. See you there! ————————————————————————————————————— SUBSCRIBE: All Friday episodes of Latter Day Struggles can be accessed through ⁠⁠⁠a paid subscription ($9.99/month), available here⁠. Thank you for supporting Valerie’s professional commitment to your LDS Faith expansion journey!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For a step-by-step guide on how to subscribe and support the podcast, click here. ——————————————————————————————————————SUPPORT: You can support Valerie by making a one-time donation to her business Venmo account or by becoming a recurring donor on Patreon.⁠ —————————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT GROUPS: As a trauma therapist, Valerie continues to help our LDS faith expansion community become more psychologically and spiritually healthy. All support groups are currently full, however, a new evening group is scheduled to start in September 2024. To learn more click here. —————————————————————————————————————— LATTER DAY NIGHT LIVE! Register for our latest 3-part webinar series “A Couple’s Guide to Faith Crisis & Expansion.” Valerie will host a question/answer session directly after the class. First session April 3rd 8:30 CST. Come ask Val your burning questions and be part of the conversation! Register for a spot here. —————————————————————————————————————— CONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available ⁠here.

In this part three of their series celebrating some of the most significant spiritual work of Father Richard Rohr, Valerie and Nathan dive deep into the sin of exclusion which, ironically, is a serious issue within most religious systems. This episode highlights how religious systems in general struggle with marginalizing other religious systems *and* create margins within their own systems. Reflecting on Richard Rohr's meditation from ''Yes! And" Daily Meditations, Nathan and Val discuss the necessary inclusion of outcasts who embody the church's rejected identities (single, queer, female, theologically nonconforming, etc) and are crucial for its wholeness and conversion. They emphasizes the role of 'edge workers' positioned throughout the world— those on either border of the institution who can act as canaries in the coal mine, heightening awareness around their own systems' subtle and obvious outcasts. They heightens the importance of surrender to the validation of the institution in the service of serving God and those in and around the institution without social equity or who are too afraid or wounded to speak their own pain. Together, they urge the necessity of moving beyond judgment and towards a more inclusive, understanding, and compassionate approach that embraces all, especially those who have felt marginalized within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Until this happens, the LDS church cannot serve its role as a faith community of true healing, growth, and transformation. Info on how to subscribe to listen to Friday’s episode is directly below. See you there! ————————————————————————————————————— SUBSCRIBE: All Friday episodes of Latter Day Struggles can be accessed through ⁠⁠⁠a paid subscription ($9.99/month)⁠. Thank you for supporting Valerie’s professional commitment to your LDS Faith expansion journey!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://tinyurl.com/bddk8ak7 ⁠Click here for a step-by-step guide on how to support the podcast and subscribe⁠ https://valeriehamaker.com/how-to-subscribe/ —————————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT: Like what you’re hearing at Latter Day Struggles Podcast? You can support Valerie’s efforts by becoming a recurring donor on https://www.patreon.com/LatterDayStruggles ⁠ —————————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT GROUPS: You are invited to join one of Valerie’s space-limited ⁠⁠⁠Faith Crisis and Expansion Support and Processing Groups⁠⁠⁠⁠! As a trauma therapist, she continues to help our LDS faith expansion community become psychologically healthier and spiritually well in and around the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Details about availability on ⁠⁠⁠⁠latterdaystruggles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. These groups ALWAYS FILL UP, so jump in asap! https://valeriehamaker.com/latter-day-struggles/support-groups/ —————————————————————————————————————— LATTER DAY SOLUTIONS ONLINE CLASSES: Now available! “⁠⁠⁠⁠Mixed-Faith Parenting in the LDS Faith⁠⁠⁠⁠” parts 1-3. See what else is offered on ⁠⁠⁠latterdaystruggles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://valerie-hamaker-s-school1.teachable.com/courses/ —————————————————————————————————————— CONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available! ⁠ https://valerie-hamaker-s-school1.teachable.com/p/1-1-consultations

