Latter Day Struggles

Send us a Positive Review!
In this Bonus Episode, Val answers some piling up questions about the power of healing that uniquely happens in the Latter Day Struggles Fundamentals of LDS Faith Crisis Healing Groups that hundreds of you have experienced in the past 3+ years.  
A few of the questions that she answers:  
**What is the difference between your Faith Crisis Healing groups and your new Live Fellowship Group? 
**How are they different than other platforms where people meet and talk? 
**How are these groups different than other platforms where people meet and talk?
**Are both-gendered groups effective? 
**Should I do a faith crisis healing group instead of therapy? 
I am_____________ (fully active, all of the way out, etc., etc.,) Am I Good fit? 
Interested in grabbing the very last seat of the ONLY 2026 group of this kind?  Click below to enroll!   
**If watching this in the future, check out https://valeriehamaker.com/support-groups/ and see what is available.  If no groups are registering, contact [email protected] and get added to a wait list!  
Timestamps:
00:00 Welcome and Q&A Setup
01:45 Why Only One Group
02:48 Live Event Announcement
05:48 Book and 2026 Plans
07:25 Live Fellowship Explained
12:52 Who Joins the Groups
15:58 What Has Changed
21:45 Platform Difference and Curriculum
25:16 Why Mixed Gender Groups
29:54 Groups Versus Therapy
31:59 Am I a Good Fit
35:15 Closing 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

Send us a Positive Review!
Series Title: Religion IS Political [Part I of VII]
Anyone else noticing religious leaders from some faith traditions throughout the world speaking out against more and more egregious forms of US government-imposed violence, force, exploitation of power, and unaccountability at levels unfathomable until only recently? And other churches, LDS included choose silence and stand by a formal stance of neutrality at this moment.   
This series might be one of the more important and relevant of this podcast as Val & Nathan take you step by step towards their conclusion that religion and spirituality is and always will be political and politics is an expression of one's level of spirituality.  Join them each week for this six-part series hopefully giving you words to make sense of your discomfort over silence in the face of harm and injustice.   
Timestamps:
00:00 Welcome and Series Intro
00:42 Why Church Silence Matters
03:32 Six Episode Roadmap
05:02 Personal Take on Neutrality
07:02 Prop 8 and Moral Exceptions
09:08 Isolationism and Autonomy
13:34 Reading the Official Statement
20:51 Initial Reactions and Agreement
23:33 Conscience vs Real Practice
27:44 Mitt Romney as Case Study
30:42 Obedience and Hierarchy Thread
35:12 Immigration Example and Wrap Up
39:21 Closing and Next Episode Tease
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

Send us a Positive Review!
Series Title: An Exploration of the Idea of "Normal" within the LDS Church [Part II of II] 
In this episode Val breaks down a couple of concepts that are NEVER talked about--the difference between "normal" in a family, church, or any collective and what is "normative" in that same group.  NORMAL = "what we do around here that keeps things stable", whereas NORMATIVE = what is developmentally on track to help a person thrive?
When these two concepts clash--yikes.  And when your "normative" growth isn't understood, you DO look very "abnormal"...and maybe even sinful, rebellious, prideful, and lost.  Listen in to have your mind blown a little today! 

Timestamps:
00:00 Unexpected Episode Setup
00:50 Guesting on Pioneer Paradox
02:17 Myth of Normal in Mormonism
03:07 Defining Normal
06:30 Defining Normative
09:09 When Normal Isn’t Healthy
11:52 LDS Culture of Conformity
13:42 Markers of Mormon Normal
19:08 Labels for Nonconformists
23:30 Faith Journey as Growth
26:08 Normative Developmental Shifts
31:05 Reconstruction and Inner Authority
34:04 Closing Encouragement
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

Send us a Positive Review!
Series Title:  An Exploration of the Idea of "Normal" within the LDS Church 
In this fun collaboration with Casey & Will of the Pioneer Paradox Podcast, Val comes on wearing her "psychologist's hat" to talk about concepts within the LDS faith that seem normal until one squints and realizes that maybe they are common but definitely not 'normal'.  Listen in as they walk through four common phenomenon within Mormondom that may be common ways to view the world but are not necessarily 'normal'.  
Timestamps: 
00:00 Welcome and Italy Trip
03:14 Myth of Normal Setup
06:23 Nature and Feminine Flow
08:40 Scouting and Rites of Passage
13:29 Canoe Covenant Story
18:30 Rituals as Meaning
20:59 Finding Your Inner Voice
24:26 Normal vs Normative
28:32 Boundaries and Growth
32:15 Certainty Sets Up Doubt
35:29 Exclusivity Blocks Wisdom
39:54 Parenting Critical Awareness
44:52 Mixed Faith Family Pain
50:29 Tribal Narratives Outsiders
56:30 Choose People Over Church
01:00:34 Decouple God From Church
01:04:42 Closing Thanks And Farewell
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

Send us a Positive Review!
In this episode Valerie introduces you to Mark Crego, fellow Latter-day Saint seeker, whose own many-decades-long faith journey led him to create a not-for-profit organization to help those in faith crisis in the LDS church get the resources they need.  In the episode Mark's passion to help others is fueled by the memory of being a young man with questions and nowhere to take them and no community to normalize (or even celebrate) his growth.  
Those who do not have resources or a supportive community while on the LDS faith journey often suffer from mental health issues, relationship distress, isolation, and shame.  Learn how to be a part of a movement that makes sure that NO ONE experiences their most vulnerable spiritual awakening moments alone and concurrently supports professionals who have devoted their careers to creating communities of healing for the Latter-day Saint seeker.
Timestamps:
00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 
01:43 Mark’s Faith Journey Origins 
04:00 Why Faith Journey Foundation Exists 
05:22 Susan Hinkley and Related Projects
06:11 Valerie on Normalizing Faith Growth 
10:20 Finding Neutral Support Beyond Church Systems 
15:40 Faith Crisis as Identity Formation 
18:59 How Valerie and Mark Met 
19:18 Valerie's Origin Story with Latter Day Struggles
23:20 The Miracle of Finding Faith Journey Foundation
26:52 Scholarships and How to Get Help 
30:54 Funding Model and Supported Projects 
35:20 Sustainable Care and Paying Professionals 
37:01 Other Communities and Projects FJF Supports
38:28 Valerie on Criticism of Paid Faith Work
40:14 Compassion Doesn't Mean Free Labor
44:14 Closing Invitation and Final Thoughts
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