Subscriber-only episodeSend us a Positive Review!Series Title: The Feminine Divine, Nature, & Radical Healing [Part II of IV]In this enlightening episode Valerie and special guest author Kathryn Knight Sonntag delve deep into the integration of the feminine divine, exploring its essential role in achieving spiritual wholeness within the context of the LDS Church. In this series they discuss Kathryn's book "The Mother Tree," which symbolically represents the feminine divine through the archetypal structure of the tree, breaking down how the roots, the trunk, and the crown can be a metaphor for achieving fully integrated personal growth inclusive of the feminine and masculine within each of us. This episode focuses on the "roots" and the importance of personal "root work" or personal shadow work in our quest for wholeness...a type of depth work that is generally avoided in masculine systems and structures. This conversation challenges listeners to confront and integrate these neglected aspects of spirituality, advocating for a balanced embrace of both masculine and feminine traits as exemplified by figures like Eve and Jesus Christ, fostering a deeper, more holistic faith experience.**More sensitive or more psychologically advanced themes are saved for paid Friday episodes to protect the content creators from being mischaracterized by less familiar consumers.**LEARN HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO FRIDAY EPISODES(Watch a 2-minute how-to video)THEN subscribe to Fridays here. TROUBLE WITH YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? Email: support@buzzsprout.comCONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available ⁠⁠here!⁠ SUPPORT GROUPS: Next support & processing group coming March 2025. To register/learn more, visit here.OFFICE HOURS FOR FRIDAY SUBSCRIBERS: Register here.CLASSES: Visit our library.SUPPORT: Make a one-time donation to ⁠her business Venmo...

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: The Feminine Divine, Nature, & Radical Healing [Part I of IV]In this enlightening part one of this new series Valerie welcomes author and feminist scholar Kathryn Knight Sonntag explore the themes of growth, development, and spiritual connection through Kathryn's book, "The Mother Tree." Their discussion encompasses the significance of trees in various spiritual traditions, their representation of sacred spaces, and their role in depicting the interconnectedness of life and spirituality. They emphasize the potential for individual healing and growth through the integration of both feminine and masculine energies, reflecting on the challenges LDS women face in a male-dominated patriarchal culture. This episode is a compelling call to recognize and harmonize the masculine and feminine within ourselves and our LDS faith tradition for a more balanced and healing spiritual experience.Support the show**More sensitive or more psychologically advanced themes are saved for paid Friday episodes to protect the content creators from being mischaracterized by less familiar consumers.**LEARN HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO FRIDAY EPISODES(Watch a 2-minute how-to video)THEN subscribe to Fridays here. TROUBLE WITH YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? Email: support@buzzsprout.comCONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available ⁠⁠here!⁠ SUPPORT GROUPS: Next support & processing group coming March 2025. To register/learn more, visit here.OFFICE HOURS FOR FRIDAY SUBSCRIBERS: Register here.CLASSES: Visit our library.SUPPORT: Make a one-time donation to ⁠her business Venmo...

Subscriber-only episodeSend us a Positive Review!In this compelling episode of Latter Day Struggles, Valerie is joined by guests Jody England Hansen and Maxine Hanks for a crucial discussion on the recent new requirements around the temple garment and how recent changes to the meaning, purpose, and requirements of the temple garment lead earnest members to question the appropriate role of a church involving itself so intimately in the details of the lives of its members. Their discussion also centers around the historical evolution of temple garments from priestly vestments to everyday undergarments, questioning the theological shifts that have led to a complicated intersection between the symbolic and practical. They also explore fraught issues related to gender, control, and the personal impact on women’s sense of agency and identity connected to the garment. The episode highlights personal stories and historical insights, underscoring the vital importance that *anything* symbolic in nature can only be holy if personal interpretation is invited and honored. Please jump directly to episode 272 for a follow up conversation on ongoing changes to the Temple Garment and its implications to personal autonomy and spiritual health.  This content is very sensitive and only for those most committed to the work of the Latter Day Struggles platform. The producers and guests of this episode desire that those listening know that their only desire is to invite health and healing to their LDS community through the contents of this discussion. Please subscribe to hear this and all Friday episodes. **More sensitive or more psychologically advanced themes are saved for paid Friday episodes to protect the content creators from being mischaracterized by less familiar consumers.**LEARN HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO FRIDAY EPISODES(Watch a 2-minute how-to video)THEN subscribe to Fridays here. TROUBLE WITH YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? Email: support@buzzsprout.comCONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available ⁠⁠here!⁠ SUPPORT GROUPS: Next support & processing group coming March 2025. To register/learn more, visit here.OFFICE HOURS FOR FRIDAY SUBSCRIBERS: Register here.CLASSES: Visit our library.SUPPORT: Make a one-time donation to ⁠her business Venmo...

