Oddly enough, these two "poles" exist as counterpoints to one another on the opposite extreme. If one pole chooses a "third way" balance is disrupted, and growth becomes more likely. We on the Mormon faith journey may not be able to impact all aspects on the extreme side of Mormon fundamentalism/ orthodoxy...but how we handle our own growth journeys CAN change a LOT. Listen in and let us know what you think! 

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Sunstone Preview

01:26 Why Polarization Matters

05:20 The Growth Ladder Model

11:05 Healthy Mormon Fusion

14:55 Differentiation and Faith Crisis

19:55 Integration and Inclusion

26:54 When Growth Gets Stuck

27:56 Fixation in Orthodoxy

33:53 Chronic Differentiation Trap

45:58 Breaking the Polarization Dance

48:47 Processing Wisely in Crisis

58:57 Third Way Closing

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

In this episode Nathan joins Val to dive into the outcomes of activating more and more spiritual frequencies. While you might imagine that those who tap into higher spiritual frequencies eventually become generic, personality-less, harp-strumming automatons…you could not be more wrong. 

Plugging ourselves into deeper and richer consciousness actually sharpens our personalities and creates a vibrancy and uniqueness that shine brighter when coupled with higher spiritual frequencies! . Listen in and continue to learn diverse ways to engage in higher and broader ways than you thought possible when only learning from early stage Mormonism. 

Ideas from this series can be more deeply explored in Ken Wilber's book One Taste, linked HERE.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Series Setup

02:33 Recap of Episodes One Two

07:16 Three Frequencies Explained

09:52 Transcend but Include

11:15 Mormonism and Separate Self

18:41 Paradox of Oneness Identity

24:33 Wilber Quote Big Ego

30:19 Narcissism vs Mystic Energy

38:51 Heaven Harp Epiphany

42:09 Next Episode Perennial vs Mormonism

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

This episode is Val's candid reflections about an evening shared with over a hundred "in person" and "streaming" loved ones who have experienced growth and healing with her. 

A bottom line? You might be experiencing growth and healing in some way through this podcast and platform. But you are also giving this gift of healing to Val and Nathan Hamaker. They thank you and love you. 

Hoping you enjoy Val's thoughts on the gift that this healing community is to her. Because of you. 

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Event Recap

01:06 Why Stories of Healing

04:25 Origin Story Artwork

06:08 Sharing Beyond the Room

08:19 Event Day Emotions

08:37 Three Audience Groups

13:04 Grief and Perspective Shift

16:56 Program Highlights and Readings

25:40 What It Meant to Me

29:24 Q&A Next Steps

34:24 Closing Gratitude

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

In this episode Val walks you through the three spiritual frequencies that all humans are capable of accessing, emphasizing how 'fast and loose' God/Spirit/Divine is in allowing us to feel connected to something larger than our personal human selves...if only we gain the sensitivity to know what is happening in these not-so-rare moments. 

This series hopes to expose faith expanding Mormons to deeper ways of looking at spiritually altered states that Mormonism never talks about. Tune in if you know what you don't believe but not sure where to go from here and open to new ideas about the spiritual journey beyond the Mormon faith crisis. 

Ideas from this series can be more deeply explored in Ken Wilber's book One Taste, linked HERE.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Series Setup

02:01 Radio Metaphor for Spirituality

04:41 Frequency One Personal Self

07:44 Ego and Meaning After Crisis

13:21 Frequency Two Deeper Self

18:26 Deep Self in Art Meditation Nature

26:03 Veil Crossing and Excommunication

39:25 Frequency Three Witnessing Self

42:46 Practicing Frequencies in Groups

51:11 Closing and Next Episode Preview

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

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 young adults whose disaffiliation experiences were the most challenging.  

We care about people all across the spectrum of faith in and around the LDS church. Taking research like this seriously could profoundly reshape our community in healthy ways.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome

03:54 Meet Liz and The Study

11:48 Method and Study Limits

22:03 Four Key Findings Overview

28:00 Disconnected From Self

52:20 Fear-Based Theology and Parenting

01:02:38 Conditional Love and Worthiness

01:12:42 False Self and Hidden Struggles

01:22:32 One-Way Communication and Fear

01:31:17 Blaming Outside Influences

01:40:20 New Episode Research Overview

01:57:49 Purity Culture and Shame

02:08:05 Adult Development and Compassion

02:20:19 Fear of Selfhood

02:30:25 High Demand Religion

02:44:22 Research Recap

02:52:12 Eight Stages Walkthrough

03:04:59 Parents Threatened by Growth

03:19:13 Fundamentalism and Safety

03:27:20 From Identity to Intimacy

03:34:37 Recommendations and Repair

03:41:27 Closing and Resources

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

In this series, Val talks creates a simple map to understanding three types of altered state experiences (aka: spiritual experiences) that many spiritual scholars & mystics believe each human being can experience. 

This series is for you if you feel confused about spiritual experiences in general, if you don't trust yourself around the meaning of spiritual experiences, or if you just want new ideas about how others in later stages of faith (in and out of Mormonism) think about spiritual experiences. 

Ideas from this series can be more deeply explored in Ken Wilber's book One Taste, linked HERE.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Gratitude

01:56 Series Kickoff and Context

02:42 Beyond the Faith Crisis

06:17 Radical Wholeness Recap

10:32 Focus on Waking Up

11:52 Radio Waves Metaphor

16:11 Three Spiritual Frequencies

17:19 Reclaiming Spiritual Experience

21:22 Frequency Three Preview

21:59 Next Episodes and Wrap Up

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

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 learn why this happens and how to reintegrate our “golden shadows” back into our core identities. This conversation is an extension of Episode 447, so go back and listen if this intrigues you!

Does the idea of awakening your core identity or "True Self" resonate with you ? If so, jump onto a waitlist to join Valerie’s next healing group that focuses on the awakening of one’s True Self core identity. 

This group is titled “Fundamentals of LDS Faith Crisis Healing” and the next group of this type begins spring of 2027!

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Setup 

03:09 Traditional Shadow Basics 

07:58 Golden Shadow Defined 

09:27 Projection and Triggers 

12:36 Golden Shadow Projection Example

17:07 How Outsourcing Happens

20:08 Official Carrier and the Cost of Imperfection 

25:37 When Following the Prophet Doesn't Work 

29:36 Reclaiming Discernment 

32:22 Practicing and Giving Yourself Grace 

35:52 Integration Not Overcorrecting 

39:15 Closing Thoughts

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

In this quarterly Office Hours, Jeff answers questions from Latter Day Struggles listeners about his expansive research, his experience traveling throughout the US talking about this book, and possible repercussions for boldly providing real statistics about an LDS disaffiliation crisis that is often formally dismissed or denied.   

Please see the series titled "Exploring Family Challenges when LDS Young Adults Disaffiliate" (episodes 203-206) for more research on this topic.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Setup

07:35 What Jeff Learned

14:35 Grassroots Momentum

22:18 Training Church Leaders

28:47 Family Estrangement

34:56 Feeling Discarded

40:55 Why Jeff Stays

45:56 Demographics And Data

56:32 Calming The Amygdala

01:01:54 Stats On Belief

01:06:53 Only True Church

01:11:44 Truth Versus Growth

01:13:54 Closing Gratitude

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

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 specific kinds of data collection. She also explores how these narratives are tracking two different demographics of people in different stages of faith and consciousness development.

Valerie’s hope in episodes like this is to shine a light on normative human growth & development in the context of faith and to illustrate how the churches that do not understand or believe in stages of faith development only serve populations in [important but] earlier stages of growth & pathologize those in later stages, causing ever increasing levels of family fractures and institutional defection. 

PS: to read more & see the data, pick up a copy of download the book Torn: Why People We Love are Leaving the Church and What We Can Learn from Them by Jeff Strong, linked HERE.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Series Setup

02:45 Two Conflicting Narratives

04:16 Record Baptisms Data

06:17 Disaffiliation Statistics

12:01 Both And Explanation

14:03 Three LDS Demographics

14:21 Active Core Strengths

17:58 Disaffiliated Core Growth

22:30 Never Fully Affiliated

26:11 Stages of Faith Framework

29:26 Attachment Stage Church Fit

31:02 Differentiation and Homelessness

41:44 Integration and Compassion

44:20 Closing Reflections

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

Due to your many requests—we are now dropping each Friday Fellowship Latter Day Struggles 2.0 series in “audiobook” format after the final episode of the series drops. What does this mean for you? It means before we move on and change topics you can now enjoy the entire narrative arc we've been building throughout each respective series in a single, uninterrupted format! In learning that is this deep, rich, and new, a second pass is ideal, especially in the "audiobook" format! So enjoy the experience as things 'click' into place as you take in this 'audiobook'! And please let us know what is happening within you as you transcend and include Mormonism one series at a time! 

This week we have prepared the most recent series titled “From Believing to Becoming: 4 Faces of Spirituality” for you! Enjoy this deep dive.

Timestamps:

00:00 Series Kickoff

02:12 Development Lens Setup

07:15 Four Spiritual Modes

13:29 Belief as Fear Control

20:04 Dogma and Fundamentalism

26:40 Shadow and Projection

32:09 Sports Team Belief

40:58 Part Two Begins

47:07 Faith Quote Reading

54:37 Mixed Faith Bridge

59:53 Doubt as Spiritual Growth

01:05:12 Two Roads After Paradox

01:17:33 Peak Experiences and Interpretation

01:28:08 Formative Everyday Experiences

01:39:45 Becoming and Embodiment

01:50:54 Closing Reflections and Invitation

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

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 they could not grow in the context of the LDS church. Listen in to hear some sobering & important data that offers a more accurate narrative surrounding the current LDS dissafiliation crisis.

As painful a this information might be for devout LDS loved ones, this information is vitally important. Can those who loved the church and want what is best for their faith- expanding families listen to their feedback and create safe harbor for those on unexpected faith journeys? 

The only way our LDS homes and wards can become this kind of community is to listen, learn, and trust the words and experiences of those who often only leave because they feel that thriving spiritually is not possible if they stay.

