

Latter Day Struggles
Valerie Hamaker
The Latter Day Struggles Podcast addresses beliefs and issues within the LDS faith that are challenging to talk about but vital to discuss for those trying to navigate their relationship in or around the church. Valerie and her guests invite psychological maturity, theological health, and institutional integrity.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 8, 2022 • 20min
27: The "If/Then" Temptation: Resisting the Urge to Oversimplify the Complex
Send us a Positive Review!In this episode, Val and Nathan share how in the church we sometimes use the transitive property of logic to draw sweeping conclusions to issues that merit individual study and personal discernment. No matter what they told you to teach in the MTC, if one thing is true (or false), then everything else is not necessarily true (or false). Support the showSupport the show Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES Friday Episodes Annual Access $89 Friday Episodes Monthly Access $10 Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups Gift a Scholarship Download Free Resources Visit our Website

Jul 1, 2022 • 19min
26: Dad's Contribution to Mom's Numbness
Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: When Mom Feels Like a Robot [Part II of II]Join Val in a brief follow up to her last episode discussing the negative psychological, emotional, and relational, and spiritual impact that women often experience due to the LDS church's historical hyper-focus on marriage and childrearing as a woman's primary role in life. This episode focuses on how the men in these women's lives both impact and are impacted by this phenomenon.Support the showSupport the show Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES Friday Episodes Annual Access $89 Friday Episodes Monthly Access $10 Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups Gift a Scholarship Download Free Resources Visit our Website

Jun 28, 2022 • 17min
25: Why Moms Might Feel Numb
Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: When Mom Feels Like a Robot [Part I of II]Join Valerie in this episode as she breaks down a typical client that comes into her private counseling practice...the numb, exhausted, dutiful, mom. Our work together is to learn more about how she got here and how its possible that she can feel so crappy after having done all of the right things. Support the showSupport the show Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES Friday Episodes Annual Access $89 Friday Episodes Monthly Access $10 Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups Gift a Scholarship Download Free Resources Visit our Website

Jun 24, 2022 • 39min
24: On Inverted Spiritual Value Systems: Facial Hair, Piercings, etc.
Send us a Positive Review!Join Valerie and Nathan as they address a podcast listener's question regarding "rules" about a variety of dress/grooming related issues that are given at church and seem random, unimportant, and even not appropriate to be dictating to a body of thoughtful, discerning human beings. In this episode they talk about the concept of the "inverted value system" where some churches involve themselves in the unimportant details of a clean-cut (and therefore "Christian-appearing" membership) while underemphasizing and under-supporting its members issues that can truly connect them with God. Support the showSupport the show Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES Friday Episodes Annual Access $89 Friday Episodes Monthly Access $10 Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups Gift a Scholarship Download Free Resources Visit our Website

Jun 22, 2022 • 31min
23: PRIDE: On Honoring or Interfering with Another's Essential Identity
Send us a Positive Review!Join Val and Nathan as they share some thoughts on why gender and sexuality is a topic that brings up strong feelings in just about everyone. And it should bring up strong feelings, because these are core parts of our individual identities. Each of us has a journey to discover the depths of ourselves---including who we are in the realms of sexuality and gender. And when other people or institutions meddle in this sacred process, it hurts people. Listen to their own process of how their theology and beliefs about gender, sexuality, and God's infinite love for his children has evolved. Support the showSupport the show Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES Friday Episodes Annual Access $89 Friday Episodes Monthly Access $10 Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups Gift a Scholarship Download Free Resources Visit our Website

Jun 17, 2022 • 33min
22: On Spiritual Rigidity, Word of Wisdom, & Gandhi as a Work in Progress
Send us a Positive Review!Join Valerie and Nathan this week as they riff about obedience to rules as opposed to obedience to conscience and highlight how even those who are considered the most evolved are held hostage to their own culture's anxieties, fears, and quirks. The good news is that maybe we are all just beautifully messy and in need of self and other compassion and an increase in "chill". Support the showSupport the show Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES Friday Episodes Annual Access $89 Friday Episodes Monthly Access $10 Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups Gift a Scholarship Download Free Resources Visit our Website

Jun 13, 2022 • 34min
21: On Temple Marriage & the Weight of Family Tradition
Send us a Positive Review!Join Valerie and guest host Brannon as they talk about a struggle brought into Valerie's therapy practice where a bride and groom are working on making the hard choice to be true to themselves even if that means devastating extended family about their desire to not marry in the temple. Is it possible that their greatest act of integrity and growth is to do what feels right to them even in the face of massive social and spiritual pressures? Support the showSupport the show Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES Friday Episodes Annual Access $89 Friday Episodes Monthly Access $10 Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups Gift a Scholarship Download Free Resources Visit our Website

Jun 10, 2022 • 44min
20: Dissent as the Greatest Catalyst of Systemic Integrity
Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: The Sanctity of Dissent [Part V of V]In this final episode on Valerie and Nathan's series on the sacred nature of dissent, they talk about how paradoxically, dissent is the foundation of true peace. What? Yes, it is. True peace can only be attained through complex dialogue amongst parties whose ideas are all considered and welcomed. They also address how the ability to dissent safeguards all communities from eventual disintegration (walking away) and finally and most importantly how dissent is truly holy because it requires each of us to ultimately be accountable not to any earthly authority, but to our divine parents directly. Don't miss this one!Support the showSupport the show Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES Friday Episodes Annual Access $89 Friday Episodes Monthly Access $10 Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups Gift a Scholarship Download Free Resources Visit our Website

6 snips
Jun 6, 2022 • 45min
10: On Normalizing & Honoring Separate Faith Journeys in LDS Marriage
Send us a Positive Review!Join Brannon and Val in this comical and true-to-life (and perhaps familiar sounding) struggle between two spouses juggling the needs of their primary-aged children, less-active older children, and their own messy faith questions...all at the same time. How can couples authentically have their own very different journeys while also trying to cultivate faith in their kids? And not have a nervous breakdown in the process?Support the showSupport the show Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES Friday Episodes Annual Access $89 Friday Episodes Monthly Access $10 Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups Gift a Scholarship Download Free Resources Visit our Website

Jun 5, 2022 • 37min
19: On Speaking the Truth, Even When My Voice Shakes
Send us a Positive Review!Join Valerie and Nathan as they talk about recent incidents related to their talking about dissent in the LDS faith. Their 5 Part "sacred nature of dissent" series (which is rudely interrupted by this episode...there IS one more episode left in this series) has brought up some angst in "concerned" listeners (because...dissent) and Valerie and Nathan share their experience processing through why they keep at this podcast, why you might be too anxious to share it but maybe still should :), and why we are all being extraordinarily brave in challenging the status quo by having these "taboo" kinds of sacred conversations.Support the showSupport the show Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES Friday Episodes Annual Access $89 Friday Episodes Monthly Access $10 Valerie’s Support & Processing Groups Gift a Scholarship Download Free Resources Visit our Website


