Mormon Stories Podcast

Latest Episodes:

1298: Mormon Faith Crisis Retreat Pt. 1 - Introductions Apr 23, 2020

Show notes

Five years years ago, upon completing my Psychology Ph.D., I began holding retreats and workshops to support Mormons in faith crisis, and specifically to help reduce anxiety, depression, suicidality, family strife, and unnecessary divorce for those experiencing a Mormon Faith Crisis. For many of these workshops and retreats, I was fortunate to co-present with Natasha Helfer Parker and Margi Dehlin.

In August of 2019 we decided to hold a weekend retreat and record the entire experience ,including the attendee participation. This is that retreat, which was held from 8/30 to 9/1/2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 40 audience members participated. The following topics were addressed:

Understanding and Navigating a Religious Transition
Fundamentals of Mental Health in a Religious Transition
The Key to Healthy Relationships: Emotional Intimacy
Healthy Sexuality After a Faith Transition
Conscious Parenting
Communicating with Believing Family and Friends

We hope you enjoy this content. It is the best insight we can share to help you navigate your religious transition.
Finally, a HUGE thanks goes to Clint and Jeni Martin for underwriting this event.

1297: Healing after Intense Sexual Shame and Suicidality as a Mormon Teenage Girl - Clarissa Winter Pt. 4 Apr 14, 2020

Show notes

Clarissa Winter is a direct descendant of Brigham Young (on her father’s side) and a Guatemalan Mormon convert (on her mother’s side). Clarissa was raised in Orderville, Utah as a devout Mormon, but during her teenage years began to “fall away” from orthodox Mormonism as she explored her own sexuality and struggled with anxiety, depression, and suicidality. After being labeled by her Mormon peers with terms like “bad,” “slut,” “crazy,” “whore,” “unworthy” - and after being threatened with excommunication by two Mormon bishops for sexual exploration - Clarissa left Mormonism and spent many years as a young adult trying to heal from her Mormon upbringing, and develop her own sense of self-worth and self-empowerment. Today’s episode is about rising strong as an ex-Mormon adult after being deemed “unworthy” and experiencing rejection from one’s conservative Mormon community. Clarissa is also a model, a big fan of scary movies, and does scary movie-themed boudoir shoots. You can find her Instagram account at callmemrskrueger.

1296: Healing after Intense Sexual Shame and Suicidality as a Mormon Teenage Girl - Clarissa Winter Pt. 3 Apr 14, 2020

Show notes

1295: Healing after Intense Sexual Shame and Suicidality as a Mormon Teenage Girl - Clarissa Winter Pt. 2 Apr 14, 2020

Show notes

1294: Healing after Intense Sexual Shame and Suicidality as a Mormon Teenage Girl - Clarissa Winter Pt. 1 Apr 14, 2020

Show notes

Announcement: Launching Two Online Support Groups for Mormons and Post-Mormons Apr 13, 2020

Show notes

Given the high demand for coaching support right now and the cash crunch being felt by everyone, I am putting together two weekly online Mormon faith transition support groups: one for individuals, and one for couples.

I am limiting the individual group to 8 people, and the couples group to 4 couples.

There are three main benefits to support groups:
1) They are more effective, mostly because you get input/support/ideas/motivation from an entire group.
2) They last longer (1.5 hours/week instead of 1 hour/week).
3) They are cheaper.

Topics for these groups will include:

- Navigating a faith crisis.
- Navigating relationships with believing family and friends.
- Improving mental health.
- Improving marriage/relationships.
- Parenting.
- Building a new, healthy life after a faith crisis.
- Whatever else folks want/need.

I have a Ph.D. in clinical and counseling psychology with 6 years of training in group therapy - and will be moderating these support groups. Margi may join us from time to time, depending on topic.

You will sign up for an automatic, weekly payment. The cost is $40/week/individual, and $80/week/couple. We will establish a regular meeting day/time once the group is filled. We will meet online, viz Zoom.

This is the registration page for the individual group.

https://donorbox.org/mormonfaithtransitiongroup

If you know anyone who might benefit from this group, please spread the word.

Email for any questions at: drjohndehlin@gmail.com

1293: Surviving Spiritual Abuse and Suicidality at BYU-Idaho Faculty - Ryan & Holly Nielsen Pt. 7 Apr 06, 2020

Show notes

For today’s Mormon Stories Podcast episode we interview Ryan Nielsen and Holly Parson Nielsen, who were both raised as devout Mormons in Rexburg, Idaho. After marriage, Ryan worked as full-time BYU-Idaho faculty for twelve years in the Department of Music, while Holly taught middle school art.