Jeff's book Torn linked HERE

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

02:45 Why These Talks Matter

05:00 Unexpected Family Reversals

13:14 Why Culture Is Key

20:25 Imbalance One Who Belongs

28:53 Balancing Standards With Love

35:13 Transactional Faith Pitfalls

44:54 Map Not The Sea

50:57 Agency Versus Compliance

54:28 Trusting Individual Conscience

01:00:23 Pressure To Conform

01:03:15 Ubuntu And Closing Takeaways

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

In today’s final episode Val & Nathan conclude this conversation about the four faces of spiritual unfolding.  

Today they move beyond mere heady belief and even beyond the heart space of faith and look at what happens as each of us are truly changed through life's painful and enlightening experiences that have the power to truly make us over in the image of something that radiates our divinity. Listen in as Val and Nathan wrestle with what they are personally learning about how 'becoming' really happens. 

A Sociable God by Ken Wilber linked HERE

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Series Setup

01:36 Belief to Faith Basics

05:16 Peak Experiences Explained

10:16 When Experiences Get Hijacked

15:50 Formative Everyday Learning

20:34 Optimal Conflict and Growth

27:03 Embodiment and Becoming

36:25 Awakening Changes How We See

38:36 Closing Reflections and Invite

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

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 that are pressuring the need for churches to adapt-not because people are becoming less and less "spiritual"...but because evolution is an upward spiral and human beings entering new stages of faith development have different needs. If these needs are not acknowledged; or if they are vilified, shamed, or pathologized- they will go away. We are seeing this at record rates in the LDS church. 

Listen in as Jeff and Valerie clarify not only why so many lifelong multi-generational Latter Day Saints are leaving--but also share how spiritual growth/ differientiation & community belonging need not be mutually exclusive.

Jeff's book Torn linked HERE

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Book Setup

01:38 Recap and Survey Numbers

03:13 Seeing and Humility

10:12 Culture as Soil Metaphor

15:44 Acceptance and Faith Stages

25:19 Fear to Hope and Growth

29:18 Four Storms Shaping Belief

37:19 Culture Change and Margins

45:44 Diversity and Balanced Energy

51:05 Next Episode Preview and Closing

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

In today’s episode Val & Nathan continue this conversation about the four faces of spiritual unfolding. At some point in time, something happens and our beliefs do not hold up to “real life”. This is when faith enters in. This episode explores how belief can get in the way of faith and how faith is much, much more vulnerable than belief.

If belief is tough and certain, faith is gentle and tentative. And this very tentativeness is what helps us realize that “my way is not the only way”…which opens us up to a world of potential growth and awakening. Listen in and celebrate your own movement from BELIEF to FAITH.

A Sociable God by Ken Wilber linked HERE

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome Back

00:15 Recap Belief Stage

02:02 Defining Faith

02:18 Truth Versus Truths

06:18 Reading Key Quote

08:27 Faith In Practice

10:31 Holding Paradox

13:48 Mixed Faith Bridge

16:53 Not All Or Nothing

19:05 Doubts Story

21:37 Wilber On Doubt

24:23 Two Paths Forward

26:46 Experience Next Episode

30:17 Closing Thanks

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

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 point in time when his missionary son disclosed that he was coming home and leaving the LDS church. 

In this moment, Jeff felt that everything was falling apart & in his own valley of the shadow, he could not meet his son where he was in his own valley of the shadow. The following 13 years comprising hundreds of interviews with disaffiliating Latter-day Saints & heartfelt soul-searching about the true meaning of faith culminates in this book: a Love Letter to the Devout Latter-day Saint who has a loved one who has left the faith. 

Please listen to this series & consider reading than then gifting Jeff's book to one of your loved ones who does not understand your spiritual journey. Together we can heal our community and build bridges of understanding & belonging. no matter where we are on the spectrum of faith.

Jeff's book Torn linked HERE.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Introductions

02:07 Why Jeff Wrote Torn

02:56 Faith Crisis Sparks Research

06:16 Years of Writing and Rewrites

07:32 Who the Book Is For

11:07 Upstream vs Downstream Trauma

13:48 A Devout Reader’s Reaction

17:06 Mixed Faith Marriage Pain Point

20:24 Disaffiliation Numbers and Studies

28:36 Counter Narratives on Growth

29:52 Growth vs Activity Metrics

32:07 Convert Baptisms and Disaffiliation

33:04 Two Truths in Church Life

35:59 Four Waves Overview

38:11 Why Waves Feel Sequential

40:50 Upstream vs Downstream Pushback

43:54 Stages of Faith Transition

47:37 Belonging Over Belief

51:31 Success Stories of Inclusion

55:58 Bar Mitzvah Closing Story

58:27 Wrap Up and Next Episode

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

In this series, Val & Nathan tackle four different ways that humans engage with their spirituality beginning with head knowledge (belief); then heart feeling (faith), which then moves to something that fills the whole body and moves one outside of time for a moment (experience) and finally ends in a gradual shifting of our whole self identity (embodiment).

This series walks you through how each of these types of engagement can lead to the next (and deeper) type but does not necessarily do so. 

Today's episode focuses on the major pitfalls of mistaking 'true belief' for the entire spiritual journey and the harm this misconception causes both within oneself and in relationship to others.

A Sociable God by Ken Wilber linked HERE

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Series Intro

02:12 Developmental Lens Setup

07:15 Four Spiritual Engagements

07:56 Belief Stage Explained

12:41 Belief Centric Mormonism

20:04 Dogma and Fear Control

26:40 Shadow Projection and Converts

32:09 Sports Team Belief Analogy

36:27 Deep vs Surface Structures

38:48 Wrap Up and Next Episode

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

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 superpowers and even manifestations of our unique spiritual gifts & attributes? 

Listen in as Dan, Jana, and Valerie discuss why people in general tend to have and hide "golden shadows" and as they explore some reasons why the LDS population might manifest unique "golden shadows" as a consequence of LDS theology and tradition.

Timestamps:

00:00 Meet the Hosts

00:48 Where to Find Val

01:24 Jana’s Coaching Work

02:18 Shadow Work Basics

03:44 What Is Golden Shadow

04:58 Projection and Admiration

07:15 Fear of Your Light

10:09 Sacred Examples of Calling

13:12 Spotting Golden Shadow

18:43 Therapy Approach and Safety

21:41 Patriarchy and Buried Identity

29:25 Grief Forgiveness and Family

31:56 Grieving Without Confronting

32:51 Shame and the Not Me Boundary

35:50 Holding Complexity With Kids

37:07 Critical Thinking Both And

38:33 Mormon Theology and Sin Scripts

46:55 Inner Work and Quiet Practices

52:55 Golden Shadow and Authority

59:33 Reclaiming Discernment and Closing

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Office Hours

01:07 Ask Me Anything Setup

01:40 Emma Smith Abuse Question

03:32 Mormon Enigma Reflections

07:43 Emma Standing Up to Power

10:36 Nine Kids Parenting Regret

16:18 Grace and Self Compassion

20:18 Trans Child Parenting Story

27:07 Validation and Repairing Bonds

29:21 Mission Update and Family Unity

32:24 Supporting Missionary Growth

33:23 Beyond Black and White

34:25 Missing the Checklist

38:22 Rituals After Faith Shift

41:56 Reclaiming Old Practices

45:56 Talking With Believing Mom

51:45 Curiosity Over Convincing

54:50 Resources for New Spirituality

01:00:18 Elderly Parents and Compassion

01:07:35 Closing Reflections and Goodbye

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

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 the missionary as well as a crucial resource for the parents of full-time missionaries concerned about their child's wellbeing and not knowing how to help when their child is far away and struggling with various mental healthy issues.

Find additional information on Dr. Ensign's program HERE.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome Back Intro

00:44 Why Missions Get Complicated

03:11 Mental Health Training Center Overview

07:00 Why Missionaries Are Vulnerable

10:15 Parents Need Support Too

15:52 Steady Parenting Skills

20:39 Pivot to OCD Scrupulosity

23:42 How Each Lesson Works

30:32 Bryson Mission Story

35:04 When Scrupulosity Gets Reinforced

38:21 Healthy vs Unhealthy Faith

39:52 Parents Spot the Signs

42:43 Accountability Partner Plan

44:32 Lesson Flow Overview

45:38 OCD Basics Explained

49:16 Scrupulosity on a Mission

55:23 Why Missions Trigger It

58:51 Three Practical Tools

01:04:30 Where to Get Help

01:07:38 Specialized OCD Treatment

01:09:51 Final Thanks and Wrap

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

Due to your many requests—we are now dropping each Friday Fellowship Latter Day Struggles 2.0 series in “audiobook” format after the final episode of the series drops. What does this mean for you? It means before we move on and change topics you can now enjoy the entire narrative arc we've been building throughout each respective series in a single, uninterrupted format! In learning that is this deep, rich, and new, a second pass is ideal, especially in the "audiobook" format! So enjoy the experience as things 'click' into place as you take in this 'audiobook'! And please let us know what is happening within you as you transcend and include Mormonism one series at a time! 

This week we have prepared the most recent series titled “A Path to Wholeness Beyond the Mormon Faith Crisis” for you! Enjoy this deep dive.

Timestamps: 

0:00 — New Series Kickoff

15:37 — Bridging East And West

35:37 — Cleaning Up Shadow Work

55:56 — Ultimate vs Relative Truth

1:19:07 — Honoring Past Experiences

1:42:57 — Applying Perspectives in Practice

2:03:55 — LGBTQ Doctrine Meets Reality

2:27:56 — Mapping Meaning Across Four Lenses

2:48:53 — Personal Revelation Clash

3:12:34 — Provable Truth Claims

3:35:45 — Satan as Shadow

3:55:17 — Shadow Work and Therapy

4:19:59 — New Episode Reset

4:37:00 — Center of Gravity

4:59:17 — Emotional Capacity

5:21:35 — Smart Yet Mythic Faith

5:46:50 — How to Grow Lines

6:07:42 — Five Tenets Overview

6:41:49 — True Self and Surrender

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

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 would like a resource that is worth its weight in gold, this series is for you. 

