Latter Day Struggles

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: Torn: Why People We Love are Leaving the Church & What We Can Learn from Them [Part 1 of 3] In this three part series, Valerie is joined by Jeff Strong- friend, colleague, and author of the best-selling book Torn: Why People We Love are Leaving the Church & What We Can Learn from Them. In this opening episode, Jeff shares his personal experience as...

Send us a Positive Review! In this episode, Valerie & colleague Jana Spangler are guests on Dan Wotherspoon's Latter Day Faith podcast where they talk about a little known version of the human shadow.   Many of us know about the 'classic shadow'...you know...parts of ourselves that we are ashamed of and seek to hide.  What about parts of ourselves that we also hide...even though...

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: "Latter Day Missionaries": A Mental Health Resource for LDS Missionaries & their Families [Part II of II] In this episode Dr. Bryson Ensign joins Valerie again to unpack OCD & scrupulosity in the LDS mission field. This episode first explores how Dr. Bryson covers OCD/scrupulosity in his "Mental Health Training Center". It also e...

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: "Latter Day Missionaries": A Mental Health Resource for LDS Missionaries & their Families [Part I of II] Do you know anyone who experienced issues with anxiety, depression, homesickness, getting along with that annoying companion, or struggles with shame and perfectionism on their LDS mission? Was that you? Your child? If you have been touched...

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: Religion IS Political [Part VII of VII] This final episode of this series is our response to the point of view that Jesus did not ‘get political’. Jesus (and each of us) cannot avoid being political. We state our “politics” with each stance to either uphold or resist dominator hierarchies. And Jesus’ whole ministry can be defined by resistance to any system...

Send us a Positive Review! Hey listeners of the Latter Day Struggles podcast!  Join Val in this bonus episode as she answers audience questions that will help you feel like you've come to the right place for psychologically sound resources and community on your LDS faith expansion journey.    We're not about burning anything down.  We are about bridging.  Building. Expanding.  Transcendi...

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: Religion IS Political [Part VI of VII] In this episode Val & Nathan break down what religious institutional silent is communicating in times of social unrest.  Don't miss this episode or series if you want to more deeply understand why religions are simply never neutral!  They are loudly communicating what they stand for when they choose silence ov...

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: Religion IS Political [Part V of VII] In this episode exploring the intersection of religion and politics, Val & Nathan explore several specific areas where politics and religion are addressing the exact same fundamental questions around human dignity & worth; justice & injustice; and the appropriate use of power.   They then compare how these f...

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: Religion IS Political [Part IV of VII] In this episode Val & Nathan continue to build a case that it is impossible for religious systems to be "neutral" on political issues. They explore how society evolves as religions & political systems engage in the dance of shaping and being shaped by one another and how in every era brave individuals...

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: Religion IS Political [Part III of VII] In this episode Val & Nathan go more "macro" and explain how churches (just like human beings and human civilizations) go through stages of development and that a church will choose its stances of "significant moral consequence"  accordingly.  In short, if a church is focused on earlier stage l...

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: Religion IS Political [Part II of VII] In this episode Val & Nathan walk through the last several decades and map issues of high and low LDS political involvement, offering a template for what the church feels is significant enough to merit their active public statements, financial resources, active instruction to LDS membership regarding the vote.   Wh...

Send us a Positive Review! In this Bonus Episode, Val answers some piling up questions about the power of healing that uniquely happens in the Latter Day Struggles Fundamentals of LDS Faith Crisis Healing Groups that hundreds of you have experienced in the past 3+ years.   A few of the questions that she answers:   **What is the difference between your Faith Crisis Healing groups and your new Live...

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: Religion IS Political [Part I of VII] Anyone else noticing religious leaders from some faith traditions throughout the world speaking out against more and more egregious forms of US government-imposed violence, force, exploitation of power, and unaccountability at levels unfathomable until only recently? And other churches, LDS included choose silence and s...

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: An Exploration of the Idea of "Normal" within the LDS Church [Part II of II]  In this episode Val breaks down a couple of concepts that are NEVER talked about--the difference between "normal" in a family, church, or any collective and what is "normative" in that same group.  NORMAL = "what we do around here that keeps thin...

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title:  An Exploration of the Idea of "Normal" within the LDS Church [Part I of II] In this fun collaboration with Casey & Will of the Pioneer Paradox Podcast, Val comes on wearing her "psychologist's hat" to talk about concepts within the LDS faith that seem normal until one squints and realizes that maybe they are common but definite...

Send us a Positive Review! In this episode Valerie introduces you to Mark Crego, fellow Latter-day Saint seeker, whose own many-decades-long faith journey led him to create a not-for-profit organization to help those in faith crisis in the LDS church get the resources they need.  In the episode Mark's passion to help others is fueled by the memory of being a young man with questions and nowhe...

Send us a Positive Review! Hey Latter Day Struggles!  Due to your many requests—we are dropping a Latter Day Struggles series in “audiobook” format. You can enjoy the entire narrative arc in a single, uninterrupted format! Enjoy the experience as things 'click' into place as you take in this 'audiobook'! Please let us know what is happening within you as you transcend and inclu...

Send us a Positive Review! In this follow up episode on recent LDS news that women are now allowed to serve in Sunday School presidencies, Val & Nathan pivot to the peculiar part of the announcement prohibiting no "mixed-gender" presidencies and share the outcome of their exploration of this odd move.   Upon deeper reflection, the move seems less about worries about slippery slopes t...

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: Straight Talk on Patriarchy and Harm [Part II of II] In this episode Val & Nathan lay out a several reasons why they feel that the LDS church is not able to address the strong correlation between its patriarchal structure, s*xual abuse & s*xual abuse under-reporting. The foundation of this struggle is a refusal to question the divinity of patriarchy...

Send us a Positive Review! In this episode I respond to your requests to explore the March 2026 Church news release announcing that women can now serve in ward Sunday School presidencies, and how this is linked to stages of psychological/faith development. Please share this episode if it resonates! Link to the church's announcement can be found HERE . Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome and context 01:...

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: Straight Talk on Patriarchy and Harm [Part I of II]  In this episode I read to you a shocking and brilliant article that I wish every Latter-day Saint can hear. This is a tough topic but one where reform will not touch until we start looking it in the eye. Please listen and share this article. Thank you to the Dialogue Foundation and to the author Suzanne E...

Send us a Positive Review! One thing that Val is always juggling is how to do it all and maintain her sense of humor, high commitment to play, and overall sanity.  She loves running the podcast, the groups, and squeezes work with amazing LDS faith-journeying individuals and couples between the cracks (which is a highlight of her week!)  Fitting it all in can become tricky, which is why she has bee...

Send us a Positive Review! We've heard it a thousand times...and probably have said it a few times ourselves.  "The ________will never change."  You fill in the blank..."The world will never change" or "the church will never change"...and yet they do.   How does evolution actually happen?  This "bonus episode" is a download that Val had over the weekend...

Send us a Positive Review! In this episode Val is joined by Jana Riess, author and researcher of the LDS spectrum of experience and Jason Bergman, former BYU professor & faculty member.  Together they discuss the many facets of the Clark Gilbert call to the Q12 of the LDS church.    In this conversation Jason contrasts his experience on the BYU faculty both before and during Gilbert's lea...

Send us a Positive Review! Join us for this one-time-only recording of our FIRST Latter Day Struggles "Live Fellowship"!   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 Frid...