In this part three of their series celebrating some of the most significant spiritual work of Father Richard Rohr, Valerie and Nathan dive deep into the sin of exclusion which, ironically, is a serious issue within most religious systems. This episode highlights how religious systems in general struggle with marginalizing other religious systems *and* create margins within their own systems. Reflecting on Richard Rohr's meditation from ''Yes! And" Daily Meditations, Nathan and Val discuss the necessary inclusion of outcasts who embody the church's rejected identities (single, queer, female, theologically nonconforming, etc) and are crucial for its wholeness and conversion. They emphasizes the role of 'edge workers' positioned throughout the world— those on either border of the institution who can act as canaries in the coal mine, heightening awareness around their own systems' subtle and obvious outcasts. They heighten the importance of surrender to the validation of the institution in the service of serving God and those in and around the institution without social equity or who are too afraid or wounded to speak their own pain. Together, they urge the necessity of moving beyond judgment and towards a more inclusive, understanding, and compassionate approach that embraces all, especially those who have felt marginalized within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Until this happens, the LDS church cannot serve its role as a faith community of true healing, growth, and transformation. Info on how to subscribe to listen to Friday’s episode is directly below. See you there! ————————————————————————————————————— SUBSCRIBE: All Friday episodes of Latter Day Struggles are accessed through ⁠⁠⁠a paid subscription ($9.99/month)⁠. Thank you for supporting Valerie’s commitment to your LDS Faith expansion journey!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://tinyurl.com/bddk8ak7 ⁠Click here for a step-by-step guide on how to support the podcast and subscribe⁠ https://valeriehamaker.com/how-to-subscribe/ —————————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT: Like what you’re hearing at Latter Day Struggles Podcast? You can support Valerie by making a one-time donation to her business Venmo account or by becoming a recurring donor on Patreon.⁠ —————————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT GROUPS: You are invited to join one of Valerie’s space-limited ⁠⁠⁠Faith Crisis and Expansion Support and Processing Groups⁠⁠⁠⁠! As a trauma therapist, she continues to help our LDS faith expansion community become psychologically healthier and spiritually well in and around the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Details about availability on ⁠⁠⁠⁠latterdaystruggles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. These groups ALWAYS FILL UP, so jump in asap! https://valeriehamaker.com/latter-day-struggles/support-groups/ —————————————————————————————————————— LATTER DAY SOLUTIONS ONLINE CLASSES: Now available! “⁠⁠⁠⁠Mixed-Faith Parenting in the LDS Faith⁠⁠⁠⁠” parts 1-3. See what else is offered on ⁠⁠⁠latterdaystruggles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://valerie-hamaker-s-school1.teachable.com/courses/ —————————————————————————————————————— CONSULTING: 1:1 time with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available! ⁠ https://valerie-hamaker-s-school1.teachable.com/p/1-1-consultations

In this profound four-part series, Nathan and Valerie delve into some of the most formative ideas that they have learned on their faith reconstruction journey with the help of Father Richard Rohr. In this episode they talk about the nature of God and how this basic concept impacts EVERYTHING else in one's spiritual journey. They riff on ideas from Julian of Norwich, Richard Rohr, John Calvin, and current LDS scholars and theologians Fiona and Terryl Givens as formative in their reconfiguration of a compassionate and universalist God, challenging traditional perspectives of a conditionally-loving God demanding performance and repentance to achieve "worthiness" and present or eternal blessings. This conversation also paves the way for upcoming discussions on the prophetic wisdom of Richard Rohr which includes topics around why patriarchy is so harmful, the excavation of the True Self, and the importance of honoring brave voices of dissent. Info on how to subscribe to listen to Friday’s episode is directly below. See you there! ————————————————————————————————————— SUBSCRIBE: All Friday episodes of Latter Day Struggles can be accessed through ⁠⁠⁠a paid subscription ($9.99/month)⁠. Thank you for supporting Valerie’s professional commitment to your LDS Faith expansion journey!