In today's episode you will meet Dr. Bryson Ensign, a former LDS missionary and psychiatrist in training who has dedicated countless hours creating a resource that he wishes he had on his own mission. As a devoted listener to the Latter Day Struggles podcast, Bryson shares a passion with Valerie to help those in and around the LDS faith with issues of mental well being that are often not understood (and therefore not addressed ) at the institutional level. 

This episode shares his vision, sense of call, and an overview of his program. The next episode walks you through an entire segment of his curriculum (dealing with scrupulosity on the LDS mission). Enjoy!

Find additional information on Dr. Ensign's program HERE.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 

02:48 Bryson's Background and Faith 

07:24 Why Mission Mental Health 

10:56 Program Overview: Latter Day Missionaries 

16:01 Mental Health Training Center 

20:36 Lesson Topics and Tools 

28:19 Designed for Every Faith Stage 

33:13 Holding Complexity: Obedience, Shame, and Mental Health 

36:13 Systemic Challenges and Early Returns 

40:30 Real Stories: Missionaries Suffering in Silence 

46:10 The Church, Mental Health, and Cultural Change 

51:16 Personal Call and Inspiration 

57:52 Next Episode: Scrupulosity Preview 

01:00:00 Closing and Resources

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

In this final episode of this beautiful series offering you a path towards personal wholeness, peace, & spiritual development, Val ties it all together. She shares how each practice (waking up, growing up, opening up, showing up, cleaning up) intersections with the others and finally shares how the the True Self is involved in the process. 

Paradoxically the True Self guides the process. The True Self is built through the process of finding radical wholeness. And the True Self surrenders to unity and love as a result of this process. Listen in if you don't know where to go next in your faith expansion journey. Here is a personalized path for you!

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Series Finale

04:13 Why Wholeness Matters

05:39 Faith Crisis as Collision

07:10 True Self as Juggler

10:03 Waking Up Peak States

13:53 Growing Up Stages

18:45 Opening Up Many Lines

23:47 Showing Up Four Views

25:13 Cleaning Up Shadow Work

26:46 How the Tenets Intersect

38:01 Practice Showing Up Daily

44:10 The Self at the Helm

48:17 Closing and Next Steps

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

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 placed the life of any human being over the life of any other human being. 

Listen to this episode to answer for yourself the following questions: Did the actual Jesus of Nazareth embody radical love for all human beings and speak strongly and often about very "political" topics? Or did claim neutrality in a way that left those of his time uncertain about how he felt about authoritarian power structures and their treatment of "the least of these"? 

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Series Finale

02:06 Recap of Episodes One to Six

05:01 Liberation Jesus or Empire Mascot

06:42 Scripture Lenses and Competing Jesuses

08:47 Jesus of Nazareth vs Christ of Empire

12:48 Refusing Power and Inner Kingdom

20:30 Flattening Margins and Social Norms

27:58 Good Samaritan and Bad Laws Today

34:42 Challenging Religious Gatekeeping

40:05 Taking Jesus Name Through Action

43:23 Love Over Fear God Image

47:06 Closing Thanks and Fellowship Invite

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

In this bonus episode Val answers a couple of questions about relationship struggles that inevitably come up when our relationship with the LDS church is evolving. She also shares her vision for the future of the LDS church if faith expanding people continue to gather and practice a more radical, inclusive, and non-polarized love than currently exists in our present LDS culture as groups gather at the opposite poles.  

To be a part of a movement that actively practices critical thinking and personal growth--join Valerie & others leading out in a new way to manifest what true faith expansion is.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Purpose

02:07 How We Are Different

05:09 Beyond Binary Healing

07:45 Transcend and Include

12:18 Monday vs Friday Episodes

14:32 Friday Spiritual Expansion

21:57 Live Fellowship Overview

24:36 Fellowship Topics and Schedule

30:11 Upcoming Mission Mental Health Series

34:52 Why Groups Matter

42:52 Talking Across Ladder Rungs

52:15 Enrollment and Closing

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

Take a listen to this episode further exploring the idea that we all truly contain multitudes! In their quest to help you achieve Radical Wholeness, Val & Nathan explore several examples common in the LDS faith that show how development unfolds unevenly even within the same human being. 

Are you very skilled in analyzing LDS truth claims but lag in compassion for others in earlier stages of faith? Are you a moral rockstar but emotionally chaotic? This episode takes you through several examples of uneven development on the LDS spectrum of belief and practice. 

Book referenced in this series: Radical Wholeness by Ken Wilber, linked HERE

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Series Setup

01:18 Uneven Development Explained

03:13 Example One Smart Yet Literal

09:08 Example Two Relationship Growing Pains

14:45 Beyond Binary New Hierarchies

23:46 Finding Common Ground Values

28:28 How to Grow Shadow Work

31:04 Church Shadows and Moral Lag

35:48 Healing Through Understanding

38:06 Next Episode and Invitation

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

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. 

Timestamps:

00:00 Series Recap Setup

02:12 Religion Meets Politics

05:24 Legitimacy vs Transformation

06:59 Silence Equals Complicity

08:48 Why Churches Stay Quiet

13:23 Truth Claims Block Reform

20:05 Faith as Moral Reform

26:01 Rethinking Prophets

29:37 Prophetic Not Partisan

31:30 Closing and Next Episode

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

Val & Nathan have been working through a map that you can use to guide you towards Radical Wholeness following your LDS faith crisis. This map consists of five tenets of Wholeness and the next two episodes focus on inconsistencies that you might have noticed in yourself and others...how are we so mature in some ways and so immature in other ways? Well, listen in and by the end of this episode, you'll have your answer and also have a path to more and more spiritual awakening too! 

Book referenced in this series: Radical Wholeness by Ken Wilber, linked HERE

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Series Setup

02:08 Four Tenets Recap

05:38 Why Radical Wholeness Matters

08:46 Opening Up Explained

10:36 Lines of Development Examples

17:11 Center of Gravity and Culture

24:46 Six Key Lines for Faith Expansion

32:27 Interpersonal Growth and Inclusion

39:27 Emotional Development and Patriarchy

46:38 Values Shift Fear to Love

49:13 Why Development Is Uneven

54:57 Trauma Shadow Work and Wrap Up

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

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 in real time on a world stage as Politician Donald Trump and Religious Leader Pope Leo XIV prove powerfully that politics and religion cannot be dissociated but must dialogue in order to find common ground in questions of human value, safety, and basic dignity. They also each demonstrate (through their respective approaches and value systems) two very different levels of human moral & consciousness development. 

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Setup 

00:33 Religion Meets Politics 

02:33 Same Core Questions

06:21 Human Dignity and Rights 

11:22 Consciousness Development and Political Behavior 

13:35 When Laws Protect the Wrong Values

14:40 Christian Nationalism and the LDS Church's Silence 

20:42 LDS Shadow History and the Epstein Files 

22:52 Justice and Accountability 

26:07 Power Morality and Resistance 

28:18 Rosa Parks and Inner Authority 

30:03 Early Faith vs Transformation 

33:08 Follow the Leader vs Follow the Divine Within 

33:21 Elder Gilbert, ICE Raids, and LDS Silence 

35:07 Legitimacy as the Highest Value in Mormonism 

41:45 Pope Leo vs Trump 

51:33 Episode Wrap and Next Steps

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

In this episode Val & Nathan dig into tenet #4 in a map that promises to guide you to the most "Radical Wholeness" you have ever experienced. This tenet invites each of us to delve into our shadows and embrace them as a path to clarity in all other areas of development. Bottom line: Unresolved shadows do on make us "bad" (nothing can!) but they can make clarity very challenging to experience.

Timestamps:

00:00 Series Setup and Context

01:18 Five Tenets Overview

04:36 Cleaning Up and Shadow Work

06:23 PSA and Future Episodes

10:54 Replay Episode Begins

11:37 Ladder Climber View Recap

15:38 Why Psychology Matters

18:03 Wilbur Blob Metaphor

23:23 Social vs Personal Shadow

29:42 Cleaning Up in Therapy

33:27 Nathan Shadow Example

37:37 Integrating Feminine Divine

51:43 Closing Takeaways

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

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 come from either spiritual realm as both politics & religions confront how to dignify human life. 

They also talk about how some churches lead the charge of social justice (confronting longstanding dominator hierarchies) and some churches are society's great "feet draggers" (defending dominator hierarchies). Why the feet-dragging? And why do the "feet draggers" often finally begrudgingly jump on the enlightenment train? 

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Series Setup

01:44 Legitimacy vs Transformation Religions

05:43 Silence and Power Structures

09:42 Why Churches Cannot Condemn

11:37 Article of Faith 12 Obedience

13:54 Moral Consequences and Neutrality

18:38 Religion and Politics Interwoven

19:55 Civilizational Development Framework

22:50 Center of Gravity in Mormonism

24:13 Leading Edge Reformers

25:54 Civil Rights Awakening

27:52 Laws Versus Hearts

30:17 Legitimacy Church Trap

31:19 Pressure Forces Change

37:06 BYU And Wyoming Seven

39:27 Social Capital And Attrition

42:47 Patriarchy Next Frontier

44:17 God Beyond Hierarchy

47:18 Why Churches Catch Up

48:03 Spiraling Toward Transformation

49:00 Next Episode Preview

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

In this episode Val & Nathan illustrate in a poignant case study, what happens when all four perspectives of reality are not regarded & honored equally. They explore the LDS church & the modern Mormon faith crisis using the “showing up” four perspectives that assist in building “radical wholeness”. 

When the Church’s starting point is that “the Church is true” (privileging the structural/organizational perspective)—then every other perspective must exist in the service of validating the structure; or otherwise controlled, disregarded, or suppressed…which is a perfect recipe for the opposite of health and thriving. 

