1857: Overcoming Depression as a Mormon Mom - Tara Herbert Pt. 2
Jan 26, 2024
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Tara Herbert, a Mormon mom, shares her challenging journey within Mormonism and motherhood. She speaks about the pressure and struggles she faced, the erasure of women's roles in Mormon theology, and the sexism within the faith. Tara navigates her disillusionment, finding solace in stepping away from Mormonism and embracing a more liberated perspective on life and motherhood. She prioritizes her mental health and autonomy, recognizing the importance of complexity and personal growth. The podcast also explores her experiences with mental health, adoption, and the lack of support within the Mormon religion for moms.
Tara Herbert confronts the erasure of women's roles within Mormon theology and the limitations it placed on her identity and well-being.
Tara prioritizes her mental health and autonomy, recognizing the importance of complexity and personal growth over a simplistic notion of happiness propagated by her former faith.
Tara highlights the significance of finding her own identity and redefining what it means to be a woman and a mother outside of the expectations imposed by the Mormon Church.
Tara discusses her journey of embracing her individuality and finding joy and fulfillment in pursuing a career and being financially independent.
Deep dives
Struggles with Mental Health and Parenthood
The speaker shares her experiences of dealing with mental health challenges, particularly anxiety and depression, while navigating parenthood. She opens up about feeling detached from her child, experiencing panic attacks, and struggling with paranoia. She also discusses her journey of seeking counseling and medication to address these issues.
Meeting Her Biological Mother
The speaker recounts her emotions and experience of meeting her biological mother for the first time. Initially expecting a different outcome, she felt anger and resentment due to the stark differences between her biological mother's life and her own struggles. This encounter added further complexity to her already challenging situation, exacerbating her feelings of abandonment and grief.
Conflicting Beliefs and Resentment Towards Mormon Theology
The speaker describes her growing resentment and dissatisfaction with Mormon theology. She questions the limited roles and expectations placed on women within the religion, feeling disconnected from the idea of an eternal life centered around creating and caring for children. The conflicting beliefs and frustration contribute to her increasing state of depression and unhappiness.
Overcoming Challenges and Seeking Support
The speaker shares her journey of seeking support and finding ways to cope with her mental health challenges. She eventually finds medication and counseling, which provide some relief. She also highlights the importance of finding a supportive network and engaging in activities that bring joy and fulfillment, such as going back to work and forming meaningful connections outside of the church community.
Finding Freedom and Healing
In this podcast episode, Tara Herbert shares her journey of leaving the Mormon Church and finding freedom and healing. She discusses the toxic aspects of Mormonism and how it impacted her mental health. Tara talks about the importance of questioning and exploring one's beliefs and how it led her to step away from the restrictive and male-centric world of Mormonism. She highlights the significance of finding her own identity and redefining what it means to be a woman and a mother outside of the expectations imposed by the church. Tara also discusses the challenges she faced in navigating her relationships and finding a sense of peace and self-acceptance.
Breaking Free from Religious Expectations
Tara Herbert shares her experience of breaking free from the religious expectations and cultural norms of Mormonism. She discusses her journey of self-discovery and redefining her beliefs and values outside of the Mormon framework. Tara emphasizes the importance of being true to oneself and finding personal happiness and fulfillment. She explores the challenges of navigating her relationships, including with her biological family, and the ongoing process of healing from past traumas. Through embracing complexity and embracing the idea of not having all the answers, Tara finds a sense of peace and freedom in living life on her own terms.
Embracing Individuality and Parenthood
Tara Herbert discusses her journey of embracing her individuality and redefining her roles as a woman and a mother outside of the constraints of Mormonism. She shares her experiences of finding joy and fulfillment in pursuing a career and being financially independent. Tara highlights the importance of open and honest communication within her family and how it has helped her in creating a healthier and more authentic parenting style. She acknowledges the complexities and contradictions she faces in her journey, acknowledging that finding peace and happiness is an ongoing process. In embracing her true self, Tara feels a sense of empowerment and fulfillment in her roles as a mother and as an individual.
Tara Herbert recounts her challenging journey within Mormonism and motherhood, reflecting on the societal pressures and personal struggles she faced. Despite feeling unprepared, she experienced the birth of her first child within the confines of Mormon teachings, grappling with the disconnection she felt towards motherhood and the expectations placed upon women. Tara delves into the erasure of women's roles within Mormon theology, feeling disrespected and marginalized. She confronts the sexist doctrines and rituals of the faith, ultimately realizing the toxicity of the environment and its limitations on her identity and well-being. Through personal and familial trials, including PTSD and infertility, Tara navigates her disillusionment with Mormonism, finding solace in stepping away from its constraints and embracing a more liberated perspective on life and motherhood. Despite fluctuating emotions towards her past experiences, Tara prioritizes her mental health and autonomy, recognizing the importance of complexity and personal growth over the pursuit of a simplistic notion of happiness propagated by her former faith.
