x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

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.

health & fitness mental health

All Episodes

44:42

427: When Normal Growth Feels Like Rebellion

Latter Day Struggles ·

2026/04/20

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--y...

en

68:23

425: When LDS "Normal" isn't very Normal

Latter Day Struggles ·

2026/04/13

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 ...

en

49:03

423: If the Ensign Peak Fund isn't Your Donation...

Latter Day Struggles ·

2026/04/06

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...

en

354:50

BONUS EPISODE: Community Healing: How our Greatest...

Latter Day Struggles ·

2026/04/01

Send us a Positive Review! Hey Latter Day Struggles! Due to your many requests—we are dropping a Latter Day Struggles series in “audiobook” format. You can enjoy the entire narrative arc in a single, uninterrupted format! Enjoy the experience as things 'click' into place as you take in this 'audiobook'! Please let us know what is happening within you as you transcend and include Mormonism one series at a time! As a bonus drop, we have prepared one of our favorite series titled, "C...

en

47:59

421: Why No Mixed-Gender Sunday School Presidencies? ...

Latter Day Struggles ·

2026/03/30

Send us a Positive Review! In this follow up episode on recent LDS news that women are now allowed to serve in Sunday School presidencies, Val & Nathan pivot to the peculiar part of the announcement prohibiting no "mixed-gender" presidencies and share the outcome of their exploration of this odd move. Upon deeper reflection, the move seems less about worries about slippery slopes towards sexual iniquity and possibly more about preserving another kind of slippery slope--the one that...

en

48:49

419: Formal Patriarchy & Inevitable Harm

Latter Day Struggles ·

2026/03/23

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: Straight Talk on Patriarchy and Harm [Part II of II] In this episode Val & Nathan lay out a several reasons why they feel that the LDS church is not able to address the strong correlation between its patriarchal structure, s*xual abuse & s*xual abuse under-reporting. The foundation of this struggle is a refusal to question the divinity of patriarchy...which leads to the patterns outlined in this episode. Please note--episodes of this natu...

en

61:51

BONUS EPISODE: Women in Ward Sunday School...

Latter Day Struggles ·

2026/03/23

Send us a Positive Review! In this episode I respond to your requests to explore the March 2026 Church news release announcing that women can now serve in ward Sunday School presidencies, and how this is linked to stages of psychological/faith development. Please share this episode if it resonates! Link to the church's announcement can be found HERE. Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome and context 01:21 Gratitude and reflection 03:58 Reading the news release 07:52 What we will cover 09:04 Big picture f...

en

58:14

417: Confronting Men's Violence Against Women & Girls...

Latter Day Struggles ·

2026/03/16

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: Straight Talk on Patriarchy and Harm [Part I of II] In this episode I read to you a shocking and brilliant article that I wish every Latter-day Saint can hear. This is a tough topic but one where reform will not touch until we start looking it in the eye. Please listen and share this article. Thank you to the Dialogue Foundation and to the author Suzanne E. Greco, whose trailblazing work may eventually be instrumental in preventing countless LDS ...

en

56:21

415: Presenting our Utah-Based Latter Day Struggles...

Latter Day Struggles ·

2026/03/09

Send us a Positive Review! One thing that Val is always juggling is how to do it all and maintain her sense of humor, high commitment to play, and overall sanity. She loves running the podcast, the groups, and squeezes work with amazing LDS faith-journeying individuals and couples between the cracks (which is a highlight of her week!) Fitting it all in can become tricky, which is why she has been looking for the 'just right' person to help with individuals & couples in Utah l...

en

62:33

BONUS: How the World ACTUALLY Changes

Latter Day Struggles ·

2026/03/04

Send us a Positive Review! We've heard it a thousand times...and probably have said it a few times ourselves. "The ________will never change." You fill in the blank..."The world will never change" or "the church will never change"...and yet they do. How does evolution actually happen? This "bonus episode" is a download that Val had over the weekend after asking herself why she was doing this platform. The answer to her question is what you will hear in this epis...

en

88:34

413: Complexity of Clark Gilbert Call to the Q12

Latter Day Struggles ·

2026/03/02

Send us a Positive Review! In this episode Val is joined by Jana Riess, author and researcher of the LDS spectrum of experience and Jason Bergman, former BYU professor & faculty member. Together they discuss the many facets of the Clark Gilbert call to the Q12 of the LDS church. In this conversation Jason contrasts his experience on the BYU faculty both before and during Gilbert's leadership and candidly shares the painful and life altering impact Gilbert's fervor for ...

en

64:43

411: Inaugural Live Fellowship Recording

Latter Day Struggles ·

2026/02/23

Send us a Positive Review! Join us for this one-time-only recording of our FIRST Latter Day Struggles "Live Fellowship"! What is this, you ask? Valerie has decided to offer a gathering place for those on the LDS and surrounding faith expansion journey wanting consistent (2x/month!) connection with her to go deeper into the mind & heart expanding content on both the Monday and Friday tracks of the Latter Day Struggles podcast. In this opening gathering, Valerie explor...

en

42:21

409: The Family Proclamation: Living Document or...

Latter Day Struggles ·

2026/02/16

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: What does the Family Proclamation Mean to You? [Episode II of II] This episode of Latter Day Struggles continues a two-part conversation about the LDS Church's Proclamation on the Family, examining the tension between claims of unchanging doctrine and the historical reality of doctrinal evolution. Petrey demonstrates through historical analysis that LDS teachings on gender, sexuality, marriage, and family have repeatedly changed over time—from posit...

en

53:11

407: Is the Family Proclamation a Commentary or a...

Latter Day Struggles ·

2026/02/09

Send us a Positive Review! Series Title: What does the Family Proclamation Mean to You? [Episode I of II] Welcome to this two-part series where Valerie welcomes returned guest scholar Taylor Petrey to discuss the LDS Church's Family Proclamation to the World as it reaches its 30th anniversary. The heart of the episode centers on Taylor's controversial Salt Lake Tribune opinion piece in September 2025 (linked below) arguing that The Family Proclamation should be understood as commentary...

en

51:54

405: Announcing: Biweekly LIVE Fellowship! More...

Latter Day Struggles ·

2026/02/02

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...

en

48:04

403: A Tribute to our Former Bishop, Ken Glenn

Latter Day Struggles ·

2026/01/26

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...

en

64:59

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

Latter Day Struggles ·

2026/01/19

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...

en

71:23

399: This Classic Episode Put Latter Day Struggles on...

Latter Day Struggles ·

2026/01/12

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 te...

en

58:53

397: What Happens When Only One Kind of Latter-day...

Latter Day Struggles ·

2026/01/05

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 ...

en

60:03

396: UNLOCKED for All Listeners: Shifting the Focus...

Latter Day Struggles ·

2026/01/02

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 ...

en

330 results

Similar Podcasts

Доктор Тройняшкин

Доктор Тройняшкин

The Dry Eye Treatment PODCAST

Dry Eye Treatment

Différent et alors ?

PATRICK SULAY

Kyle Kingsbury Podcast

Kyle Kingsbury

The Real Weight Loss Coach

Matty Lansdown