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Series Title: Cutting Edge Research on the LDS Faith Journey Experience [Part II of II]

In this series' second half with the amazing author and researcher Jana Riess, you won't be disappointed in an abundance of aha moments and things to ponder after the closing music. 

Val and Jana delve deeply into several aspects of Jana's current research (yes...new book forthcoming and you're hearing about it HERE before anyone else!) and dive deep into what Jana is learning about the important role that "edge" people (on the inside or the outside) play in bridging our sadly divided space. 

Jana and Val also tackle the very complex topic of negotiating church activity during faith transitions and how members handle shifts in sexual behavior and shame. These discussions provide a comprehensive view of how personal identity and community intersect during faith transitions.

Jana's book The Next Mormons: How Millennials Are Changing the LDS Church can be found HERE 

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Series Title: Cutting Edge Research on the LDS Faith Journey Experience [Part I of II]

You're in for a wonderful two episodes here as Valerie welcomes researcher and author Jana Reiss for a conversation brimming with details about Jana's current project (a forthcoming book!) centered around the diverse personal experiences of hundreds of people on the LDS faith spectrum. 

In order to not give too many spoilers for the next two episodes, you'll need to tune in to hear what she is learning in both her surveys and oral history interviews about people like yourself and also about people whom you love on different places of the spectrum. 

In this info-packed two part conversation they hit (among other things!): 

• sociopolitical influences on the LDS faith journey 
• navigating sexual ethics during/after the faith journey
• the role of "edge" dwellers on potentially helping our LDS faith spectrum learn how to talk to one another

Jana's research is in part an effort to help us wherever we are on the LDS spectrum understand one another better...which we couldn't love more here on the Latter Day Struggles podcast! 

Jana's book The Next Mormons: How Millennials Are Changing the LDS Church can be found HERE

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In this recording of the  December's Office Hours special event offered to all of our "Full Content" Family of Listeners, Valerie answers a variety of questions from several listeners anxious about holiday events in the throes of the LDS faith journey.  

During the holidays (or any family event surrounded by more traditionally believing family and friends) do you find yourself worried about how to talk to people whom you've never had trouble talking to before? Do you ruminate about how much to share? How much to not share? What is appropriate to share and when?  Is it okay to ask loved ones to not just assume you are open to traditional activities that might make you uncomfortable now that your worldview is shifting?  

Who knew a family party could become so stressful?  

Listen in for some questions and responses that likely will remind you that you are not alone in the relational complications of the LDS faith journey--especially connected to family gatherings.

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When someone starts a podcast in the LDS faith journey space, one question that is often asked is this: "Have You ALWAYS had this much courage?" Join Valerie in this episode as she asks this question to friends and colleagues Susan and Cynthia of "At Last She Said It". 

In this episode Susan & Cynthia share very different stories about their journeys that led them to the airwaves. Their stories are each unique in part because their temperaments are totally different, and perhaps that is what makes their work so relatable, engaging, and inspiring. 

So whether you are an introvert (like Susan) or an extrovert (like Cynthia) there will definitely be something in this episode for you if you're looking to find that backbone and voice of your own to use in some realm of your life! 

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Happy holidays Latter Day Struggles listeners!  For the next four episodes you will enjoy a few "Classic" episodes that have received some of the highest number of downloads and waves of feedback that these are among some of the most impactful episodes for many listeners.

Also, as a way to share my love and gratitude for all of you during this holiday season, the classic episodes dropped on Friday 12/27/24 and Monday 1/3/25 will be open to ALL listeners!  Thank you for your support as your subscriptions make this podcast possible and sustainable in the long run.  

Today’s Classic episode is 214: 

Show notes: 


In this episode Valerie and Nathan explore how healthy identity development is stifled for both men and women due to the patriarchal structure of the church.

They discuss how a patriarchy cultivates a robust false self ego identity in the "one up" male gender and how the structure of the church stifles healthy ego development in the “one down” female gender in several ways (which they discuss in detail in this episode). 

This entire series calls for a reevaluation of the current unequal distribution of opportunities for the growth and development of the true self in the LDS church and invites this church to become a place where all humans are nurtured in the development of their whole selves. 

**More sensitive or more psychologically advanced themes are saved for paid Friday episodes to protect the content creators from being mischaracterized by less familiar consumers.**

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Happy holidays Latter Day Struggles listeners!  For the next four episodes you will enjoy a few "Classic" episodes that have received some of the highest number of downloads and waves of feedback that these are among some of the most impactful episodes for many listeners.

Also, as a way to share my love and gratitude for all of you during this holiday season, the classic episodes dropped on Friday 12/27/24 and Monday 1/3/25 will be open to ALL listeners!  Thank you for your support as your subscriptions make this podcast possible and sustainable in the long run.  

Today’s Classic is episode 211: 

Show notes: 

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. 

Support the show

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Happy holidays Latter Day Struggles listeners!  For the next four episodes you will enjoy a few "Classic" episodes that have received some of the highest number of downloads and waves of feedback that these are among some of the most impactful episodes for many listeners.

Also, as a way to share my love and gratitude for all of you during this holiday season, the classic episodes dropped on Friday 12/27/24 and Monday 1/3/25 will be open to ALL listeners!  Thank you for your support as your subscriptions make this podcast possible and sustainable in the long run.  

In this beautiful and tender episode, Valerie has the privilege of interviewing LDS theologian Fiona Givens about her early life, diverse experiences, important relationships, and classical education that eventually led her into the LDS faith and deeply into the study of many facets of the nature of God.