Listen in to get an up close and personal understanding of why the “showing up” aspect of radical wholeness is so important! 

For more information on the genera philosophy of Radical Wholeness, please refer to Ken Wilber’s book Radical Wholeness, linked HERE.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Series Setup

01:55 Five Tenets Overview

03:52 Four Perspectives Recap

07:30 Why Perspectives Prevent Warping

10:10 Mormonism Structure Dominates

17:24 Personal Revelation vs Authority

24:39 Temple Gatekeeping Story

30:20 Culture and Family Exclusion

41:12 Provable Facts and Faith Crisis

50:50 Balanced Future and Wrap Up

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

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 favorite form(s) of dominator hierarchy. If the church has matured into a focus on personal transformation--it moves towards a stance of dismantling dominator hierarchies. And it is in moments of social unrest that one can see more clearly where a church is developmentally. 

Listen in and keep in mind--both type of church are necessary and serve a role in the development of the human race. As these topics are explored, it is fundamental to the growth of our culture at large to recognize that later stages of development (in the human being and in the church) are built on earlier stages of development. So lean into this, even if it's uncomfortable! 

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Series Setup

00:46 Recap Political Neutrality

02:35 Statement Versus Practice

06:42 Why the Silence Now

08:51 Faith Leaders Speaking Up

14:20 Solidarity Over Self Preservation

20:32 Legitimacy Seeking Religion

27:59 Transformation Seeking Religion

31:18 Jesus Versus Christian Nationalism

32:43 Personal Stakes and Closing

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

As an extra perk—we are now dropping each Monday 1.0 series in “audiobook” format after the final episode of the series drops EARLY for you. What does this mean for you? It means you can get ahead on the material Valerie will be discussing in her LIVE FELLOWSHIP event in a single, uninterrupted format! In learning that is this deep, rich, and new, a second pass is ideal, especially in the "audiobook" format! So enjoy the experience as things 'click' into place as you take in this 'audiobook'! And please let us know what is happening within you as you transcend and include Mormonism one series at a time! 

This week we have prepared the most recent series titled “Religion IS Political” for you! Enjoy this deep dive.

Timestamps:

00:00 Series Kickoff

09:08 Autonomy and Control

20:51 Initial Reactions

30:42 Authority and Obedience

40:24 Review and LA Churches

50:05 When Church Mobilizes

59:33 Silence as Endorsement

01:10:29 Episode Three Reset

01:19:41 Faith Groups Resisting

01:30:51 Legitimacy vs Transformation

01:44:20 Missionary Empathy and Abuse

01:54:20 Neutrality and Article of Faith

02:09:10 Religion Politics Coevolve

02:20:49 Legitimacy Church Trap

02:32:59 From Race to Patriarchy

02:40:30 Religion Meets Politics

02:54:18 Christian Nationalism Warning

03:06:05 Power Morality and Obedience

03:21:42 Pope Leo vs Trump

03:37:46 Episode Six Silence Ethics

03:51:02 Truth Claims Block Reform

04:02:29 Rethinking Prophets and Prophecy

04:14:55 Two Jesuses and Scripture Lenses

04:28:42 Breaking Social Hierarchies

04:42:55 Accessing God Without Gatekeepers

04:55:19 Fellowship Invite and Farewell

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

As an extra perk—we are now dropping each Monday 1.0 series in “audiobook” format after the final episode of the series drops for you. What does this mean for you? It means you can get ahead on the material Valerie will be discussing in her LIVE FELLOWSHIP event in a single, uninterrupted format! In learning that is this deep, rich, and new, a second pass is ideal, especially in the "audiobook" format! So enjoy the experience as things 'click' into place as you take in this 'audiobook'! And please let us know what is happening within you as you transcend and include Mormonism one series at a time! 

This week we have prepared the mini-series titled “Exploration of the "New" Plan of Salvation” for you! Enjoy this deep dive.

Timestamps: 

00:00 Welcome and Friday Fellowship

01:12 A New Plan of Salvation

01:42 Speculative Theology and Mystery

03:39 The Traditional Mormon Framework

05:16 Deconstructing Worthiness and Tiered Heaven

09:12 Mystical Roots and Great Nest

12:09 Levels of Consciousness Explained

14:58 From Mind to Soul to Spirit

18:40 Involution God Forgets Itself

23:55 Hide and Seek Awakening

26:26 Evolution as Remembering

32:01 No Sin Only Return

36:35 Involution Evolution Recap

40:52 Creation Story Showdown

43:55 Matter to Mind Awakening

48:52 Rethinking the Fall

52:19 Sin Woundedness Wholeness

57:17 A New View of God

01:00:00 Jesus as Unity Model

01:05:47 Why This Plan Matters

01:10:17 Closing Reflections Farewell

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

In this episode Val & Nathan expand on how YOU can achieve the kind of spiritual transformation that you didn't think possible when you stumbled out of your comfort zone into the world of the LDS faith crisis. Building upon tenets #1 (waking up) and #2 (growing up) they introduce tenet #3: "showing up"--exploring with you how every situation in the universe can be more clearly understood when looked at from four distinctive perspectives. They will break down each perspective that is present in every situation in the human experience and use several personal examples to illustrate how these ideas have brought them to deeper understanding and compassion in their lives. 

Once these ideas "click" you will have yet another clarifying "meaning making map" that helps you navigate your faith expansion journey (and actually every situation in your life) with more clarity--and therefore--more peace.

**The scholarship referenced in this series can be found in depth in Ken Wilber's book "Finding Radical Wholeness", linked HERE

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome Back

00:35 Radical Wholeness Framework

01:55 Waking Up Explained

04:14 Growing Up Stages

06:46 Introducing Showing Up

10:39 Medical Case Study

19:21 Perspective One Inner Life

25:30 Perspective Two Culture Meaning

30:54 Perspective Three Objective Facts

32:14 Beyond Binary Belief

33:57 Provable Faith Examples

37:58 Science Used Selectively

40:36 Fourth Perspective Structure

43:07 Culture Versus Structure

44:51 Temple Wedding Case Study

01:00:04 Mapping Meaning Takeaways

01:02:23 Next Episode Wrap

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

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 significant moral consequence" (per their official statement of neutrality) and what is deemed not morally significant enough to comment on in times of social unrest makes for very interesting conversation. Join Val & Nathan as they unpack this highly relevant topic in an effort to make sense of this phenomenon, which they realize is anything but neutral. 

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Series Setup

00:19 Recap Political Neutrality

02:42 Follow the Leader Tension

03:45 LA Churches Speak Out

05:26 Stated vs Observed Neutrality

06:31 High Engagement Moral Issues

11:40 Low Engagement Justice Issues

16:29 Matthew 25 Reality Check

19:47 2026 Silence and Current Events

23:16 Doctrine and Covenants 98

26:48 Silence as Endorsement

29:13 Next Episode Preview and Wrap

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

A few of the questions that she answers: 

**What is the difference between your Faith Crisis Healing groups and your new Live Fellowship Group? 

**How are they different than other platforms where people meet and talk? 

**How are these groups different than other platforms where people meet and talk?

**Are both-gendered groups effective? 

**Should I do a faith crisis healing group instead of therapy? 

I am_____________ (fully active, all of the way out, etc., etc.,) Am I Good fit? 

Interested in grabbing the very last seat of the ONLY 2026 group of this kind? Click below to enroll!  

**If watching this in the future, check out https://valeriehamaker.com/support-groups/ and see what is available. If no groups are registering, contact admin@latterdaystruggles.com and get added to a wait list! 

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Q&A Setup

01:45 Why Only One Group

02:48 Live Event Announcement

05:48 Book and 2026 Plans

07:25 Live Fellowship Explained

12:52 Who Joins the Groups

15:58 What Has Changed

21:45 Platform Difference and Curriculum

25:16 Why Mixed Gender Groups

29:54 Groups Versus Therapy

31:59 Am I a Good Fit

35:15 Closing and Next Steps

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

Have you ever noticed that some earlier stage spiritual communities have an uncomfortable relationship with modern psychology and even feel threatened by it?

Have you noticed how many churches embrace the concept of revelation and spiritual experiences in general but get rather testy when your spiritual experiences do not endorse their doctrine?

What about the confusion you've felt when you look back at the former spiritual lightening bolt and ponder what to make of that now that you feel completely differently about the meaning of this experience? Was it fake? Were you hallucinating?

If any of these questions resonate--this episode focused on "waking up" and "growing up" experiences is for you.

**The scholarship referenced in this series can be found in depth in Ken Wilber's book "Finding Radical Wholeness", linked HERE

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome Back and Series Setup

00:47 Why Faith Crises Can Deepen

03:04 Radical Wholeness Framework

04:10 Five Tenets Overview

07:17 Today Waking Up vs Growing Up

07:58 Waking Up Peak Experiences

10:24 East vs West State Training

15:37 Ultimate Truth vs Relative Truth

19:05 Growing Up Stage Development

24:10 Stage Models and Kohlberg

28:11 Integrating States and Stages

33:02 Mormonism and Misused Revelation

38:33 Honoring Past Spiritual Experiences

40:16 Jesus Mysticism and Integration

44:49 Next Episodes and Closing

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

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 at this moment.  

This series might be one of the more important and relevant of this podcast as Val & Nathan take you step by step towards their conclusion that religion and spirituality is and always will be political and politics is an expression of one's level of spirituality. Join them each week for this six-part series hopefully giving you words to make sense of your discomfort over silence in the face of harm and injustice.  

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Series Intro

00:42 Why Church Silence Matters

03:32 Six Episode Roadmap

05:02 Personal Take on Neutrality

07:02 Prop 8 and Moral Exceptions

09:08 Isolationism and Autonomy

13:34 Reading the Official Statement

20:51 Initial Reactions and Agreement

23:33 Conscience vs Real Practice

27:44 Mitt Romney as Case Study

30:42 Obedience and Hierarchy Thread

35:12 Immigration Example and Wrap Up

39:21 Closing and Next Episode Tease

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

Craving spiritual direction after the harrowing disorientation of the Mormon faith crisis but not sure where to go? Not wanting to throw God and religion out but only see Christian Nationalism at every turn? If this is you--this series is for you. 