Send us a Positive Review!In this episode Valerie is joined by friend and colleague Dr. Julie Hanks, where they discuss the emotional and psychological complexities of stepping away from the LDS faith for those who feel called to do so. They emphasize the importance of making this transition in a psychologically healthy manner, and how challenging this is to do in a climate where not a lot of resources are available and this decision is fraught with so much distress and loneliness. The discussion covers potential challenges such as navigating changes in relationships with family and the larger community, managing internalized beliefs and fears, and the grief that accompanies leaving one's spiritual community.  Note: Valerie and Julie are not prescribing leaving (or not leaving) the LDS church. They wish to support their LDS and surrounding community in psychologically-thriving independent of church membership or attendance status. For those interested in exploring how to stay involved in the LDS faith in psychologically healthy ways, please listen to episode 193 of Latter Day Struggles. Support the show**More sensitive or more psychologically advanced themes are saved for paid Friday episodes to protect the content creators from being mischaracterized by less familiar consumers.**LEARN HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO FRIDAY EPISODES(Watch a 2-minute how-to video)THEN subscribe to Fridays here. TROUBLE WITH YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? Email: support@buzzsprout.comCONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available ⁠⁠here!⁠ SUPPORT GROUPS: Next support & processing group coming March 2025. To register/learn more, visit here.OFFICE HOURS FOR FRIDAY SUBSCRIBERS: Register here.CLASSES: Visit our library.SUPPORT: Make a one-time donation to ⁠her business Venmo...

Subscriber-only episodeSend us a Positive Review!Series Title: A Deeper Look at the Sacrament [Part IV of IV]In this final episode of this series rethinking a more expanded and inclusive view of the LDS sacrament belief and practice, Val and Nathan look at some of the strange and unusually rigid practices that have crept into the Sunday morning service itself. They explore how certain types of rigidity might have evolved as a way to communicate the vital importance of this spiritual practice but how rigidity actually tends to prevent communion with God--not enhance it. Join them as they review several examples of how overly rigid prescriptions have become commonplace in the practice of LDS sacrament services and how we might imagine a healthier concept of communion that truly draws us closer to God, our spiritual communities, and our own higher selves. **More sensitive or more psychologically advanced themes are saved for paid Friday episodes to protect the content creators from being mischaracterized by less familiar consumers.**LEARN HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO FRIDAY EPISODES(Watch a 2-minute how-to video)THEN subscribe to Fridays here. TROUBLE WITH YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? Email: support@buzzsprout.comCONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available ⁠⁠here!⁠ SUPPORT GROUPS: Next support & processing group coming March 2025. To register/learn more, visit here.OFFICE HOURS FOR FRIDAY SUBSCRIBERS: Register here.CLASSES: Visit our library.SUPPORT: Make a one-time donation to ⁠her business Venmo...

Valerie and Nathan discuss the harmful practice of using the sacrament as a disciplinary measure in the LDS Church, emphasizing inclusivity. They highlight the emotional impact of sacrament exclusion and challenge the unhealthy theological beliefs behind it. The conversation explores worthiness, Paul's influence on sacrament participation, and the role of bishops in fostering spiritual connections.

Subscriber-only episodeSend us a Positive Review!Series Title: A Deeper Look at the Sacrament [Part II of IV]In this episode Val and Nathan move deeper into their conversation about the LDS interpretation of the sacrament, focusing particularly on healthy possibilities of expanding the definition of "sacrament". They also delve into the LDS definition of "setting apart" and question the health of this idea as a further expression of creating hierarchies. They analyze how the concept of "setting apart" negatively impacts the potential healing nature of the sacrament by creating multiple versions of unnecessary hierarchy and detail all of the ways this plays out in current practice. Finally, they imagine a newer, broader, more inclusive definition of both the traditional Sunday sacrament and through seeing life as sacramental in nature. Please join them by subscribing to this podcast. Its paradigm shifting!!**More sensitive or more psychologically advanced themes are saved for paid Friday episodes to protect the content creators from being mischaracterized by less familiar consumers.**LEARN HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO FRIDAY EPISODES(Watch a 2-minute how-to video)THEN subscribe to Fridays here. TROUBLE WITH YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? Email: support@buzzsprout.comCONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available ⁠⁠here!⁠ SUPPORT GROUPS: Next support & processing group coming March 2025. To register/learn more, visit here.OFFICE HOURS FOR FRIDAY SUBSCRIBERS: Register here.CLASSES: Visit our library.SUPPORT: Make a one-time donation to ⁠her business Venmo...

