Latter Day Struggles
The Latter Day Struggles Podcast addresses beliefs and issues within the LDS faith that are challenging to talk about but vital to discuss for those trying to navigate their relationship in or around the church. Valerie and her guests invite psychological maturity, theological health, and institutional integrity.
Episodes
In this episode, Valerie & colleague Jana Spangler are guests on Dan Wotherspoon's Latter Day Faith podcast where they talk about a little known version of the human shadow.
Many of us know about the 'classic shadow'...you know...parts of ourselves that we are ashamed of and seek to hide. What about parts of ourselves that we also hide...even though they are our our strengths, our superpowe...
Series Title: "Latter Day Missionaries": A Mental Health Resource for LDS Missionaries & their Families [Part II of II]
In this episode Dr. Bryson Ensign joins Valerie again to unpack OCD & scrupulosity in the LDS mission field. This episode first explores how Dr. Bryson covers OCD/scrupulosity in his "Mental Health Training Center". It also explores how this resource could be lifesaving tool for th...
Series Title: "Latter Day Missionaries": A Mental Health Resource for LDS Missionaries & their Families [Part I of II]
Do you know anyone who experienced issues with anxiety, depression, homesickness, getting along with that annoying companion, or struggles with shame and perfectionism on their LDS mission? Was that you? Your child? If you have been touched in any way with the LDS mission experience and...
Series Title: Religion IS Political [Part VII of VII]
This final episode of this series is our response to the point of view that Jesus did not ‘get political’. Jesus (and each of us) cannot avoid being political. We state our “politics” with each stance to either uphold or resist dominator hierarchies. And Jesus’ whole ministry can be defined by resistance to any system that p...
Hey listeners of the Latter Day Struggles podcast! Join Val in this bonus episode as she answers audience questions that will help you feel like you've come to the right place for psychologically sound resources and community on your LDS faith expansion journey. We're not about burning anything down. We are about bridging. Building. Expanding. Transcending. Including.&n...
Series Title: Religion IS Political [Part VI of VII]
In this episode Val & Nathan break down what religious institutional silent is communicating in times of social unrest. Don't miss this episode or series if you want to more deeply understand why religions are simply never neutral! They are loudly communicating what they stand for when they choose silence over speaking truth to power. &nbs...
Series Title: Religion IS Political [Part V of VII]
In this episode exploring the intersection of religion and politics, Val & Nathan explore several specific areas where politics and religion are addressing the exact same fundamental questions around human dignity & worth; justice & injustice; and the appropriate use of power.
They then compare how these fundamental issues are confronted ...
Series Title: Religion IS Political [Part IV of VII]
In this episode Val & Nathan continue to build a case that it is impossible for religious systems to be "neutral" on political issues. They explore how society evolves as religions & political systems engage in the dance of shaping and being shaped by one another and how in every era brave individuals lead out in inviting social change & can c...
Series Title: Religion IS Political [Part III of VII]
In this episode Val & Nathan go more "macro" and explain how churches (just like human beings and human civilizations) go through stages of development and that a church will choose its stances of "significant moral consequence" accordingly. In short, if a church is focused on earlier stage legitimacy--its all about preserving its favorit...
Series Title: Religion IS Political [Part II of VII]
In this episode Val & Nathan walk through the last several decades and map issues of high and low LDS political involvement, offering a template for what the church feels is significant enough to merit their active public statements, financial resources, active instruction to LDS membership regarding the vote. What the church deems "of signific...
In this Bonus Episode, Val answers some piling up questions about the power of healing that uniquely happens in the Latter Day Struggles Fundamentals of LDS Faith Crisis Healing Groups that hundreds of you have experienced in the past 3+ years.
A few of the questions that she answers:
**What is the difference between your Faith Crisis Healing groups and your new Live Fellowship Group?
**Ho...
Series Title: Religion IS Political [Part I of VII]
Anyone else noticing religious leaders from some faith traditions throughout the world speaking out against more and more egregious forms of US government-imposed violence, force, exploitation of power, and unaccountability at levels unfathomable until only recently? And other churches, LDS included choose silence and stand by a formal stance of neutrality...
Series Title: An Exploration of the Idea of "Normal" within the LDS Church [Part II of II]
In this episode Val breaks down a couple of concepts that are NEVER talked about--the difference between "normal" in a family, church, or any collective and what is "normative" in that same group. NORMAL = "what we do around here that keeps things stable", whereas NORMATIVE = what is developmentally on tra...
Series Title: An Exploration of the Idea of "Normal" within the LDS Church [Part I of II]
In this fun collaboration with Casey & Will of the Pioneer Paradox Podcast, Val comes on wearing her "psychologist's hat" to talk about concepts within the LDS faith that seem normal until one squints and realizes that maybe they are common but definitely not 'normal'. Listen in as they walk through fou...
In this episode Valerie introduces you to Mark Crego, fellow Latter-day Saint seeker, whose own many-decades-long faith journey led him to create a not-for-profit organization to help those in faith crisis in the LDS church get the resources they need. In the episode Mark's passion to help others is fueled by the memory of being a young man with questions and nowhere to take them and no community to ...
Hey Latter Day Struggles!
Due to your many requests—we are dropping a Latter Day Struggles series in “audiobook” format. You can enjoy the entire narrative arc in a single, uninterrupted format! Enjoy the experience as things 'click' into place as you take in this 'audiobook'! Please let us know what is happening within you as you transcend and include Mormonism one series at a time!...
In this follow up episode on recent LDS news that women are now allowed to serve in Sunday School presidencies, Val & Nathan pivot to the peculiar part of the announcement prohibiting no "mixed-gender" presidencies and share the outcome of their exploration of this odd move.
Upon deeper reflection, the move seems less about worries about slippery slopes towards sexual iniquity and possibly more a...
Series Title: Straight Talk on Patriarchy and Harm [Part II of II]
In this episode Val & Nathan lay out a several reasons why they feel that the LDS church is not able to address the strong correlation between its patriarchal structure, s*xual abuse & s*xual abuse under-reporting. The foundation of this struggle is a refusal to question the divinity of patriarchy...which leads to the patterns outlin...
In this episode I respond to your requests to explore the March 2026 Church news release announcing that women can now serve in ward Sunday School presidencies, and how this is linked to stages of psychological/faith development.
Please share this episode if it resonates! Link to the church's announcement can be found HERE.
Timestamps:
00:00 Welcome and context
01:21 Gratitude and reflection
03:58 Reading the n...
Series Title: Straight Talk on Patriarchy and Harm [Part I of II]
In this episode I read to you a shocking and brilliant article that I wish every Latter-day Saint can hear. This is a tough topic but one where reform will not touch until we start looking it in the eye. Please listen and share this article. Thank you to the Dialogue Foundation and to the author Suzanne E. Greco, whose trailblazing work...
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