Latter Day Struggles

Valerie Hamaker
  • 4.5 (846)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

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. 

  1. 2D AGO

    405: Announcing: Biweekly LIVE Fellowship! More Healing & New Connection

    Send us a Positive Review! Have you ever listened to a Latter Day Struggles episode and wanted nothing more than to talk about it but no one is around or would understand?  Have you noticed that while your heart is growing faster than ever, your relationships are changing just as fast?   Val has noticed that this podcast community has served not only to help you make sense of your LDS faith journey but also has created friendship networks that are life enriching in ways no one could have imagined.    So why not expand our reach and create more places to connect and find healing + community?   Listen in today for all of the details on the new biweekly LIVE FELLOWSHIP: a place where you go to join live discussions on current podcast topics with Valerie & then make new friends on a healthy LDS faith journey in your own region.   What could be better?  A few details:   Join Val for 24 Live Fellowship gatherings a year + recordings if you miss out!Jump into the FREE Inaugural LIVE Fellowship on 2/18 at 9:30a PST!All who enroll by 2/28/26 get an extra month tacked onto their annual enrollment, compliments of Val :).  Already in the Friday Fellowship as an annual member?  Your tuition will be applied towards the upgrade (plus an extra discount!) New to all Fellowship Opportunities? Friday Fellowship content is INCLUDED with your annual tuition! Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 01:12 Announcement of Live Fellowship 01:36 Understanding the Faith Crisis 04:12 Overview of Learning Tiers 04:42 Monday Episodes Explained 06:20 Reframing LDS Doctrine & Theology 08:34 Friday Fellowship Deep Dive 12:30 Transcending & Including Mormonism 14:01 Introduction to Live Fellowship 17:12 Growth and Processing Groups 19:27 Individual Consulting Services 20:30 Why Create the Live Fellowship? 23:50 The Importance of Community 26:10 Forming Side Communities 28:30 Regional Breakout Groups 32:10 Differences: Live Fellowship vs. Depth Groups 34:00 Patriarchy Healing Curriculum 36:08 Logistics and Launch Details 37:00 First Session: Proclamation to the Family 38:30 Second Session: Transcendence & Inclusion 40:00 Recordings & Accessibility 41:00 Scholarships & Faith Journey Foundation 41:37 Final Thoughts and Call to Action 45:10 Ken Wilber Quote on Consciousness 47:30 Individual Transformation & Cultural Change 49:00 Closing Remarks Support the show Support 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

    52 min

  2. JAN 26

    403: A Tribute to our Former Bishop, Ken Glenn

    Send us a Positive Review! In this  episode Nathan & I pause to honor the impact that Ken Glenn had on us at this time of his early and tragic passing.   In this episode we share many examples that prove that the traditionally believing [Ken] and the… shall we say...less traditionally believing…[us!] LDS can co-exist, when vulnerability, love, and curiosity are chosen over judgment.    We love you Ken.  Thank you for showing us Christ-like love even if you did not fully understand our work.   Timestamps:  00:00 Welcome and New Beginnings  00:53 Transition to YouTube  02:52 Memorializing a Mentor  06:17 Ken Glynn's Impact  09:54 Personal Stories of Ken  13:16 Ken's Humility and Kindness  14:14 Early Leadership Challenges  19:29 Parenting and Church Dynamics  20:10 Parental Decisions and Church Conflicts  22:53 Podcast Beginnings and Community Reactions  24:04 A Touching Tennis Meet Encounter  29:32 Mission Preparation and Temple Challenges  40:31 A Heartfelt Tribute to Bishop Ken Support the show Support 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

