Latter Day Struggles

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: What does the Family Proclamation Mean to You? [Episode II of II] 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 LD...

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title:  What does the Family Proclamation Mean to You? [Episode I of II] 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...

Send us a Positive Review! Have you ever listened to a Latter Day Struggles episode and wanted nothing more than to talk about it but no one is around or would understand?  Have you noticed that while your heart is growing faster than ever, your relationships are changing just as fast?   Val has noticed that this podcast community has served not only to help you make sense of your LDS faith journe...

Send us a Positive Review! In this  episode Nathan & I pause to honor the impact that Ken Glenn had on us at this time of his early and tragic passing.   In this episode we share many examples that prove that the traditionally believing [Ken] and the… shall we say...less traditionally believing…[us!] LDS can co-exist, when vulnerability, love, and curiosity are chosen over judgment.    We love...

Send us a Positive Review! In this episode I respond to your requests to explore President Dallin Oaks' desire that LDS girls get married younger.  As a bonus, I propose a counter-solution to. the current LDS mixed-faith marriage crisis that does not involve pressuring younger marriage (and its well-documented risk factors) on LDS young adults.   Please share this episode if it resonates!   T...

Send us a Positive Review! With well over a million downloads since its first drop in March of 2022, the Latter Day Struggles podcast has established itself the place to find peace, healing, community, and words to describe your Latter-day Saint faith and trust crisis.   It is where thousands have come to realize that deep within themselves is a True Self capable of mapping out their own spiritual...

Send us a Positive Review! Series title: Mormon Faith Crisis—Progression, Not Pathology [Part III of III] In this episode Valerie welcomes back friend and researcher Jeff Strong for the third installment of their series exploring Jeff's research learning about the actual experiences of thousands of Latter-day Saints.  The theme that came through?  Massive amounts of TENSION.   Today they go d...

Send us a Positive Review! As we begin 2026 and the fourth year of the Latter Day Struggles Podcast, we wanted to say THANK YOU to ALL supporters of the podcast and platform!  So please enjoy this Office Hours recording and a podcast episode that is one that is a must-listen!  In this timely conversation Valerie tackles Elder Anderson's recent general conference talk on abortion. In one hour...

Send us a Positive Review! Series title: Mormon Faith Crisis—Progression, Not Pathology [Part II of III] In today's episode Valerie and guest researcher Jeff Strong explore why people in the same LDS congregation can experience church so differently, depending on where they are in their faith journey. They introduce Jeff’s model of six faith mindsets—seekers, cultivators, protectors, avoiders...

Send us a Positive Review! Series title: Mormon Faith Crisis—Progression, Not Pathology [Part I of III]  The data is rolling in and Wow…if you want to know what’s really on the hearts and minds of many active Latter-day Saints, this 3-part series is a GOLD MINE.  Join Val and colleague Jeff Strong, prominent researcher on Mormon faith crisis as they begin to look at some of Jeff’s team’s large-sca...

Send us a Positive Review! In this episode of Latter Day Struggles, Valerie and guest Maxine Hanks dive into the complexities of reform and personal wellness within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This fascinating conversation explores the first-hand experience of two women whose influential work spans a half-century in the LDS spotlight. With this time-span as a reference point,...

Send us a Positive Review! In this part one of a two-part conversation, Valerie is joined by Maxine Hanks for a deeply personal and reflective conversation exploring their parallel journeys as Latter-day Saint female thought leaders navigating faith transitions, church discipline, and personal empowerment.  This episodes is more a tender conversation between two friends than an interview where bot...

Send us a Positive Review! In today's BONUS EPISODE Val breaks down some ideas around why the LDS Church is uniquely vulnerable to the underreporting of child sex abuse.  While some of its issues will be vulnerabilities of all patriarchal systems, there are others that might be unique to the LDS church due to its history, doctrine, practices, and culture.   Listen in as Val walks through her...

