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
Have you ever done something for the first time and feel that pit in your stomach as it approaches? Well, here at Latter Day Struggles, pretty much EVERYTHING that we do is a first! And it always brings that insecure "what have I gotten myself into?" sensation!
This episode is Val's candid reflections about an evening shared with over a hundred "in person" and "streaming" loved ones...
Lately there has been a lot of talk about the LDS disaffiliation crisis in the 21st century. Here at Latter Day Struggles we support open dialogue about what happening in our LDS homes and congregations.
Please enjoy this special "audiobook" addition of a Latter Day Struggles series unpacking some groundbreaking research done by therapist Liz Macdonald exploring common LDS family dynamics shared by y...
In this episode Val digs into the concept of prophet worship [or any time humans hand over their discerning power to a formal authority figure] from the context of psychology and the “shadow”.
While we tend to talk about our “shadows” from the context of that which we are ashamed of, sometimes we actually disown our greatest divine attributes.
Tune in to this episode to le...
In this episode Valerie tackles a seemingly contradictory pair of claims:
The LDS church is experiencing record-breaking growth!
The LDS church is experiencing record-breaking defection!
Is one narrative simply not true?
Interestingly, the answer is no, both narratives are true. Join Val as she unpacks these seemingly contradictory claims & breaks down how these claims reflect speci...
Series Title: Torn: Why People We Love are Leaving the Church & What We Can Learn from Them [Part III of III]
In this final episode of this beautiful series featuring guest author Jeff Strong & his bestselling book Torn: Why People We Love are Leaving the Church & What We Can Learn from Them, Val & Jeff cover four "culture imbalances" that thousands of disaffiliated LDS offered as reasons th...
Series Title: Torn: Why People We Love are Leaving the Church & What We Can Learn from Them [Part II of III]
In this fascinating episode, guest author Jeff Strong & Valerie tackle several key points that Jeff courageously and gently addresses in his bestselling book Torn: Why People We Love are Leaving the Church & What We can Learn from Them.
Today, Jeff & Val lay out several culture issues ...
Series Title: Torn: Why People We Love are Leaving the Church & What We Can Learn from Them [Part 1 of 3]
In this three part series, Valerie is joined by Jeff Strong- friend, colleague, and author of the best-selling book Torn: Why People We Love are Leaving the Church & What We Can Learn from Them. In this opening episode, Jeff shares his personal experience as an LDS bishop and father at a crisis ...
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...
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