    49 min

  3. JAN 19

    401: A Response to Dallin Oaks' Desire for LDS Girls to Marry Younger

    Send us a Positive Review! In this episode I respond to your requests to explore President Dallin Oaks' desire that LDS girls get married younger.  As a bonus, I propose a counter-solution to. the current LDS mixed-faith marriage crisis that does not involve pressuring younger marriage (and its well-documented risk factors) on LDS young adults.   Please share this episode if it resonates!   Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:18 Valerie's Analysis of Early Marriage 02:00 President Oaks' Comments and Valerie's Response 09:10 Exploring the Motivations Behind Encouraging Early Marriage 13:50 Risks and Drawbacks of Early Marriage 25:04 Correlation Between Temple Marriage and Divorce Rates 28:40 Concerns of Church Leadership 31:34 The Marriage Crisis in the Church 32:22 Challenges of Mixed Faith Marriages 33:30 Theological Strain and Parenting in Mixed Faith Marriages 34:44 Historical Context and Faith Crises 36:42 The Push for Early Marriage 39:24 Differentiation of Self and Its Importance 45:06 The Impact of Early Marriage on Development 57:43 Proposing a New Approach to Faith Journeys 01:01:15 Final Thoughts and Call to Action Support the show Support 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

    1h 6m

  4. JAN 12

    399: This Classic Episode Put Latter Day Struggles on the Map of Faith Crisis Healing

    Send us a Positive Review! With well over a million downloads since its first drop in March of 2022, the Latter Day Struggles podcast has established itself the place to find peace, healing, community, and words to describe your Latter-day Saint faith and trust crisis.   It is where thousands have come to realize that deep within themselves is a True Self capable of mapping out their own spiritual journey and integrating their Latter-day Saint background into this journey on their own terms.   In this "Best of Latter Day Struggles" episode, Valerie establishes herself as a Latter-day Saint mental health professional with a unique capacity to love her LDS faith enough talk about the beliefs and practices that are causing harm to members of the church worldwide.     The bottom line?   Healthy spiritual wellbeing is correlated with healthy mental health.  If my church beliefs and practices are making me sick in any way--these beliefs need to be courageously examined.     To those of you who have been on this journey since Valerie started the podcast (the "OGs") and to those who just learned about it last week and do not know where to start--pleasea enjoy this classic episode that got Latter Day Struggles on the map and has led to the healing of thousands of people in LDS faith crisis in the past 3 years.  Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction and Overview 02:06 – Four Stages of Faith Development 04:28 – Moving Beyond Stage 1 08:06 – Limitations of Stage 2 12:02 – Moving Toward Stage 4 14:43 – Contextualizing Faith Traditions 15:28 – Stages in World Religions 16:01 – Institutional Roles in Faith Development 16:32 – Supporting Complexity and Skepticism 18:00 – Therapist’s Perspective 19:02 – Healthy Family Systems and Faith Development 20:48 – The Role of Adolescence 22:01 – Ownership of Belief 24:43 – The Dangers of Over-Resistance 26:37 – Richard Rohr's Perspective on Faith Development 28:34 – Transitioning to Complexity 31:49 – Hope Beyond Skepticism 34:07 – Institutional Challenges 36:58 – Misconceptions About Atonement 38:44 – Institutional Self-Reflection 40:09 – Marginalization and Fear-Based Narratives 43:00 – Letters from Listeners: Shock and Isolation 46:59 – Ambivalence and Hope in Skepticism 50:03 – Understanding Faith Development Stages 53:45 – Creating True Community 56:00 – Transitioning Through Chaos 57:30 – The Emptiness Stage 59:00 – Achieving True Community 01:01:00 – Maintaining True Community 01:03:00 – Conclusion and Call to Action Support the show Support 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

    1h 12m

  5. JAN 5

    397: What Happens When Only One Kind of Latter-day Saint is Allowed to Exist in the Church

