Latter Day Struggles

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Series Title: Expanding our Theology [Part II of II]

In this thought-provoking episode, Valerie and Nathan delve deep into the complexities and true nature of prayer within the church. 

Through a compassionate lens, they discuss the symbolism and healing power of a congregation coming together in prayer, exploring the rich tapestry of how gratitude and worship are expressed across cultures and within the LDS faith tradition. 

They also courageously tackle the tougher issues—examining how the exclusion of women from certain church rituals and how withholding prayer privileges for any reason is unkind, incongruent with the nature of God and deeply psychologically and spiritually harmful. 

They challenge the pressures and misplaced expectations surrounding priesthood blessings, sharing heartfelt personal stories, and emphasize that spirituality should emanate from authentic and continuous engagement with the divine, not from ideas around transactional, sufficient faith, or worthiness. 

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Series Title: Expanding our Theology [Part I of II] 

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, tackling 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!

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Series Title: Exploring Family Challenges when LDS Young Adults Disaffiliate [Part IV of IV]

In this final episode in this mind-blowing four-part series tackling struggles between some parents and their disaffiliating LDS young adults, Valerie and guest therapist Liz Macdonald explore psychologist Erik Erikson's stages of psychosocial development—and use this theory of development to better understand what is going on between more traditionally believing LDS parents and their disaffiliating young adult children. 

This theory of development can shine a light on why some parents struggle so much in allowing their adolescent and young adults children the autonomy to grow into their own truths. 

This theory also can help us better understand the impact that parental underdevelopment might have on adolescents and young adults in completing successfully their own developmental life tasks. 

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! 

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Series Title: Exploring Family Challenges when LDS Young Adults Disaffiliate [Part III of IV]

In this part three of this 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!

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Series Title: Exploring Family Challenges when LDS Young Adults Disaffiliate [Part II of IV]

In this episode, Valerie and fellow therapist Liz Macdonald continue in their profound exploration of the turbulent journey families face when young adult children disaffiliate from the LDS Church. 

This episode delves into the heart-wrenching conflicts that arise in some LDS homes when young adults begin the normative process of spiritual self definition. Liz's research brings to light some young adults' perceptions that their parents' certainty of LDS worldview shuts down any meaningful connection and dialogue and leads the young adult child feeling unseen, unsupported in their normative growth wrestles, and conditionally loved and accepted. 

The emotional toll on both parents and their emerging adult children navigating faith is extreme. Liz and Valerie discuss possible systemic that drive the phenomenon found in this research study, hoping to help families learn how to navigate these rough relational waters more competently. 

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!

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Series Title: Exploring Family Challenges when LDS Young Adults Disaffiliate [Part I of IV]

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!

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Series Title: Father Richard Rohr’s Influence on LDS Faith Crisis Healing [Part IV of IV]

In the compelling final episode of their four-part focus on the prophetic work of Father Richard Rohr, Valerie and Nathan go macro and tackle systemic issues plaguing western religious institutions. 

They shine a light on the underlying power struggles that prioritize control over spiritual service, dissecting the impact of a patriarchal worldview on all major relational systems and the dehumanization it fosters. 

They break down five pervasive myths that undergird all Western relational systems, challenging listeners to question the male-centric, judgmental perspectives that claim rational superiority. 

They stress the importance of spiritual growth that embraces diversity, self-reflection, and a willingness to evolve past outdated traditions that cause harm. 

This series invites each listener to be a part of the ongoing conversation about meaningful change in religious systems in general and the LDS system in particular.

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Series Title: Father Richard Rohr’s Influence on LDS Faith Crisis Healing [Part III of IV]

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!

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Series Title: Father Richard Rohr’s Influence on LDS Faith Crisis Healing [Part II of IV]

In this episode Valerie and Nathan delve into the profound topic of distinguishing one's 'true self' from their 'false self' identities as a foundation to healing from LDS faith crisis. 

Nathan focuses on the significance of embracing both our divinity and humanity, drawing from Jesus Christ's teachings and example, while Valerie focuses on the complex relationship between personal growth and church doctrine. 

Together, they reflect on Richard Rohr's insights about religion's role in leading to regular experiences with the true self, and how the LDS faith intersects with this journey. 

Throughout this insightful conversation, they encourage listeners to pursue authenticity in faith, relationships, and self-discovery, hoping to foster an LDS (and surrounding) community that supports diverse paths towards spiritual enlightenment.

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Series Title: Father Richard Rohr’s Influence on LDS Faith Crisis Healing [Part I of IV]

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!

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