This episode introduces five concrete tenets that each of us can incorporate into our spiritual lives if we wish to continue to grow psychologically and spiritually. Put simply, these tenets are "waking up", "growing up", "opening up", "showing up" and "cleaning up". 

Val will introduce these large topics and show you how each tenet offers a unique way to experience depth and beauty in this life while also becoming more aware of our illusion of separateness. 

**This scholarship can be found in depth in Ken Wilber's book "Finding Radical Wholeness", linked HERE

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and New Series

02:14 Community and Live Fellowship

03:43 Ken Wilber and Radical Wholeness

06:05 Why a Five Tenet Map

09:03 Transpersonal Psychology Explained

19:36 Five Tenets Overview

22:07 Waking Up Spiritual Awakening

25:40 Growing Up Developmental Maturity

27:38 Opening Up Multiple Intelligences

30:30 Showing Up Four Perspectives

35:37 Cleaning Up Shadow Work

37:40 Recap and Next Episode

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

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 track to help a person thrive?

When these two concepts clash--yikes. And when your "normative" growth isn't understood, you DO look very "abnormal"...and maybe even sinful, rebellious, prideful, and lost. Listen in to have your mind blown a little today! 

Timestamps:

00:00 Unexpected Episode Setup

00:50 Guesting on Pioneer Paradox

02:17 Myth of Normal in Mormonism

03:07 Defining Normal

06:30 Defining Normative

09:09 When Normal Isn’t Healthy

11:52 LDS Culture of Conformity

13:42 Markers of Mormon Normal

19:08 Labels for Nonconformists

23:30 Faith Journey as Growth

26:08 Normative Developmental Shifts

31:05 Reconstruction and Inner Authority

34:04 Closing Encouragement

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

Due to your many requests—we are now dropping each Friday Fellowship Latter Day Struggles 2.0 series in “audiobook” format after the final episode of the series drops. What does this mean for you? It means before we move on and change topics you can now enjoy the entire narrative arc we've been building throughout each respective series in a single, uninterrupted format! In learning that is this deep, rich, and new, a second pass is ideal, especially in the "audiobook" format! So enjoy the experience as things 'click' into place as you take in this 'audiobook'! And please let us know what is happening within you as you transcend and include Mormonism one series at a time! 

This week we have prepared the most recent series titled, “Dialogue Foundation Gospel Study: A Novel Approach to D&C 76” for you! Enjoy this deep dive.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Setup

03:12 Transcend and Include

15:05 Perennial Philosophy Intro

29:05 Tiered Cosmologies Worldwide

39:55 New Episode Restart

47:44 Transcend and Include Duty

54:12 D&C 76 Teaching Setup

01:05:52 What Waking Up Means

01:17:25 Outro and Next Episode Lens

01:29:58 Quotes on Trusting Life

01:40:53 State Experiences and Words

01:54:30 Higher Stage Markers

02:09:59 Podcast Credits and Promo

02:15:41 Stages and Mystical Lens

02:24:36 Lost Christian Mystics

02:35:56 Celestial Hierarchy Critique

02:48:06 Eternal Separation Problem

02:58:15 Integral Takeaways Closing

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

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 four common phenomenon within Mormondom that may be common ways to view the world but are not necessarily 'normal'. 

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Italy Trip

03:14 Myth of Normal Setup

06:23 Nature and Feminine Flow

08:40 Scouting and Rites of Passage

13:29 Canoe Covenant Story

18:30 Rituals as Meaning

20:59 Finding Your Inner Voice

24:26 Normal vs Normative

28:32 Boundaries and Growth

32:15 Certainty Sets Up Doubt

35:29 Exclusivity Blocks Wisdom

39:54 Parenting Critical Awareness

44:52 Mixed Faith Family Pain

50:29 Tribal Narratives Outsiders

56:30 Choose People Over Church

01:00:34 Decouple God From Church

01:04:42 Closing Thanks And Farewell

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

Due to your many requests—we are now dropping each Friday Fellowship Latter Day Struggles 2.0 series in “audiobook” format after the final episode of the series drops. What does this mean for you? It means before we move on and change topics you can now enjoy the entire narrative arc we've been building throughout each respective series in a single, uninterrupted format! In learning that is this deep, rich, and new, a second pass is ideal, especially in the "audiobook" format! So enjoy the experience as things 'click' into place as you take in this 'audiobook'! And please let us know what is happening within you as you transcend and include Mormonism one series at a time! 

This week we have prepared the most recent series titled, “Making Sense of Current Human Ascension & Human Atrocity” for you! Enjoy this deep dive.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Series Setup 

03:36 Best and Worst Times 

09:44 Daughter Challenges Wickedness

22:36 Wilber Quote, Evolution Wedge 

34:16 Part Two Begins Recap 

38:25 Define Cosmos and Tenant One 

41:25 Paradox of Progress Examples 

51:35 Tenant Two Not Including 

58:25 Culture Wars And Growth 

01:04:45 Faith Journey Reframed 

01:12:11 Episode Two Recap 

01:15:48 Holon Explained 

01:18:48 Hijacked By Impulses

01:34:58 Dominator Hierarchies 

01:38:58 Mandela And Healing Power 

01:51:42 Healthy Hierarchies Explained 

01:55:01 Part Four Begins 

02:07:10 Fear Narratives Last Days 

02:22:03 God Image And Control 

02:44:00 Closing Quotes And Farewell

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

Those who do not have resources or a supportive community while on the LDS faith journey often suffer from mental health issues, relationship distress, isolation, and shame. Learn how to be a part of a movement that makes sure that NO ONE experiences their most vulnerable spiritual awakening moments alone and concurrently supports professionals who have devoted their careers to creating communities of healing for the Latter-day Saint seeker. 

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 

01:43 Mark’s Faith Journey Origins 

04:00 Why Faith Journey Foundation Exists 

05:22 Susan Hinkley and Related Projects

06:11 Valerie on Normalizing Faith Growth 

10:20 Finding Neutral Support Beyond Church Systems 

15:40 Faith Crisis as Identity Formation 

18:59 How Valerie and Mark Met 

19:18 Valerie's Origin Story with Latter Day Struggles

23:20 The Miracle of Finding Faith Journey Foundation

26:52 Scholarships and How to Get Help 

30:54 Funding Model and Supported Projects 

35:20 Sustainable Care and Paying Professionals 

37:01 Other Communities and Projects FJF Supports

38:28 Valerie on Criticism of Paid Faith Work

40:14 Compassion Doesn't Mean Free Labor

44:14 Closing Invitation and Final Thoughts

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

In today's final episode of this series Nathan & Val talk about the negative impact of "end of times" narratives that they both bought into and taught their children as traditionally believing Latter-day Saints. They discuss how "last days" narratives are handy when one wants to be assured they are God's chosen and when one needs to make sense of the death and destruction of others (because they are less righteous).  

They frame this whole series as as call to each of us to examine the nature of God we have been taught and see how much this version of God divides us from others and even from finding our own highest potential.  

Don't forget! Next Friday Fellowship episode is the "audiobook" version of this series--your chance to relisten to this entire deep and rich dialogue cohesively so that you can further integrate what healthy spirituality looks like after the Mormon faith crisis. Thanks for your support!  

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Setup

00:36 Best or Worst Times

02:07 Series Recap and Evolution

04:55 Four Tenets Overview

06:39 Tenet Three Hierarchies

09:51 Tenet Four Regression

12:10 Pivot to Fear Narratives

13:56 Wars and End Times

16:00 Daughter Challenges Us

17:39 Myths and Meaning Making

20:19 Moral Superiority Trap

22:38 Fear Narratives and Control

23:52 Leaders Exploit Crisis

24:57 No Teams and Bridge Building

25:57 Seeing Divinity in Others

27:00 Us Versus Them God Split

30:08 Volcanoes and Meaning Making

34:45 Control and Transactional God

35:54 Progress Creates New Problems

38:53 Living the Higher Narrative

42:04 Taking Pressure Off God

44:20 Series Wrap and Review

48:54 Closing Quotes and Farewell

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

Due to your many requests—we are dropping a Latter Day Struggles series in “audiobook” format. What does this mean for you? 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! 

As a bonus drop, we have prepared one of our favorite series titled, "Community Healing: How our Greatest Wounds & our Greatest Healing Happens through Human Relationship" for you! Enjoy this deep dive.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Reset 

10:32 Faith Crisis Isolation 

16:00 Shunning and Going Underground 

27:53 Finding Support Groups 

36:38 Quotes on Group Healing 

48:56 Trust the Healing Process 

56:17 Roadmap Out of Chaos 

01:01:19 Witnessed Healing in Relationship 

01:13:25 Beyond All In or Out 

01:21:22 Curriculum True Self to Rebirth 

01:27:37 Relationships and Patriarchy Work 

01:35:08 Hope Through Community 

01:42:07 Introducing the True Self 

01:59:37 Gnostics and Inner Authority 

02:16:18 Love Over Fear 

02:26:10 Sharing True Self Statements 

02:45:22 Grief and Identity Shift 

02:56:20 Writing the True Self Statement 

03:03:02 Love Based Spiritual Growth 

03:16:25 A Healthier Faith Relationship 

03:23:23 Men Patriarchy and Identity 

03:31:52 Reclaiming the Core Self 

03:39:51 True Self Statement Practice 

03:44:26 Welcome to Eden Poem 

03:54:16 Community Stories Begin 

04:11:37 Community and Belonging 

04:46:17 Seeing Pain Not Ideas

04:53:18 Final Invitation to Heal

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

Upon deeper reflection, the move seems less about worries about slippery slopes towards sexual iniquity and possibly more about preserving another kind of slippery slope--the one that disrupts what some feel is the "natural order of the universe". If a female formally presides over a male in one realm of the LDS church, what could this possibly lead to?  