This story is one of all of the typical ups and downs, seemingly insignificant events that lead to other more significant events, and finally a few moments where Valerie proposes to Fiona why her unique life distinctively prepared her for the work that she is doing now; something that is profoundly blessing thousands of faith-expanding Latter Day Saints in this era.  Perhaps Fiona is our own “Esther”, prepared for such a time as now.

Don’t miss this truly love-filled episode if you have found healing through the work of Fiona Givens.  It will endear you to her even more.

Books referenced in this episode:

• The God Who Weeps: How Mormonism Makes Sense of Life
• The Christ Who Heals: How God Restored the Truth that Saves Us
• The Crucible of Doubt: Reflections On the Quest for Faith
• All Things New: Rethinking Sin, Salvation, and Everything in Between

Today’s Classic is episode: 126 

Show notes: 

In this beautiful and tender episode, Valerie has the privilege of interviewing LDS theologian Fiona Givens about her early life, diverse experiences, important relationships, and classical education that eventually led her into the LDS faith and deeply into the study of many facets of the nature of God.

This story is one of all of the typical ups and downs, seemingly insignificant events that lead to other more significant events, and finally a few moments where Valerie proposes to Fiona why her unique life distinctively prepared her for the work that she is doing now; something that is profoundly blessing thousands of faith-expanding Latter Day Saints in this era.  Perhaps Fiona is our own “Esther”, prepared for such a time as now.

Don’t miss this truly love-filled episode if you have found healing through the work of Fiona Givens.  It will endear you to her even more.

Books referenced in this episode:

• The God Who Weeps: How Mormonism Makes Sense of Life

Support the show

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Friday Episodes Annual Access $89

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Send us a Positive Review!

Happy holidays Latter Day Struggles listeners!  For the next four episodes you will enjoy a few "Classic" episodes that have received some of the highest number of downloads and waves of feedback that these are among some of the most impactful episodes for many listeners.

Also, as a way to share my love and gratitude for all of you during this holiday season, the classic episodes dropped on Fridays 12/27/24 and  1/3/25 will be open to ALL listeners! 

Thank you for your support as your subscriptions make this podcast possible and sustainable in the long run.  

Today’s “Classic” is episode 125: 

Show notes: 

Join Valerie and guest Fiona Givens as together they discuss a true prophetess and mystic, Julian of Norwich.

Father Richard Rohr has often called Julian his "favorite mystic" and Fiona attributes this woman as one of the most personally influential to her in the development of her own whole and holy theology of the divine.  If these two recommendations aren't enough for you...then I don't know what to say!

A few highlights of this episode:

1. **Julian's “showings” really shine a light on God’s inability to be angry with us for our humanness
2. **Our current struggles with the nature of God in some brings up pain, anxiety, religious scrupulosity, and defection from the church
3. **Our misunderstandings of the nature of God brings up generational trauma to the extent that we perpetuate a God concept that estranges us from Julian's God of infinite love
4. **According to Julian's visions, sin is “no thing” in God’s eyes.  Our missteps are the education that endears us to God
5. **As a committed Catholic, Julian too struggles with heavenly visions that did not align with the teachings of her “holy church” and she [as do we] does the work of differentiating her church’s imperfections with her personal revelations, choosing to align with the truth that was revealed to her directly from it’s source

Book referenced in this episode:

• Julian of Norwich: The Showings: Uncovering the Face of the Feminine in Revelations of Divine Love, by Mirabai Starr
• The God Who Weeps: How Mormonism Makes Sense of Life, by Terry and Fiona Givens

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Series Title: The Shocking Correlation Between Men Socialized in Patriarchies & Emotional Underdevelopment [Part VI of VI]

In this final episode of this incredibly important six-part series, Valerie and Nathan focus on why an education on patriarchy's impact on the spiritual and psychological souls of boys and men can be a catalyst for individual, family, and systemic healing in our faith tradition. If we as a spiritual community do not see systemic harm, we cannot confront it and heal it. 

Val and Nathan advocate for these changes in an effort to help all humans (at all ages connected in any way to the Latter-day Saint tradition) thrive in every area of spiritual and psychological development. Please share this series with those who may benefit!
------------------------------
Breaking Down Patriarchy Podcast- Amy McPhie Allebest- "How to be an Anti-Patriarchist

LDSS Patriarchy Series: Episodes 212, 213,

Disentangling from Emotionally Immature People- Lindsey C. Gibson PsyD

The Will to Change- Bell Hooks

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Series Title: The Shocking Correlation Between Men Socialized in Patriarchies & Psychological/Spiritual Underdevelopment [Part V of VI] 

In this episode, Valerie and Nathan continue to discuss how being spiritually formed in a patriarchy negatively affects men. This episode highlights how being raised in this "power-over model" hampers male emotional maturity, leading to issues like lack of empathy, rigid black-and-white thinking, and minimal self-reflection, making it tough for men to admit mistakes or be accountable to those around them both personally and institutionally. 

Valerie and Nathan emphasize their desire to highlight this topic, hoping that more knowledge will bring a greater capacity for individual, family, and institutional growth and healing.


Breaking Down Patriarchy Podcast- Amy McPhie Allebest- "How to be an Anti-Patriarchist

Disentangling from Emotionally Immature People- Lindsey C. Gibson PsyD

The Creation of Patriarchy- Greda Lerner

Sapiens: A Brief History of Human Kind- Yuval Noah Harari 

The Weaker Sex? Science That Shows Women are Stronger Than Men- The Guardian

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