    Send us a Positive Review! Series title: Mormon Faith Crisis—Progression, Not Pathology [Part III of III] In this episode Valerie welcomes back friend and researcher Jeff Strong for the third installment of their series exploring Jeff's research learning about the actual experiences of thousands of Latter-day Saints.  The theme that came through?  Massive amounts of TENSION.   Today they go deeper into six distinct kinds of Latter-day Saints and highlight that one type, "the protector" is disproportionately rewarded while other types are often silenced and squeezed to the margins and sometimes out of the church altogether.   They unpack how an ignorance of the true diversity of 21st Century LDS membership is causing crippling harm to families and the church itself and emphasize the power that could come if we all understood and supported one another as a truly open and welcoming 'body of Christ'.   Timestamps: 01:04 – Understanding Cultural Differences 01:57 – Stages of Faith and Identity Segments 03:38 – Framework for Understanding Differences 08:00 – Setting Up the Segment Discussion 09:36 – Overview of the Six Segments 14:30 – Personal Examples of Segment Fluidity 16:19 – Avoiders and Their Journey 18:30 – The Spectrum of Development 21:15 – Disaffiliation and Its Complexities 22:50 – The Public Narrative vs. Reality 24:43 – Conformity and Control in Religious Communities 26:33 – Fear vs. Love Orientation 28:13 – Focus on Protectors 33:40 – The Need for Balance and Integration 35:02 – Balancing Different Attributes in Church Culture 39:30 – The Dangers of Fear-Driven Leadership 41:40 – The Role of Fear and Love in Leadership 44:00 – The Impact of Historical Persecution 50:00 – Everyday Conflicts and Growth Opportunities 53:14 – Final Thoughts on Growth and Development Support the show Support 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

    59 min

  6. JAN 2

    396: UNLOCKED for All Listeners: Shifting the Focus from Abortion to Preventing Unwanted Pregnancy!

    Send us a Positive Review! As we begin 2026 and the fourth year of the Latter Day Struggles Podcast, we wanted to say THANK YOU to ALL supporters of the podcast and platform!  So please enjoy this Office Hours recording and a podcast episode that is one that is a must-listen!  In this timely conversation Valerie tackles Elder Anderson's recent general conference talk on abortion. In one hour she goes from the macro issue of abortion itself and offers some thought-provoking concepts about NOT focusing on abortion and instead focusing on how abortion is the prevailing solution to unwanted pregnancy only because we live in a patriarchal society.  She also proposes that LDS women have valid reasons to feel unique and acute transgenerational pain connected to marriage, s*exual misconduct, power, and self sacrifice. Timestamps: 00:00 – Listener Appreciation and Office Hours Format 02:17 – Elder Anderson’s Address on Abortion 05:01 – Developmental Stages and Vulnerability 07:00 – Weaponization of Authority and Internalized Harm 12:56 – Masculine vs. Feminine Worldviews on Abortion 15:00 – Societal Support and Resource Gaps 17:00 – Upstream vs. Downstream Solutions 21:00 – Deeply Embedded Patriarchal Assumptions 25:00 – Legal and Economic Disparities 29:54 – Critique of Elder Anderson’s Address 34:00 – Theological Shadows and Generational Trauma 36:00 – Recommendations for Healthy Spirituality 45:20 – Listener Reactions and Broader Church Issues 50:00 – The Importance of Individual Discernment 53:00 – Reflections on Church History and Patriarchy 56:00 – Calls for Healing and Inclusion 59:05 – Final Thoughts and Encouragement 59:54 – Closing Remarks and Call to Action 60:14 – Podcast Network Acknowledgment Support the show Support 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