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://tinyurl.com/bddk8ak7 ⁠Click here for a step-by-step guide on how to support the podcast and subscribe⁠ https://valeriehamaker.com/how-to-subscribe/ —————————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT: Like what you’re hearing at Latter Day Struggles Podcast? You can support Valerie’s efforts by becoming a recurring donor on https://www.patreon.com/LatterDayStruggles ⁠ —————————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT GROUPS: You are invited to join one of Valerie’s space-limited ⁠⁠⁠Faith Crisis and Expansion Support and Processing Groups⁠⁠⁠⁠! As a trauma therapist, she continues to help our LDS faith expansion community become psychologically healthier and spiritually well in and around the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Details about availability on ⁠⁠⁠⁠latterdaystruggles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. These groups ALWAYS FILL UP, so jump in asap! https://valeriehamaker.com/latter-day-struggles/support-groups/ —————————————————————————————————————— LATTER DAY SOLUTIONS ONLINE CLASSES: Now available! “⁠⁠⁠⁠Mixed-Faith Parenting in the LDS Faith⁠⁠⁠⁠” parts 1-3. See what else is offered on ⁠⁠⁠latterdaystruggles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://valerie-hamaker-s-school1.teachable.com/courses/ —————————————————————————————————————— CONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available! ⁠ https://valerie-hamaker-s-school1.teachable.com/p/1-1-consultations

In this episode of Latter Day Struggles, Valerie is joined by Dan Wotherspoon, a beloved voice in our Latter-day Saint progressive community. During their conversation, Wotherspoon shares his poignant personal history, detailing a journey from early rebellion, through an LDS mission, a higher-education-induced faith crisis, and finally a profound spiritual awakening that led to his enduring realization that love is the most real force in the universe. Both Valerie and Dan speak to the importance of individual discernment in worship and connection with the divine, the importance of transitioning from passive to active engagement in one's faith development, and Dan shares some insights from his experience as a student under Father Richard Rohr at his "Living School". Friday's episode is a special recording where Valerie changes roles and is interviewed by Dan Wotherspoon. In this tender episode she shares some of her most poignant realizations and experiences associated to her own faith journey from orthodoxy her stepping into the role as advocate and voice for health and healing within the Latter-day Saint community. Info on how to subscribe to listen to Friday’s episode is directly below. See you there! ————————————————————————————————————— SUBSCRIBE: All Friday episodes of Latter Day Struggles can be accessed through ⁠⁠⁠a paid subscription ($9.99/month)⁠. Thank you for supporting Valerie’s professional commitment to your LDS Faith expansion journey!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://tinyurl.com/bddk8ak7 ⁠Click here for a step-by-step guide on how to support the podcast and subscribe⁠ https://valeriehamaker.com/how-to-subscribe/ —————————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT: Like what you’re hearing at Latter Day Struggles Podcast? You can support Valerie’s efforts by becoming a recurring donor on https://www.patreon.com/LatterDayStruggles ⁠ —————————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT GROUPS: You are invited to join one of Valerie’s space-limited ⁠⁠⁠Faith Crisis and Expansion Support and Processing Groups⁠⁠⁠⁠! As a trauma therapist, she continues to help our LDS faith expansion community become psychologically healthier and spiritually well in and around the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Details about availability on ⁠⁠⁠⁠latterdaystruggles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. These groups ALWAYS FILL UP, so jump in asap! https://valeriehamaker.com/latter-day-struggles/support-groups/ —————————————————————————————————————— LATTER DAY SOLUTIONS ONLINE CLASSES: Now available! “⁠⁠⁠⁠Mixed-Faith Parenting in the LDS Faith⁠⁠⁠⁠” parts 1-3. See what else is offered on ⁠⁠⁠latterdaystruggles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://valerie-hamaker-s-school1.teachable.com/courses/ —————————————————————————————————————— CONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available! ⁠ https://valerie-hamaker-s-school1.teachable.com/p/1-1-consultations

In today's part one of this two-part series, Valerie sits down with the insightful Jana Spangler to chat about her first-hand spiritual growth as a student of Father Richard Rohr. Jana walks us through the overarching teachings of the Living School's teachers, especially what she learned personally from Father Richard Rohr and the other interdenominational leaders at his “Living School”, a program sponsored by Rohr’s Center of Action and Contemplation. They dive deep into the Mormon experience also, envisioning a shift toward more meaningful, mystical connection. In Friday's episode Jana shares specifics about her depth experience at The Living School, including what learned about finding the sacred in the profane, the importance of becoming non-dualistic, and embracing a Christianity that is embodied in advocacy and social justice. Don't miss her wisdom! It is beautiful and thought provoking! Subscribe to listen to Friday's episode!

