Unleashing Sister Saints

As I wrap up for the summer, I talk about a research study I'm conducting (with the help of a qualitative research team) titled " Building Faith Communities Where Women in Crisis Find Safety, Support, and Belonging. I thought you would be interested in this. The purpose of this in-depth qualitative study is to examine how faith communities influence the experiences of women who are naviga...

I’m going to take a break for the summer, but felt like I didn’t have an episode that closes the loop on the year, so I’ll do that in this episode, but now I’m thinking I’ll do one more as I’ve been mentioning the Church related research I’ll be doing this summer (and have about 8 qualitative researchers helping with interviews) that I know you’ll be interested in. But for this episode I want to t...

In this episode, I explore a principle that has the power to soften your heart, reshape your relationships, and dramatically shift how you experience both the miraclesand the messes of mortality. It’s the principle of stewardship versus ownership, beautifully taught by Ganel‑Lyn Condie in her recent book: The Stewardship Principle: Reframing Your Life. In this episode, I share my insights on the c...

Decades of research shows that language doesn’t simply describe reality—it actively shapes it. The words we choose influence perception, identity, and behavior, particularly around gender. Everyday phrases, often spoken without awareness, can reinforce stereotypes or subtly erode girls’ and women’s confidence. Several years ago, I published an article titled “ Why Calling Women ‘Girls’ Is a Bigger...

In this episode of Unleashing Sister Saints, we’re diving into one of the most soul‑shifting themes in Latter‑day Saint theology: our relationship with our Heavenly Mother. I recently read the 2025 book titled Mother in Heaven: AGospel Topics Essay Study Guide by Carnicelli, Caudle, and Krishna (and many other authors who did individual sections), and I was struck—again and again—by how deeply thi...

I recently finished a powerful new book titled Using Friction to Grow: Stories of Strength & Resilience—LDS Women 1968–1976 , written by my friend Robin Ritch. A year or so ago, Robin told me she felt inspired to interview a group of women whose lives didn’t fit the traditional mold of “Mormon womanhood” in the 1970s and 80s. I love that she followed that prompting. The way she wove together t...

I recently finished reading the book “70x7: Jesus’s Path to Conflict Transformation” by Chad Ford. I shared some of my favorite passages, along with some insights, in the last episode, and will continue in this episode as well. As I continued reading, Ford raised a question that feels especially relevant in our polarized world: “How do we invite restoration among those who don’t want to embrace, w...

During the last several months, I've read the book "70 x7: Jesus’s Path to Conflict Transformation" by Chad Ford. He is an expert on peacebuilding and conflict transformation and is a member of the Church as well. In this episode, I share some of the passages that connected deeply with me. These topics are important not just to consider, but to implement in our lives. I would recomme...

In this podcast episode of Unleashing Sister Saints, I share a few personal experiences when the prayers of sisters have been incredibly powerful and meaningful to me. I mention that in many ways I have tried to stay in my "lane" as a woman in the Church, but I'm challenging myself and listeners to consider if our "lane" is bigger than we have thought - particularly with pr...

This episode is the fifth in a series designed to help parents, family members, educators, and community members better understand gender differences so we can more effectively support the children, youth, and families in our lives. The first editorial examined how boys and girls see the world, the second explored how they hear, the third focused on how they smell, and the fourth looked at what re...

Gender differences continue to fascinate scientists across disciplines, and for good reason. Some researchers argue that sex differences in childhood may have an even greater impactthan those that emerge later in life. As children grow, many distinctions between boys and girls begin to blend. Yet other studies suggest the picture is far more complex than a simple convergence over time. This episod...

I’m doing a series of short episodes on understanding gender – particularly some of the differences between boys, girls, men, and women. I find it so interesting to learn more about how our Heavenly Parents have created our bodies – I think there are specific reasons for these differences, but we don’t really writes or talk about differences other than what the Proclamation to the Family states –...

In the last episode—titled “Are There Differences in the Ways that Girls and Boys See the World?” – so difference in “sight.” I started a 5-part series around differences between girls and boys - or between men and women. This is the second in the series, and this one focuses on sound or hearing. I find this fascinating! Listen in.

Conversations about the differences between girls and boys—and between women and men—often make people uneasy. Some fear that acknowledging differences will reinforce stereotypes or limit opportunities. Yet ignoring those differences may do exactly the same thing. The current cultural trend toward “gender neutrality” or “gender blindness” is often rooted in good intentions. But research increasing...

Although I never set out early in my career to research orwrite about sexism, the work found me. As I spent years studying how to develop girls and women into leaders, it became impossible to ignore how persistently sexism undermines that process—both from the outside and within. I’ve learned that sexist beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors shape far more than a girl’s or woman’s sense of identity; t...

In this episode I share an editorial I wrote for a statewide Utah that has applications to other states, countries, communities, and congregations. It is research-based and focused on why it is so hard to confront and change things around the issues of confronting violence against women. Listen in.

Each January offers more than a fresh calendar—it gives us a quiet invitation to rethink how we move through the world. Not through grand resolutions that fade by February, but through something far more powerful: examining the patterns of thought that shape who we are and how we show up for others. These mental habits—often invisible to us—steer our choices in our families, workplaces, communitie...

President Jeffrey R. Holland passed away earlier this week, and he and his family have been in my thoughts are prayers. Of course, like so many of you, I loved his words – both the content and the way he delivered his sermons. He had a style that was sincere, powerful, thoughtful, insightful, and so much more. We all loved him so much, and we’ll all feel this loss. Of course, I’m sure that Preside...

I'm smiling as I release this episode as it is a little difference. I’ve been using AI for ideas, definitions, and other things the last few months, and I’m so intrigued with how it just knows things – it remembers and it does research so fast. Anyway – the last few weeks I’ve not gotten any inspiration coming my way for episodes. I’ve gone through a lot of challenges with support for the work...

I recently had a commentary published in The Salt Lake Tribune that I thought you might find interesting. Through the years, I’ve had many people new to Utah mention how different our state is from others. Although it is invisible to most people who live here, certain things stand out to new folks that are just part of the “Utah culture.” Although some comments are positive—like our high volunteer...

This episode focuses on the recent sister missionary age change from 19 to 18. I actually really love this for a number of reasons. I talk about those, and I also highlight results from a study I led several years ago about the leadership development gained by women serving full-time missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint. Listen in! UWLP Mission Study: The Leadership Developm...

In September of 2025, the Utah Foundation – a partnerorganization that I have respected for years – published a report titled, “Households and Heritages: How Family Health Hooks into Social Capital.” The report begins with a statement that aligns with Latter-day Saint beliefs: “Family is the basic building block of society and a core component of social capital. Stable families provide ways for ch...

Dr. Chelom Leavitt is an amazing person with a fascinating background, from attending law school at BYU to later earning a Ph. D. in Human Development and Family Studies from Penn State. She now works as an associate professor at BYU where she studies healthy sexuality in committed relationships, including sexuality and mindfulness, and how women experience and contribute to sex differently than m...

A month ago, the Salt Lake Tribune published apiece I wrote that they titled “Voices: In a place like Utah, ‘moral credits’ can’t make up for how we treat women.” The subtitle was “Maybe some of the conditions that create women’s conditions are unconscious — but they could beheightened in religious cultures.” In this episode, I read this for you as it is an interesting concept to think about. I do...

In this episode, I wrestle with the topic of people leaving the church for a variety of reasons and how I've evolved in my thinking about it. I also talk about why I choose to stay, and the "wrestle" many of us have with our minds and hearts in this space. This includes a conscious decision to make continuous efforts to keep our heart soft. I hope it is helpful for those who want to...