    1h 1m

  7. 12/29/2025

    395: We Need to Stop Calling Growth a Sin in the LDS Church

    Send us a Positive Review! Series title: Mormon Faith Crisis—Progression, Not Pathology [Part II of III] In today's episode Valerie and guest researcher Jeff Strong explore why people in the same LDS congregation can experience church so differently, depending on where they are in their faith journey. They introduce Jeff’s model of six faith mindsets—seekers, cultivators, protectors, avoiders, connectors, and explorers—each representing valid and meaningful ways of engaging faith.  The problem? That many of these healthy and normal ways of engaging with one's faith journey are pathologized within the LDS culture at both local and general levels. Valerie and Jeff hope that research like Jeff's and platforms like Latter Day Struggles will place growth where it actually belongs--as normal, natural, and precisely what each of us are here on this earth to do.  Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction and Welcome 00:22 – Series Overview and Jeff's Background 01:18 – Exploring Church Demographics and Tensions 02:45 – Review of Previous Episode 04:00 – Cultural Causes of Tension 05:30 – The Weight of Disaffiliation 07:00 – Research Methodology and Data Collection 07:58 – Strengths of LDS Culture 09:45 – Personal Reflections on Community 11:35 – Weaknesses of LDS Culture 13:20 – The Soil Metaphor for Culture 15:00 – The River Metaphor: Rigidity vs. Chaos 17:10 – The Impact of Cultural Rigidity 18:45 – The Struggle for Belonging 20:09 – Stages of Faith Development 22:00 – Simplicity and Complexity Explained 23:45 – Perplexity and Harmony Explained 25:30 – Faith Journeys and Community Reactions 27:00 – The Pain of Being Misunderstood 28:22 – Personal Faith Journeys 29:47 – The Garden of Eden Metaphor 30:47 – Pathologizing Growth in Faith 32:00 – The Need for Community Support 33:09 – Community and Belonging 33:52 – Brian McLaren's Model in Scriptures 35:30 – The Arc of Human Spiritual Growth 37:25 – Understanding Different Faith Mindsets 39:00 – Disparities in Perceptions of Christ-Centeredness 40:30 – The Loneliness of Nonconformity 42:04 – Introducing the Six Segments 44:00 – Descriptions of Each Segment 46:00 – The Dynamic Nature of Faith Mindsets 47:00 – Encouragement for Self-Reflection 48:24 – Conclusion and Next Steps Support the show Support 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

    52 min

  8. 12/22/2025

    393: Quiet Conflict: What the Research Reveals About Active LDS Members

    Send us a Positive Review! Series title: Mormon Faith Crisis—Progression, Not Pathology [Part I of III]  The data is rolling in and Wow…if you want to know what’s really on the hearts and minds of many active Latter-day Saints, this 3-part series is a GOLD MINE.  Join Val and colleague Jeff Strong, prominent researcher on Mormon faith crisis as they begin to look at some of Jeff’s team’s large-scale surveys and in-depth interviews that detail how many active members quietly wrestle with internal conflict, misalignment, and a lack of belonging in their current LDS experience .  Don’t miss this intro to a fascinating series!  Follow along with the slides and data sets here! Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:19 Guest Introduction: Jeff Strong 01:00 Jeff’s Support and Early Conversations 01:37 Jeff's Background and Experience 03:00 Clarifying Jeff’s Professional and Research Credentials 04:26 Research on Disaffiliation 06:30 Personal Journey and Insights 08:04 The Start of the Research Journey 09:45 Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods 14:00 The Role of Culture in Missionary Experience 16:30 Returning Home and Continuing the Research 18:00 The Importance of Data in Understanding Faith Journeys 20:00 The Demographic of Faithful Questioners 23:30 Data Collection and Analysis 25:00 Key Themes: Testimony, Community, and Belonging 27:00 The Spectrum of Activity and Belief 29:00 Conflict Among Active Members 31:00 Exploring Discomfort in Church Culture 35:22 Quantifying Discomfort and Belonging 36:22 Comfort Levels with Church Culture 37:25 Culture vs. Doctrine: A Real Example 38:21 Personal vs. Cultural Priorities 39:30 Tension in Cultural and Personal Priorities 40:35 Navigating Faith Beyond Checklists 42:00 Stages of Faith and Cultural Tension 43:17 The Impact of Leadership and Tradition 45:00 Orthodox vs. General Membership Comfort 48:36 The Importance of Awareness and Inclusion 51:00 Normalizing Faith Transitions 53:00 The Role of Community in Faith Journeys 56:36 Concluding Thoughts and Future Discussions Support the show Support 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

    1h 6m
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4.5
out of 5
846 Ratings

About

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. 

Information

  • Creator
    Valerie Hamaker
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    274
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Latter Day Struggles
  • Show Website
    Latter Day Struggles

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