In today's part one of this two-part series, Valerie sits down with the insightful Jana Spangler to chat about her first-hand spiritual growth as a student of Father Richard Rohr. Jana walks us through the overarching teachings of the Living School's teachers, especially what she learned personally from Father Richard Rohr and the other interdenominational leaders at his “Living School”, a program sponsored by Rohr’s Center of Action and Contemplation. They dive deep into the Mormon experience also, envisioning a shift toward more meaningful, mystical connection. In Friday's episode Jana shares specifics about her depth experience at The Living School, including what she learned about finding the sacred in the profane, the importance of becoming non-dualistic, and embracing a Christianity that is embodied in advocacy and social justice. Don't miss her wisdom! It is beautiful and thought provoking! Info on how to subscribe to listen to Friday’s episode is directly below. See you there! ————————————————————————————————————— SUBSCRIBE: All Friday episodes of Latter Day Struggles can be accessed through ⁠⁠⁠a paid subscription ($9.99/month)⁠. Thank you for supporting Valerie’s professional commitment to your LDS Faith expansion journey!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://tinyurl.com/bddk8ak7 ⁠Click here for a step-by-step guide on how to support the podcast and subscribe⁠ https://valeriehamaker.com/how-to-subscribe/ —————————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT: Like what you’re hearing at Latter Day Struggles Podcast? You can support Valerie’s efforts by becoming a recurring donor on https://www.patreon.com/LatterDayStruggles ⁠ —————————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT GROUPS: You are invited to join one of Valerie’s space-limited ⁠⁠⁠Faith Crisis and Expansion Support and Processing Groups⁠⁠⁠⁠! As a trauma therapist, she continues to help our LDS faith expansion community become psychologically healthier and spiritually well in and around the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Details about availability on ⁠⁠⁠⁠latterdaystruggles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. These groups ALWAYS FILL UP, so jump in asap! https://valeriehamaker.com/latter-day-struggles/support-groups/ —————————————————————————————————————— LATTER DAY SOLUTIONS ONLINE CLASSES: Now available! “⁠⁠⁠⁠Mixed-Faith Parenting in the LDS Faith⁠⁠⁠⁠” parts 1-3. See what else is offered on ⁠⁠⁠latterdaystruggles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://valerie-hamaker-s-school1.teachable.com/courses/ —————————————————————————————————————— CONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available! ⁠ https://valerie-hamaker-s-school1.teachable.com/p/1-1-consultations

In today's episode, Valerie and her friend and colleague Dr. Julie Hanks delve into the complex emotional landscape of staying somehow connected to the LDS Church. They explore the importance of self-definition and psychological health, advocating for boundary-setting and personal spiritual responsibility and reflect on the intricate dynamics of faith, community, and individual well-being in the context of the LDS faith. Because they have found THIS TOPIC to be so heavy on the minds of so many of their mutual listeners, they have decided to host a four-evening Q&R series in February of 2024 to extend a lifeline to those wrestling with these challenges and offer resources for navigating faith and personal growth. Link to enroll directly below! Click here to enroll in Q&R Join them for an insightful dialogue intertwining the sacred with the psychological and more information. Bring your own questions to Julie and Val in a closed, non-recorded dive about "staying" on your own terms and in psychologically healthy ways. PS: Part II of this series is a focus on "stepping away" in psychologically healthy ways. Enroll for both! Info on how to subscribe to listen to Friday’s episode is directly below. See you there! ————————————————————————————————————— SUBSCRIBE: All Friday episodes of Latter Day Struggles can be accessed through ⁠⁠⁠a paid subscription ($9.99/month)⁠. Thank you for supporting Valerie’s professional commitment to your LDS Faith expansion journey!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ —————————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT: Like what you’re hearing at Latter Day Struggles Podcast? You can support Valerie’s efforts by becoming a recurring donor on https://www.patreon.com/LatterDayStruggles ⁠ —————————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT GROUPS: You are invited to join one of Valerie’s space-limited ⁠⁠⁠Faith Crisis and Expansion Support and Processing Groups⁠⁠⁠⁠! As a trauma therapist, she continues to help our LDS faith expansion community become psychologically healthier and spiritually well in and around the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Details about availability on ⁠⁠⁠⁠latterdaystruggles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. These groups ALWAYS FILL UP, so jump in asap! https://valeriehamaker.com/latter-day-struggles/support-groups/ —————————————————————————————————————— COURSES: Now available! “⁠⁠⁠⁠A Couple’s Guide to Faith Crisis and Expansion⁠⁠⁠⁠” parts I and II. See what else is offered on ⁠⁠⁠latterdaystruggles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://valerie-hamaker-s-school1.teachable.com/courses/ —————————————————————————————————————— CONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available! ⁠ https://valerie-hamaker-s-school1.teachable.com/p/1-1-consultations

