Latter Day Struggles Valerie Hamaker

Subscriber-only episodeIn this thought-provoking final episode of this four-part series, Valerie explores the complex historical and cultural factors that contribute to the prevalence of unique near enemy behaviors within the LDS Church. She discusses how the church's trauma history, including persecution and isolation, has fostered a culture of extreme self-protection and difficulty with self-confrontation. Valerie also examines unresolved shadow characteristics related to gender, sexua...

In this episode three (of a four-part series) Val and Nathan continue their deep dive into applications of the Buddhist concept of the near enemy, shining a light on how this concept might apply to how the LDS and surrounding community might grow in light and truth as these ideas are understood and embraced. They focus on how behaviors like self-aggrandizing, pity, and clinging subtly undermine virtues such as charity, compassion, and love, often posing as their close allies. They a...

Subscriber-only episodeIn this Latter Day Struggles EXCLUSIVE [episode two of a four-part series] Val and Nathan explore several topics relevant to the LDS faith journey through the lens of the "near enemy". Their focus in this advanced-content episode includes an analysis of: **Faithfulness as the near-enemy of personal integrity **Checklist obedience as the near-enemy of personal transformation **Leadership by seniority/nomination/inheritance as the near-enemy of leadership b...

In this episode one [of a four-part series] Valerie and Nathan delve into the profound concept of the "Near Enemy," highlighting how certain behaviors that superficially resemble virtues actually hinder personal growth and damage interpersonal relationships. Drawing from Buddhist wisdom and Brené Brown's integrative work, they discuss how the near enemy behaviors can creep into all individual and systemic relationships and how these behaviors prevent genuine connection.Episode 2 of this ...

Subscriber-only episodeIn this final episode in their series tackling the topic of OCD spiritual scrupulosity within the context of the LDS faith, Valerie and Brannon Patrick reflect on their own experiences as missionaries to offer a respectful critique of a culture that of vulnerable to struggles with mental health in general and spiritual scrupulosity in specific. Their conversation addresses the critical issue of psychological distress among missionaries, exacerbated by a culture of ...

In this episode three [of a four-part series] Valerie welcomes fellow therapist colleague Brannon Patrick for a discussion highlighting the profound impact of OCD scrupulosity on individuals within the LDS community. In an unexpected turn of events, both Val and Brannon realize that they each struggled in their adolescence with the same unnamed fear of God's disappointment accompanied by attempts to mitigate these fears with scrupulous behaviors. They explore how church teachings ca...