Send us a Positive Review! In this not-to-be-missed episode, Val interviews Michael McLean (of The Forgotten Carols and Mr. Kruger's Christmas) and his delightful son Jeff about a book they just co-wrote recounting their journey to unconditional love for self and one another in a religious tradition that still struggles to embrace the reality that the worth of EVERY soul (not just the married heterosexual soul!) is infinitely good, lovable, & 'enough'. This conversation is candid, ...

Send us a Positive Review! In this episode, Val is joined by Greg Prince, and their focus begins with Hugh B Brown’s legacy of gutsy leadership & expands to an exploration of the broader implications of the LDS Church's aging leaders (due to their succession-by-seniority-policy multiplied by advancements in medicine in the past several decades). Does modern science about increasing life expectancy & therefore increased dementia risk in elderly leaders call for a conversation abo...

Send us a Positive Review! The news is getting out. Patriarchy harms everyone in its clutches. The women and children of course. But men too. Actually, it hurts them a lot. The more we have words for how this hurts us, the more we can advocate for change but also embody change in how we see ourselves, treat one another and live our lives. If you are just realizing that much of your faith crisis is connected to the massive impact that patriarchy has had on you and you're ready to ...

Send us a Positive Review! In this special Office Hours recording, a couple dozen people joined Valerie to talk about the emotional experience that only the former devout Mormon will understand. Why does this weekend bring up so much? Listen to Val & four of the guests that attended this Office Hours recording as they talk about grief, loneliness, fear, and confusion. They hit topics that likely hit home with you too: about parenting and mixed faith marriage emoti...

Send us a Positive Review! Just a quick announcement to start a process of changing my philosophy here on Latter Day Struggles. I care deeply about two things: YOU... And offering psychologically healing content for your Mormon faith expansion journey. If time or resources have ever been a barrier in joining one of my deeply healing groups--this upcoming pilot experiment group is for YOU. To all of you licensed and graduate level mental health workers out there who so loyally support me...

Send us a Positive Review! Very few of us doubt that we have been profoundly impacted by the imprints of patriarchy in our early personality development. What most do not know is that this is not a 'life sentence'. In this episode Val walks through her passion, approach, and even a few specific activities built into her updated Healing from Patriarchy group curriculum. If you are not sure if this experience if for you, this episode is for you. If you are worried about sharing vulnerable...

Send us a Positive Review! Patriarchy impacts people at a soul-wrenching level, and perhaps no other group is more stricken than our LGBTQ+ community. Please join us for a re-drop of a beautiful episode looking at Carol Lynn Pearson's breathtaking book, Goodbye, I Love You, which Valerie references to describe a 5 messages internalized by LDS queer people AND 5 healing counterpoints- deep truths about the divine identities of our queer loved ones and selves. Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome an...

Send us a Positive Review! In this priceless short series, Val & Carol Lynn delve into Carol Lynn's deepest passion: feminism. Listen is as she delights us with stories about her unforgettable one-woman play "Mother Wove the Morning" and even moves into her amazing actress role and performs 2 of her characters! Then join Val & CLP as they talk about another version of 'baptisms for the dead'...the feminist version. You'll love these episodes and likely want to listen many...

Send us a Positive Review! In honor of our very beloved Carol Lynn Pearson (a bold, sassy woman and the dearest of mentors to me) I wanted to share this beautiful two-part conversation that we had early in the podcast. Listen in and take in what true wit, wisdom, courage, healthy personal authority and value of one's community looks like all wrapped up in one glorious woman. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro and Re-Release 03:29 Meet Carolyn Pearson 10:38 Writing as Calling 15:37 Goodbye I Love ...

Send us a Positive Review! Join Val as her audience while she does a final run through on a topic that has come to be a passion project for her on Latter Day Struggles. In short, what can we do as faith-expanding people in and around the LDS church to ease the polarization between the fiery fundamentalist Mormon and the fiery Ex-Mormon? Oddly enough, these two "poles" exist as counterpoints to one another on the opposite extreme. If one pole chooses a "third way" balance is...