In today's episode, Valerie and her friend and colleague Dr. Julie Hanks delve into the complex emotional landscape of staying somehow connected to the LDS Church. They explore the importance of self-definition and psychological health, advocating for boundary-setting and personal spiritual responsibility and reflect on the intricate dynamics of faith, community, and individual well-being in the context of the LDS faith. Because they have found THIS TOPIC to be so heavy on the minds of so many of their mutual listeners, they have decided to host a four-evening Question and Response (Q&R) series in February of 2024 to extend a lifeline to those wrestling with these challenges and offer resources for navigating faith and personal growth. Link to enroll directly below! Click here to enroll in Question and Response with Valerie and Dr. Hanks Join them for an insightful dialogue intertwining the sacred with the psychological and more information. Bring your own questions to Julie and Val in a closed, non-recorded dive about "staying" on your own terms and in psychologically healthy ways. PS: Part II of this series is a focus on "stepping away" in psychologically healthy ways. Enroll for both! Info on how to subscribe to listen to Friday’s episode is directly below. See you there! ————————————————————————————————————— SUBSCRIBE: All Friday episodes of Latter Day Struggles can be accessed through ⁠⁠⁠a paid subscription ($9.99/month)⁠. Thank you for supporting Valerie’s professional commitment to your LDS Faith expansion journey!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://tinyurl.com/bddk8ak7 ⁠Click here for a step-by-step guide on how to support the podcast and subscribe⁠ https://valeriehamaker.com/how-to-subscribe/ —————————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT: Like what you’re hearing at Latter Day Struggles Podcast? You can support Valerie’s efforts by becoming a recurring donor on https://www.patreon.com/LatterDayStruggles ⁠ —————————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT GROUPS: You are invited to join one of Valerie’s space-limited ⁠⁠⁠Faith Crisis and Expansion Support and Processing Groups⁠⁠⁠⁠! As a trauma therapist, she continues to help our LDS faith expansion community become psychologically healthier and spiritually well in and around the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Details about availability on ⁠⁠⁠⁠latterdaystruggles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. These groups ALWAYS FILL UP, so jump in asap! https://valeriehamaker.com/latter-day-struggles/support-groups/ —————————————————————————————————————— COURSES: Now available! “⁠⁠⁠⁠A Couple’s Guide to Faith Crisis and Expansion⁠⁠⁠⁠” parts I and II. See what else is offered on ⁠⁠⁠latterdaystruggles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://valerie-hamaker-s-school1.teachable.com/courses/ —————————————————————————————————————— CONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available! ⁠ https://valerie-hamaker-s-school1.teachable.com/p/1-1-consultations

Welcome to episode #3 in this four-part series on the history of the LDS temple recommend interview! Today, Valerie and Nathan continue this conversation by focusing on the evolution of temple admission from no process at all, to a vague, self-reflective process, to a process governed by adherence of specific theological beliefs and practices which changed depending a variety of factors discussed in this episode. One example they that explore is the shift in the demand for support of the practice of plural marriage to excommunication for the practice plural marriage--both connected to temple eligibility. They talk about how the temple recommend has become a forum for assessing and withholding worship privileges connected to issues such as loyalty, tithing, and LGBTQ identities, intellectualism, and feminism. As they unwrap the layers of historical context their hope is to demystify both the content and the process of the temple recommend interview, in hopes that you will feel less anxious and more empowered to connect with God through the temple if you feel that this will authentically enhance your spiritual journey. Info on how to subscribe to listen to Friday’s episode is directly below. See you there! ————————————————————————————————————— ————————————————————————————————————— SUBSCRIBE: All Friday episodes of Latter Day Struggles can be accessed through ⁠⁠⁠a paid subscription ($9.99/month)⁠. Thank you for supporting Valerie’s professional commitment to your LDS Faith expansion journey!