Listen in as we propose that moves of this nature is proof that ultimately an all male priesthood must be surrendered...even if excruciatingly slowly...if the LDS church is going to survive in the long run. 

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Context 

02:09 Reading the New Policy 

02:46 First Reactions and Jokes 

04:54 Why Mixed Gender Feels Weird 

5:51 Relief Society President and Bishop — Mixed Gender Already Exists

08:21 Loyalist Perspective Brainstorm 

09:32 Women Under Men in Leadership 

11:09 Nathan's BYU Co-Mission Leader Experience

13:33 Men Under Women and Shame 

15:53 Two Existential Questions the Church Dodged

17:14 Presiding and Priesthood Questions 

19:13 Can Women Practice Revelation Without Male Approval?

22:49 Priesthood as Human Construct — "All or None of Us Have It"

25:12 Keys vs Duties Explained 

28:12 Baptism Witnesses — A Case Study in Power Shifts

29:47 Power and Control Creep 

32:39 Family Proclamation Implications 

35:23 Women Leading Faith Journeys at Home

37:38 Joseph Smith Gave Women Blessings — Then They Were Taken Back

39:25 What Reforms Might Come Next 

44:21 Closing Thoughts and Farewell

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

In this episode Val & Nathan tackle two more of the four tenets that make sense of how the world is both spiraling upwards towards God consciousness and true awakening and also experiencing more chaos and evil at larger scales than ever before. How can both co-exist you ask? Listen to this series and you'll get some more stretch marks on your brain! These last two tenets explore the difference between transformation and dominator hierarchies. 

Note: for a deeper dive into this content, go to the primary source! Up From Eden by philosopher Ken Wilber. Linked HERE.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Series Setup 

01:03 Recap Episodes One Two

04:40 Holon Concept Explained 

07:41 Tenet Three Hijacked Impulses 

12:41 Valerie Expands on Uneven Development

14:42 Modern Examples and ICE Raids 

20:03 Hindu Gurus and the Caste System

23:51 Tenet Four Hierarchy Types 

27:51 Mandela and Healthy Leadership 

35:55 Faith Journeys and Revelation 

36:55 Holarchical View of Personal Revelation

40:31 Nathan Reflects on Inclusion vs. Exclusion

42:06 End Times Narrative Preview

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

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 outlined in this episode. 

Please note--episodes of this nature are intended to be "hard on system, soft on people." Val & Nathan maintain that no person is actively trying to harm others--but harm is the inevitable outcome of structures that will not confront their own shadows.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Welcome 

00:16 Recap of Previous Episode 

01:00 Nathan's Faith Journey and Institutional Critique 

02:43 The Harm of Institutional Patriarchy 

05:11 Centralized Authority and Its Consequences 

07:38 Theological Justifications and Their Flaws 

11:45 The "Ship vs. People" Metaphor 

15:20 Patriarchy in the Book of Jacob 

17:38 Patterns of Abuse and Institutional Response 

21:15 Science vs. Religion: Reconciling Evidence 

25:30 Handling Abuse Internally 

30:41 Legal Counsel and Institutional Protection 

35:32 Credibility Issues and Reporting Abuse 

38:45 Women Reporting to Women: Limitations 

41:24 Conclusion and Call for Change

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

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 news release

07:52 What we will cover

09:04 Big picture framing

11:43 Liminal perspective reactions

16:59 Loyalist perspective reactions

19:58 Faith development stages

24:08 Leadership tension and paths

27:01 Beyond black and white

28:14 Real Reform Or Optics

29:05 Why Change Is Slow

31:10 Gradualism Explained

32:55 Lincoln And Strategy

37:37 Applying Gradualism Today

39:36 Women Priesthood Forecast

41:08 Near Enemy Concept

45:43 Near Enemy In Practice

48:41 Divine Authority Corner

52:11 Continuing Revelation Tension

56:17 Community And Next Steps

58:25 Closing Reflections

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

In this episode Val & Nathan tackle two of the four tenets that make sense of how the world is both spiraling upwards towards God consciousness and true awakening and also experiencing more chaos and evil at larger scales than ever before. How can both co-exist you ask? Listen to this series and you'll get some more stretch marks on your brain!  

Note: for a deeper dive into this content, go to the primary source! Up From Eden by philosopher Ken Wilber. Linked HERE.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Series Setup

00:26 Best or Worst Times 

04:14 Defining the Kosmos 

05:31 Tenet One Paradox of Progress 

07:53 Progress Examples Planes Internet AI 

10:57 Airplane Analogy

13:06 The Internet Revolution

15:18 Faith Journey Progress Costs 

17:25 Tenet Two Transcend and Include 

20:10 Politics and Culture Wars 

22:51 Developmentally Dispersed

26:00 Math and Development Ladder 

30:50 LDS Faith Expansion Example 

33:03 The Shadow Side

34:51 Wrap Up and Next Tenets

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

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 may eventually be instrumental in preventing countless LDS women and girls from future harm. 

She wrote the article. I read the article. Please do your part and share the article (via the podcast or linked HERE!)

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Context

00:26 Upcoming Episode Preview 

03:31 Reading the Article: Confronting Men's Violence 

05:26 Author's Background and Article Introduction 

06:26 Article Reading: Violence Against Women in LDS Church 

11:11 Personal Story of Abuse 

14:56 Credibility Issues and External Validation 

19:59 Global Perspective on Violence Against Women 

25:38 Utah Statistics and Under-Reporting 

28:38 Male Ecclesiastical Leaders as First Responders 

32:38 Challenges and Solutions 

33:18 Solution One: Legal Changes and Clergy-Penitent Laws 

38:31 High-Profile Cases and Institutional Betrayal 

42:58 Solution Two: Women's Ministry and Male Protection Racket 

46:23 Solution Three: Training and Education 

48:23 DARVO Tactics and Victim-Perpetrator Dynamics 

52:52 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

In this opening episode of a four part series, Val and Nathan set the stage to answer one BIG question: How can it be true that evolution is unfolding "right on schedule" complete with greater light and truth than the world has ever experienced while also living in a world that seems more and more full of darkness and horror?

In this four part series Val and Nathan do their best to "make it make sense" drawing upon principles of "transcendence and inclusion" that explain when things go right and "transcendence and repression" when things go wrong...not just at the level of individual growth but also at the level of civilization development. 

Note: for a deeper dive into this content, go to the primary source! Up From Eden by philosopher Ken Wilber.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Series Teaser

00:36 Big Picture Evolution

03:17 Best and Worst Times

05:45 Individuals vs Society

06:55 Transcend and Include

09:40 Daughter Challenges Wickedness

14:17 Rational Minds and Growth

17:05 Modern Regression Fears

22:18 Ken Wilber Quote Setup

24:01 Humans and Evolution Paradox

27:56 Four Principles Preview

29:11 End Times Debunking Ahead

33:49 Wrap Up and Next Time

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

Fitting it all in can become tricky, which is why she has been looking for the 'just right' person to help with individuals & couples in Utah looking for a mental health worker with the stamp of approval from Val at Latter Day Struggles. 

In today's episode you will meet Heather Sundahl, the newest member of Valerie's Latter Day Struggles team. Heather is a licensed mental health worker, a resident of Utah and strongly endorsed by Valerie as someone you can trust on your faith expansion journey.  If you loved their laughter, tears (mostly Val!) and banter, you'll love knowing that Heather plans to come on a few times a year to tackle tough topics with Val relevant to your healing and growth. Jump over to latterdaystruggles.com if you're from Utah and want to work with Heather. 

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome And Guest Intro

01:01 Heather Background And Mentors

04:07 Early LDS Gender Messages

07:03 BYU Awakening Moment

09:58 Storytelling And Exponent Two

12:27 Becoming A Therapist

14:23 Healing Through Narrative

17:42 Owning Faith Narratives

19:18 Eve And Going Off Script

21:35 Life Beyond The Script

25:47 Navigating Church Tensions

26:57 Community Over Purity

28:05 Permission to Be Honest

29:05 Jesus as the Anchor

29:23 Self Care for LDS Women

31:24 Beyond Constant Sacrifice

33:51 Therapy Approach and Boundaries

35:33 Staying or Leaving the Church

39:02 Trusting Your Inner Compass

43:43 Faith Journeys and Belonging

49:08 Honoring Mormon Identity

51:14 Closing Vision and Next Steps

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

This week we have prepared the most recent series titled, "Transcending + Including in "Real Life": Listener Experiences" for you! Enjoy this deep dive.

Timestamps:

00:00 Part I - Welcome Guest Kim

01:12 Why Transcend Include

07:32 Atonement Foundations

11:18 Faith Crisis Questions

13:33 Rethinking Jesus

20:45 Sacred Tragedy Story

25:51 Journal Reflection Reading

29:19 Integrating New Meaning

34:30 Mystics Expanded View

42:54 Closing Thoughts

53:00 Part II - Guest Katie Intro

58:20 Marriage Diverging Paths

01:01:59 Belonging Without Uniformity

01:02:59 Shift Gears Development Lens

01:03:56 Mom Relationship Setup

01:05:50 Early Faith Fractures

01:08:41 Grandma Church Pressure

01:10:26 Compassion Zoom Out

01:17:29 Meeting Kids Where They Are

01:21:25 Soft Launch Authenticity

01:27:01 Pride Rally Breakthrough

01:36:10 Garments And Mutual Repair

01:39:11 Temple Money Tension

01:41:16 Connection Without Uniformity

01:49:56 Part III - Nathan Intro

01:53:07 Sibling Connection Setup

01:55:02 Family Background Roots

01:56:14 Reconnecting After Distance

02:01:48 From Small Talk To Depth

02:06:01 Navigating Discomfort Gently

02:12:59 Universal Love Premises

02:24:50 Resignation Shockwaves

02:29:03 Rebuilding Trust After Exit

02:34:21 Choosing Battles Wisely

02:39:57 Thoughtful Strategy And Wrap

02:41:57 Final Reflections And Goodbye

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

How does evolution actually happen? This "bonus episode" is a download that Val had over the weekend after asking herself why she was doing this platform. The answer to her question is what you will hear in this episode. In short, the only way anything ever changes is when a small group of people gather and use their synergy to productively heal themselves and thoughtfully agitate for change in their worlds. It's how it has always been and always will be.  