Send us a Positive Review! Join Valerie and therapist colleague Dr. Julie Hanks in this recording of a recent “Instagram Live” where they explored the recent breaking news from LDS Newsroom decreasing the eligibility age from 19 to 18 for young women interested in serving full-time missions.  In this conversation Val and Julie tackle possible as variety of topics, including short term and long ter...

Send us a Positive Review! If Episode 384 (the one right before this one!) addresses the larger psychological question of why the holidays & family events can be extra challenging and painful for those on the LDS faith expansion journey--then this episode answers the equally relevant follow up question:  What can I actually do to maximize my potential to feel present and grounded at these holi...

Send us a Positive Review! Are you curious about what has happened in the minds and hearts of the Hamakers eight months post-resignation from the LDS church due to the waves that this podcast has made throughout the world for the past couple of years?   Well, one thing that happened changed Val's life and is now changing hundreds of Latter Day Struggles Podcast listener's lives too.  It...

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: Unpacking LDS Polygamy Developments in 2025 [Part II of II] Join Valerie and Jana Spangler as they finish their conversation about the fascinating currents of 2025 surrounding polygamy in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In this episode they dissect the release of a new gospel topic essay solidifying Joseph Smith's role as the originato...

Send us a Positive Review! Unpacking LDS Polygamy Developments in 2025 [Part I of II] Join Valerie and her guest Jana Spangler in the next two Monday episodes as they delve into the complexities of polygamy within the Mormon church, focusing on the year 2025 when several significant events around this topic unfolded.  They discuss how early Mormon history, particularly Joseph Smith's revelati...

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: A Two-Hundred Year Old Mirror: How the Faith Expansion Journey has Always Made Christian Leadership Sweat! [Episode II of II] In this thought-provoking episode, Valerie and guest Casey McFarland dive into part two of their series comparing the dynamics between orthodox leadership and progressive membership in both the early Christian church and in The Churc...

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: A Two-Hundred Year Old Mirror: How the Faith Expansion Journey has Always Made Christian Leadership Sweat! [Episode I of II] In the next two Monday episodes you are going to LOVE this conversation between Valerie and her friend Casey McFarland (of @pioneerparadox) as they discuss a fascinating aspect of early Christian history that is sure to resonate with...

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: An Exploration of ‘Fabricated Fellowship’ & ‘Harmful Religiosity’ on the Path Towards Healing Spiritual Community [Part IV of IV] Join Valerie and her special guests, Steve and Ginger Hitz, in the final episode of a profound four-part series focused on the crucial role that community can play in fostering environments of growth and spiritual flourishing...

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: An Exploration of ‘Fabricated Fellowship’ & ‘Harmful Religiosity’ on the Path Towards Healing Spiritual Community [Part III of IV] In this thought-provoking episode, Valerie and guests Ginger and Steve continue to delve into discuss their book, 'Igniting the Holy Flame.' In this episode the topic turns to a core principle key community spiritu...

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: An Exploration of ‘Fabricated Fellowship’ & ‘Harmful Religiosity’ on the Path Towards Healing Spiritual Community [Part II of IV] In this second episode (of a four-part Monday series), Valerie dives deeper with Steve and Ginger Hitz, authors of 'Igniting the Holy Flame.' The conversation centers on the barriers to spiritual thriving in church...

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: An Exploration of ‘Fabricated Fellowship’ & ‘Harmful Religiosity’ on the Path Towards Healing Spiritual Community [Part I of IV] As Richard Rohr has often said, "It is through great love and great suffering" that the soul grows the most rapidly and the most durably. In this four-part series (every MONDAY for the next four weeks!) fall in love...

Send us a Positive Review! Join Dr. Julie Hanks & Valerie in a heartfelt audience Q&A addressing their shared passion as therapists working with thousands of people in and around The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Listen in and find hope and comfort as these two women answer questions about their eventful year promoting, leading, and trying to embody (although imperfectly!) l...