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: A Deeper Look at the Sacrament [Part I of IV]In this thought-provoking opening of a new series, Val and Nathan engage in a deep exploration of the sacrament's significance in Christian practice and how it might sometimes diverge from the inclusive message of Jesus Christ. They set this series up by comparing and contrasting the history and diverse practices of sacrament across various denominations. Val then dons her "therapist hat" and discusses why and how embodied ceremonies can be a powerful tool for brain growth, learning, and meaning-making and how the concept of the sacrament has the potential to be a rich means of communion with self, God, and others. They also offer thoughts on how the sacramental ceremony can become less meaningful and even harmful when misappropriated for various reasons, which will be explored in detail in this series. This four-part series is intended to not only explore deeply the concept of sacrament broadly in the LDS faith, but also greatly broadens the concept of sacramental worship in a way that faith-expanding Latter-day Saints can embrace as an expression of their own growth journey. Info on how to subscribe to listen to Friday’s episode is directly below. See you there!Support the show**More sensitive or more psychologically advanced themes are saved for paid Friday episodes to protect the content creators from being mischaracterized by less familiar consumers.**LEARN HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO FRIDAY EPISODES(Watch a 2-minute how-to video)THEN subscribe to Fridays here. TROUBLE WITH YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? Email: support@buzzsprout.comCONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available ⁠⁠here!⁠ SUPPORT GROUPS: Next support & processing group coming March 2025. To register/learn more, visit here.OFFICE HOURS FOR FRIDAY SUBSCRIBERS: Register here.CLASSES: Visit our library.SUPPORT: Make a one-time donation to ⁠her business Venmo...

Subscriber-only episodeSend us a Positive Review!Series Title: Some Complexities of the BYU Experience in 2024 [Part II of II]In this second episode of a two-part series, Valerie and guest expert, Brian Dille broaden and deepen their conversation about the balance between BYU policies, academic integrity, and the psychological well-being of the student body. In this episode Brian reads his letter addressed to BYU’s current president, expressing his concerns about the constraints on academic freedom, his advocacy for marginalized students and allies at BYU and his overarching concerns for the institution's direction. Throughout the discussion, both Brian and Valerie advocate for the creation of safe, welcoming spaces throughout the worldwide LDS landscape, underscoring the necessity of comforting those in pain and using love and grace as guiding principles to navigate this complex landscape. Don’t miss this series!!!**More sensitive or more psychologically advanced themes are saved for paid Friday episodes to protect the content creators from being mischaracterized by less familiar consumers.**LEARN HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO FRIDAY EPISODES(Watch a 2-minute how-to video)THEN subscribe to Fridays here. TROUBLE WITH YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? Email: support@buzzsprout.comCONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available ⁠⁠here!⁠ SUPPORT GROUPS: Next support & processing group coming March 2025. To register/learn more, visit here.OFFICE HOURS FOR FRIDAY SUBSCRIBERS: Register here.CLASSES: Visit our library.SUPPORT: Make a one-time donation to ⁠her business Venmo...

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: Some Complexities of the BYU Experience in 2024 [Part I of II]In this episode Valerie welcomes special guest Brian Dille, a BYU alumnus and member of a professional organization responsible for accrediting institutions of higher learning in the USA. This series tackles the complex and pressing issue of academic freedom at Brigham Young University, especially in light of recent curriculum changes where the “musket” talk was made required reading for all incoming BYU freshmen. Brian and Valerie delve into the definition and historical context of academic freedom, exploring its crucial role in scientific progress and how it relates to current issues connected to BYU's relationship with academic accreditation. Friday's episode stresses the impact of the "musket talk" on all individuals at BYU and how integration of this talk signals not only concern for academic freedom but also the need for ongoing corrective dialogue inviting love, inclusion, and reform in an effort to protect those on the margins at church and on the campuses of church-operated schools. Join Valerie and Brian for both of these powerful episodes as they navigate some crucial Latter Day Struggles with respect, insight, and a firm commitment to honest discourse.Support the show**More sensitive or more psychologically advanced themes are saved for paid Friday episodes to protect the content creators from being mischaracterized by less familiar consumers.**LEARN HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO FRIDAY EPISODES(Watch a 2-minute how-to video)THEN subscribe to Fridays here. TROUBLE WITH YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? Email: support@buzzsprout.comCONSULTING: Interested in doing individual or couples work with Valerie or a member of her trained team? Time-limited packages with Valerie and extended work with her team of coaches and therapists are available ⁠⁠here!⁠ SUPPORT GROUPS: Next support & processing group coming March 2025. To register/learn more, visit here.OFFICE HOURS FOR FRIDAY SUBSCRIBERS: Register here.CLASSES: Visit our library.SUPPORT: Make a one-time donation to ⁠her business Venmo...