Listen in and decide if you are someone who wants to be a part of the change that is already underway in our world right now. 

"We Shall Be Known" by MaMuse

Timestamps:

00:00 Bonus Episode Check In

00:32 Existential Questions

02:01 Live Fellowship Vision

03:56 Awakening Or Breakdown

05:54 Labor Pains of New Consciousness

07:05 Thesis Antithesis Synthesis

09:51 Seekers As Change Agents

11:19 Why Side Communities Matter

12:48 Community for Healing and Growth

14:53 Early Church Example

20:02 Feminine Divine and Equality

21:35 Institutions Retrench

26:08 Laboratories of Expanding Consciousness

30:07 Transformation In Groups

34:51 Who This Is For

36:16 Needs The Fellowship Meets

42:45 How Live Fellowship Works

48:40 Founding Group Details

53:36 Song And Great Turning

58:07 Enrollment And Scholarships

01:00:14 Closing Thanks

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

In this conversation Jason contrasts his experience on the BYU faculty both before and during Gilbert's leadership and candidly shares the painful and life altering impact Gilbert's fervor for loyalty and conformity of LDS orthodoxy had on him and his career.  

They also explore the possibility that well-intended loyalty to tradition can actually fracture lives, families, and even the potential good that churches can do in the long run--especially when loyalty to old ways end up getting in the way of further light and truth hiding in plain sight.  

Join them for another bold, courageous, and candid conversation inviting spiritual growth in and around the LDS church. 

Jana's Salt Lake Tribune Article

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Guests

00:36 Why This Topic Matters

01:55 Jana Riess Research

03:42 Jason BYU Background

07:20 Mixed Reactions Online

12:11 Why Gilbert Stands Out

17:27 Culture Warrior Defined

27:12 Polarization and Autonomy

35:53 BYU Orthodoxy Crackdown

40:43 Honor Code Turmoil Timeline

43:58 Choosing to Leave BYU

44:56 Faculty Fear and Silence

47:15 Big Tent Tensions

49:14 Incognito Faculty Support

52:41 Loyalty Oath Explained

58:33 Surveillance and Dismissals

01:00:35 Hiring and Worthiness Filters

01:02:52 Growth Versus Orthodoxy

01:07:31 Data on Same Sex Marriage

01:10:02 What BYU Lost

01:17:44 Evolution One Funeral

01:20:46 Gerontocracy and Mini Me

01:22:07 Final Thanks and Farewell

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

In this episode, Nathan gets personal about some special experiences he has had building bridges of love and understanding with his devout LDS siblings even though they are differ in many ways in belief and practice. He shares some fundamental principles that have guided him, most importantly: dignifying their goodness over any ideological different, being curious instead of judgmental, and being sensitive to their cues when he feels that their conversations have exceeded their windows of tolerance that might threaten their identities too much. 

In the end, Val & Nathan talk about the power of surrendering our need to fix people and leaning into the drive for growth that already exists within each of us and can be activated when we stay in engaged in loving, dignifying dialogue.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome and Setup

00:55 Transcend and Include

01:52 Why Integration Matters

03:12 Sibling Spectrum Story

05:16 Family Background

06:28 Reconnecting After Distance

07:42 Starting the Group Chats

11:43 From Small Talk to Depth

12:59 Staying Safe and Consistent

16:15 Handling Discomfort Signals

17:48 Priesthood Ban Example

23:13 Premises Love and Universalism

23:59 Gentle Nudges Toward Growth

25:33 Politics and Radical Inclusion

26:26 Curiosity Builds Trust

29:27 Letting Go of Outcomes

32:47 Community Without Conformity

35:04 Resigning From the Church

38:01 Rebuilding Social Capital

41:07 A Healthier Baptism Frame

44:31 Choosing When to Push Back

50:11 Strategic Compassion in Dialogue

52:11 Closing Reflections and Grace

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

What is this, you ask? Valerie has decided to offer a gathering place for those on the LDS and surrounding faith expansion journey wanting consistent (2x/month!) connection with her to go deeper into the mind & heart expanding content on both the Monday and Friday tracks of the Latter Day Struggles podcast.  

In this opening gathering, Valerie explored with those in attendance how both The Family Proclamation to the World and the call of Clark Gilbert to the Q12 are reflections of a historical moment and a choice point that all organizations confront as they grow. The question? 

 Do we adapt to a more connected and pluralistic world that is experiencing an awakening of light and truth? Or do we double down in fear-based conformity? 

This amazing interactive Fellowship Live episode gives you a taste of how your faith journey can move beyond a passive listening experience and towards active healing and connection with other seekers like yourself.   

Jump in now and you can become a founding shaper of the first cohesive and intentional community of individuals whose LDS faith journey was an entry point into their greatest spiritual growth and evolution.  

If you listened and this is for you, jump into the Latter Day Struggles LIVE FELLOWSHIP by clicking on the link below and enroll. 

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome: Why Seeing Faces Matters 

00:51 Building a Faith-Expansion Community 

02:33 What a "Sangha" Is 

04:14 How the Fellowship Works 

05:23 What This Space Is (and Isn't) 

07:43 Ground Rules: Staying with Growth 

09:28 Why Context Heals 

10:48 The Family Proclamation & Clark Gilbert 

13:57 America and the LDS Church as Parallel Institutions 

15:52 Master Narratives & Threatened Identity 

19:38 Retrench or Adapt: The Choice Point 

27:00 Discussion: Authoritarian Systems vs. Healthy Communities 

32:54 Pocket Communities Over Polarization 

34:08 Seeing the System with Compassion 

37:50 Why Narrative Change Feels Threatening 

40:00 High-Level Language vs. Real-Life Details 

42:42 Moving Beyond Fixed Rules 

46:45 Transcend & Include 

51:37 Rethinking Prophecy 

56:13 Our Role in the Larger Awakening 

01:00:16 Closing: Breakout Groups & What's Next

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

In this beautiful conversation you will meet Katie who shares the arc of her experience with her devout LDS mother as her own LDS faith journey unfolded. Moving from aggressively wanting everyone to believe exactly like she did to softening into the realization that everyone deserves respect to have their own journey at their own pace, Katie's evolving relationship with her mom is a beautiful example that relationship does not need to demand conformity. 

She also models how transcending and including Mormonism can indeed create deep bonds of connection with our devout LDS loved ones.  

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

02:46 Katie's Faith Journey

05:30 Navigating Faith Differences in Marriage

06:48 Transcend and Include: Conceptual Challenges

09:10 Redefining Belonging and Unity

11:11 Katie's Relationship with Her Mom

14:30 Early Fractures in the Relationship

17:53 Mom's Perspective and Emotional Struggles

20:45 The Grandma Guilt Incident

24:20 Shifting Dynamics and Growth

28:20 Navigating Personal Growth and Family Dynamics

28:36 Balancing Authenticity and Sensitivity

30:16 Bravery in Small Moments

34:12 A Mother's Support at a Pride Event

38:38 Mutual Respect and Understanding

41:15 Mom's Journey with LGBTQ+ Acceptance

43:20 Shopping Trip and Garment Discussion

47:50 Temple Conversations and Boundaries

50:30 Connection Without Uniformity

53:57 Reflecting on Religious Trauma and Gratitude

56:20 Final Thoughts and Closing

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

This episode of Latter Day Struggles continues a two-part conversation about the LDS Church's Proclamation on the Family, examining the tension between claims of unchanging doctrine and the historical reality of doctrinal evolution.

Petrey demonstrates through historical analysis that LDS teachings on gender, sexuality, marriage, and family have repeatedly changed over time—from positions on interracial marriage and the priesthood ban, to birth control prohibitions, plural marriage, conversion therapy for LGBTQ individuals, and women wearing pants. 

The conversation highlights how church leaders have consistently taught that their current positions were "unchanging doctrine" until those positions eventually changed, creating a pattern that contradicts claims of doctrinal fixity. Petrey offers a constructive framework for understanding doctrine as historically contingent and evolving—consistent with the LDS concept of continuing revelation—rather than eternally fixed. 

The Family Proclamation

Op Ed by Taylor Petrey

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction and Welcome 

00:19 - Overview of the Proclamation to the Family 

01:19 - Recap: Last Week's Discussion 

01:31 - Defining Doctrine and Authority 

02:08 - What Does 'Doctrine' Mean to Members? 

03:48 - The Salvational Weight of Doctrine 

05:31 - Elder Rasband's Talk and Proclamation Analysis 

09:40 - Historical Changes in LDS Doctrine 

11:41 - Race, Interracial Marriage, and Doctrinal Change 

13:14 - Birth Control and Plural Marriage 

15:11 - History vs. Faith-Promoting Narratives 

17:34 - Redefining Doctrine: Making Space for Change 

20:06 - Conversion Therapy and Evolving LGBTQ Positions 

22:31 - Holding Contradictory Positions Simultaneously 

25:31 - Challenges of Authoritarianism in the Church 

28:09 - Religious Authority Across Denominations 

32:33 - Who Defines History vs. Who Defines Doctrine? 

34:22 - Doctrine as Continuing Revelation 

35:15 - Concluding Thoughts and Future Directions

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

In this three-part series we will learn from some of you in our Latter Day Struggle Community who are really integrating the concept of transcend + include into their everyday lives. 

Today you will meet Valerie's guest, Kim, who shares how she has been to transcend former ideas about the atonement of Jesus Christ (focused on the appropriateness of blood sacrifice, sin, repentance, and transaction) while including a whole different message about Jesus' impact in her life. 