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://tinyurl.com/bddk8ak7 ⁠Click here for a step-by-step guide on how to support the podcast and subscribe⁠ https://valeriehamaker.com/how-to-subscribe/ —————————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT: Like what you’re hearing at Latter Day Struggles Podcast? You can support Valerie’s efforts by becoming a recurring donor on https://www.patreon.com/LatterDayStruggles ⁠ —————————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT GROUPS: You are invited to join one of Valerie’s space-limited ⁠⁠⁠Faith Crisis and Expansion Support and Processing Groups⁠⁠⁠⁠! As a trauma therapist, she continues to help our LDS faith expansion community become psychologically healthier and spiritually well in and around the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Details about availability on ⁠⁠⁠⁠latterdaystruggles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. These groups ALWAYS FILL UP, so jump in asap! https://valeriehamaker.com/latter-day-struggles/support-groups/ —————————————————————————————————————— COURSES: Now available! “⁠⁠⁠⁠A Couple’s Guide to Faith Crisis and Expansion⁠⁠⁠⁠” parts I and II. See what else is offered on ⁠⁠⁠latterdaystruggles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://valerie-hamaker-s-school1.teachable.com/courses/ —————————————————————————————————————— CONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available! ⁠ https://valerie-hamaker-s-school1.teachable.com/p/1-1-consultations

Welcome to episode #3 in this four-part series on the history of the LDS temple recommend interview! Today, Valerie and Nathan continue this conversation by focusing on the evolution of temple admission from no process at all, to a vague, self-reflective process, to a process governed by adherence of specific theological beliefs and practices which changed depending a variety of factors discussed in this episode. One example they that explore is the shift in the demand for support of the practice of plural marriage to excommunication for the practice plural marriage--both connected to temple eligibility. They talk about how the temple recommend has become a forum for assessing and withholding worship privileges connected to issues such as loyalty, tithing, and LGBTQ identities, intellectualism, and feminism. As they unwrap the layers of historical context their hope is to demystify both the content and the process of the temple recommend interview, in hopes that you will feel less anxious and more empowered to connect with God through the temple if you feel that this will authentically enhance your spiritual journey. Info on how to subscribe to listen to Friday’s episode is directly below. See you there! ————————————————————————————————————— ————————————————————————————————————— SUBSCRIBE: All Friday episodes of Latter Day Struggles can be accessed through ⁠⁠⁠a paid subscription ($9.99/month)⁠. Thank you for supporting Valerie’s professional commitment to your LDS Faith expansion journey!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://tinyurl.com/bddk8ak7 ⁠Click here for a step-by-step guide on how to support the podcast and subscribe⁠ https://valeriehamaker.com/how-to-subscribe/ —————————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT: Like what you’re hearing at Latter Day Struggles Podcast? You can support Valerie’s efforts by becoming a recurring donor on https://www.patreon.com/LatterDayStruggles ⁠ —————————————————————————————————————— SUPPORT GROUPS: You are invited to join one of Valerie’s space-limited ⁠⁠⁠Faith Crisis and Expansion Support and Processing Groups⁠⁠⁠⁠! As a trauma therapist, she continues to help our LDS faith expansion community become psychologically healthier and spiritually well in and around the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Details about availability on ⁠⁠⁠⁠latterdaystruggles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. These groups ALWAYS FILL UP, so jump in asap! https://valeriehamaker.com/latter-day-struggles/support-groups/ —————————————————————————————————————— COURSES: Now available! “⁠⁠⁠⁠A Couple’s Guide to Faith Crisis and Expansion⁠⁠⁠⁠” parts I and II. See what else is offered on ⁠⁠⁠latterdaystruggles.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://valerie-hamaker-s-school1.teachable.com/courses/ —————————————————————————————————————— CONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available! ⁠ https://valerie-hamaker-s-school1.teachable.com/p/1-1-consultations