These 'on the ground' experiences from listeners like you will hopefully help you see that transcendence and inclusion of Mormonism is possible for you in your deepening faith expansion journey and actually the only way to truly expand your consciousness in ways that are healthy and sustainable.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Special Guest Introduction

00:26 Transcending and Including Mormonism

01:30 Community Feedback and Impact

02:31 Real-Life Application and Group Work

04:07 Kim's Journey and Perspective

07:17 Early Understanding of the Atonement

11:30 Questioning and Reevaluating Faith

15:45 Separating God from Church Institution

19:20 Wrestling with Christian Exceptionalism

20:45 A Sacred Story of Service

25:30 The Kitchen Floor Experience and Jesus Parallel

28:15 Journal Entry: Understanding Christ's Love

31:04 Integrating Past and Present Beliefs

35:50 Fear of Losing Sacred Experiences

39:40 Discovering Expanded Love and Empathy

43:20 Learning from All Traditions and Cultures

46:15 Conclusion and Future Episodes

51:45 Closing Thoughts on Growth and Compassion

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

Welcome to this two-part series where Valerie welcomes returned guest scholar Taylor Petrey to discuss the LDS Church's Family Proclamation to the World as it reaches its 30th anniversary.

The heart of the episode centers on Taylor's controversial Salt Lake Tribune opinion piece in September 2025 (linked below) arguing that The Family Proclamation should be understood as commentary rather than revelation or unchanging doctrine. This characterization sparked significant pushback from conservative church members who insisted the document represents eternal, unchanging truth. 

Taylor and Valerie explore the complex and often inconsistent ways that the LDS Church uses terms like doctrine, revelation, policy, and commentary, noting how these categories shift depending on context and speaker. They discuss how the proclamation itself has been reinterpreted over time and set you up for the second part of their conversation where they dive deeply into the changing interpretations themselves.

The Family Proclamation

Op Ed by Taylor Petrey

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:11 Discussing the Family Proclamation

01:48 Cultural and Political Context

04:20 Historical Background of Family Proclamations

07:04 The 1995 Proclamation and Its Impact

13:21 Opinion Piece and Public Reaction

24:43 Controversy and Clarifications

27:57 Historical Changes in Church Teachings

28:33 Modern Reinterpretations of Doctrine

30:42 Balancing Eternal Truths and Continuing Revelation

32:58 The Controversy of Words and Authority

36:15 Revelation vs. Policy: A Case Study

38:10 The Fluidity of Revelation

43:45 The Role of Commentary in Church Doctrine

48:20 Setting Up for the Next Episode

51:36 Final Thoughts and Conclusion

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

Listen in and enjoy more thoughtful conversation about a truly healthy & spiritually progressive faith journey. 

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview

00:51 The Story of Thor and His Son

04:18 Lessons from Thor's Story

04:57 Human Nature and In-Group/Out-Group Dynamics 

07:59 Fear and Hatred in Faith Journeys 

10:49 The Conundrum of Justified Hatred

13:57 Transcend and Include: A New Perspective

17:50 Distinguishing People from Institutions

22:44 Understanding Psychological Development

23:11 Historical Context of Institutional Behavior 

25:14 Stages of Growth and Development

27:50 Teaching Children Perspective-Taking

30:49 The Role of Fear in Development

34:30 Mitigating Fear in Early Stage Faith

38:15 Distinguishing Beliefs from People

42:06 Navigating Mixed Faith Families

45:47 Embodying Compassion and Love

47:30 Parenting Without Teaching Hate

49:23 Concluding Thoughts and Future Directions

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

Val has noticed that this podcast community has served not only to help you make sense of your LDS faith journey but also has created friendship networks that are life enriching in ways no one could have imagined.  

So why not expand our reach and create more places to connect and find healing + community?  

Listen in today for all of the details on the new biweekly LIVE FELLOWSHIP: a place where you go to join live discussions on current podcast topics with Valerie & then make new friends on a healthy LDS faith journey in your own region.  

What could be better? A few details:  

• Join Val for 24 Live Fellowship gatherings a year + recordings if you miss out!
• Jump into the FREE Inaugural LIVE Fellowship on 2/18 at 9:30a PST!
• All who enroll by 2/28/26 get an extra month tacked onto their annual enrollment, compliments of Val :).  
• Already in the Friday Fellowship as an annual member? Your tuition will be applied towards the upgrade (plus an extra discount!) 
• New to all Fellowship Opportunities? Friday Fellowship content is INCLUDED with your annual tuition! 

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

01:12 Announcement of Live Fellowship

01:36 Understanding the Faith Crisis

04:12 Overview of Learning Tiers

04:42 Monday Episodes Explained

06:20 Reframing LDS Doctrine & Theology

08:34 Friday Fellowship Deep Dive

12:30 Transcending & Including Mormonism

14:01 Introduction to Live Fellowship

17:12 Growth and Processing Groups

19:27 Individual Consulting Services

20:30 Why Create the Live Fellowship?

23:50 The Importance of Community

26:10 Forming Side Communities

28:30 Regional Breakout Groups

32:10 Differences: Live Fellowship vs. Depth Groups

34:00 Patriarchy Healing Curriculum

36:08 Logistics and Launch Details

37:00 First Session: Proclamation to the Family

38:30 Second Session: Transcendence & Inclusion

40:00 Recordings & Accessibility

41:00 Scholarships & Faith Journey Foundation

41:37 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

45:10 Ken Wilber Quote on Consciousness

47:30 Individual Transformation & Cultural Change

49:00 Closing Remarks

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

Book referenced: "One Taste" by Ken Wilbur

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Series Overview

02:21 The Two Primary Functions of Religion

03:35 First Function: Creating and Maintaining a Separate Self

08:58 Second Function: Radical Transformation and Liberation

13:27 Horizontal vs. Vertical Development in Religion

28:03 Personal Reflections on Spiritual Growth

42:45 The Role of Horizontal Religion in Early Development

46:26 Preview of Next Episode

47:16 The Role of Religion in Authenticity

47:34 Navigating Relationships with Different Beliefs

48:10 Podcast Conclusion and Listener Engagement

48:59 Introduction to the Series and Recap

49:26 Ken Wilber's Two Functions of Religion

50:40 Translation vs. Transformation Spirituality

51:10 Recommended Episodes for Further Learning

54:18 Challenges of Vertical Development

56:33 The Role of Religious Systems in Transformation

58:29 Horizontal vs. Vertical Religious Growth

01:06:55 The Importance of Legitimacy in Religion

01:16:06 The Shift from Legitimacy to Authenticity

01:19:25 Supporting Loved Ones in Their Spiritual Journey

01:26:57 The Process of Translation in Parenting

01:27:49 Balancing Tradition and Broader Perspectives

01:29:17 Encouraging Transformation in Children

01:31:10 The Role of Higher Consciousness

01:32:08 Acting in Love, Not Fear

01:33:47 Supporting Horizontal Growth

01:40:10 The Call for Courage and Bravery

01:53:32 The Duty to Speak Out

02:08:22 Integrating Transformative Experiences

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

In this episode we share many examples the prove that the traditionally believing and the shall we say...less traditionally believing LDS can co-exist when vulnerability, love, and curiosity are chosen over judgment.  We love you Ken. Thank you for showing us Christ-like love even if you did not understand our work. 

Timestamps: 

00:00 Welcome and New Beginnings 

00:53 Transition to YouTube 

02:52 Memorializing a Mentor 

06:17 Ken Glynn's Impact 

09:54 Personal Stories of Ken 

13:16 Ken's Humility and Kindness 

14:14 Early Leadership Challenges 

19:29 Parenting and Church Dynamics 

20:10 Parental Decisions and Church Conflicts 

22:53 Podcast Beginnings and Community Reactions 

24:04 A Touching Tennis Meet Encounter 

29:32 Mission Preparation and Temple Challenges 

40:31 A Heartfelt Tribute to Bishop Ken

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

In this final episode of this series breaking down the two functions of religion, Val comes on solo to share some personal thoughts. While one of our most important roles on the LDS (and surrounding) faith journey is to offer compassion to those around us in earlier stages of faith, those of us who have caught the vision of what spiritual transformation is cannot stay silent.  

Why?  Because the only way human beings grow is when those on the leading edge of consciousness development make offer a path forward for others.  

Each of us has our own path on what this looks like but one thing is certain--we all arrived where we are by the courage of someone else.  Listen to this one and ponder what your own spiritual leadership might look like! 

Books Referenced: "One Taste" by Ken Wilbur

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction to Transformative Religion

00:58 – The Paradox of Supporting Horizontal Growth

01:54 – Transcend and Include: A Core Concept

03:21 – A Call to Action for Transformative Growth

04:48 – Reading and Reflecting on Wilbur's Essay

07:00 – The Role of Translative Religion

10:00 – The Limits of Horizontal Development

12:59 – The Importance of Passionate Expression

16:00 – The Value of Dialogue and Vulnerability

20:17 – Integrating Transformative Experiences

24:00 – Supporting Others Where They Are

28:00 – The Contagion of Transcendent Spirituality

31:30 – The Movement Toward Deeper Connection

35:57 – Final Thoughts and Encouragement

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website

Please share this episode if it resonates! 

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Overview

00:18 Valerie's Analysis of Early Marriage

02:00 President Oaks' Comments and Valerie's Response

09:10 Exploring the Motivations Behind Encouraging Early Marriage

13:50 Risks and Drawbacks of Early Marriage

25:04 Correlation Between Temple Marriage and Divorce Rates

28:40 Concerns of Church Leadership

31:34 The Marriage Crisis in the Church

32:22 Challenges of Mixed Faith Marriages

33:30 Theological Strain and Parenting in Mixed Faith Marriages

34:44 Historical Context and Faith Crises

36:42 The Push for Early Marriage

39:24 Differentiation of Self and Its Importance

45:06 The Impact of Early Marriage on Development

57:43 Proposing a New Approach to Faith Journeys

01:01:15 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

Join Our Healing From Patriarchy Support Group

Support the show

Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES

Friday Fellowship Annual Access $89

Friday Fellowship Monthly Access $10

Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups

Gift a Scholarship

Download Free Resources

Visit our Website