Important themes for this episode include:

Ryan's perfectionism and guilt/shame as a Mormon youth.
Holly's closeted feminism as a Mormon youth and adult.
Holly and Ryan learning to listen to their own inner voices, which also involved navigating a religious faith crisis.
Navigating BYU-Idaho while one is full time faculty, and in a mixed-faith marriage. This story includes harassment from bishopric over maintaining continuing faculty endorsement (mostly related to Holly’s resignation from the Mormon church.
An insider’s view of BYU-Idaho administration, including difficulties dealing with BYU-Idaho executives related to Title IX issues (e.g., sexual misconduct of Mormon ecclesiastical leaders towards BYU-Idaho students and faculty).
Navigating and healing from religion-based depression, including suicidality.
Deconstructing Mormon literalism and reconstructing a nuanced worldview.
Learning to choose love over ideas.

Additional Resources mentioned in the episodes:

Ryan's AMAZING faith crisis/transition Reading/Podcast list can be found here, and has also been included below, after the video and audio links. This is probably the most impressive and thoughtful resources list I've ever seen for Mormon/religious faith transitions.
Holly's Art: https://www.artbyholly.com/abstract.html -- This link goes straight to the art Holly has done related to her faith transition, and her reclamation of motherhood.
Ryan's Music: http://www.ryannielsenmusic.com/music -- This link goes straight to the music portion of Ryan's website. Several pieces there are related to my faith transition, including "Prayer for Peace" and "Requiem."
Support Ryan! Ryan has written a 9 movement suite that explores his experience of a faith crisis, through the lens of the life of Elijah Abel. It's time to get this recorded. Ryan has created a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for the project. Please support this worthy project!

1292: Surviving Spiritual Abuse and Suicidality at BYU-Idaho Faculty - Ryan & Holly Nielsen Pt. 6 Apr 06, 2020

Show notes

Important themes for this episode include:

Ryan's perfectionism and guilt/shame as a Mormon youth.
Holly's closeted feminism as a Mormon youth and adult.
Holly and Ryan learning to listen to their own inner voices, which also involved navigating a religious faith crisis.
Navigating BYU-Idaho while one is full time faculty, and in a mixed-faith marriage. This story includes harassment from bishopric over maintaining continuing faculty endorsement (mostly related to Holly’s resignation from the Mormon church.
An insider’s view of BYU-Idaho administration, including difficulties dealing with BYU-Idaho executives related to Title IX issues (e.g., sexual misconduct of Mormon ecclesiastical leaders towards BYU-Idaho students and faculty).
Navigating and healing from religion-based depression, including suicidality.
Deconstructing Mormon literalism and reconstructing a nuanced worldview.
Learning to choose love over ideas.

Additional Resources mentioned in the episodes:

Ryan's AMAZING faith crisis/transition Reading/Podcast list can be found here, and has also been included below, after the video and audio links. This is probably the most impressive and thoughtful resources list I've ever seen for Mormon/religious faith transitions.
Holly's Art: https://www.artbyholly.com/abstract.html -- This link goes straight to the art Holly has done related to her faith transition, and her reclamation of motherhood.
Ryan's Music: http://www.ryannielsenmusic.com/music -- This link goes straight to the music portion of Ryan's website. Several pieces there are related to my faith transition, including "Prayer for Peace" and "Requiem."
Support Ryan! Ryan has written a 9 movement suite that explores his experience of a faith crisis, through the lens of the life of Elijah Abel. It's time to get this recorded. Ryan has created a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for the project. Please support this worthy project!

1291: Surviving Spiritual Abuse and Suicidality at BYU-Idaho Faculty - Ryan & Holly Nielsen Pt. 5 Apr 06, 2020

Show notes

Important themes for this episode include:

Ryan's perfectionism and guilt/shame as a Mormon youth.
Holly's closeted feminism as a Mormon youth and adult.
Holly and Ryan learning to listen to their own inner voices, which also involved navigating a religious faith crisis.
Navigating BYU-Idaho while one is full time faculty, and in a mixed-faith marriage. This story includes harassment from bishopric over maintaining continuing faculty endorsement (mostly related to Holly’s resignation from the Mormon church.
An insider’s view of BYU-Idaho administration, including difficulties dealing with BYU-Idaho executives related to Title IX issues (e.g., sexual misconduct of Mormon ecclesiastical leaders towards BYU-Idaho students and faculty).
Navigating and healing from religion-based depression, including suicidality.
Deconstructing Mormon literalism and reconstructing a nuanced worldview.
Learning to choose love over ideas.

Additional Resources mentioned in the episodes:

Ryan's AMAZING faith crisis/transition Reading/Podcast list can be found here, and has also been included below, after the video and audio links. This is probably the most impressive and thoughtful resources list I've ever seen for Mormon/religious faith transitions.
Holly's Art: https://www.artbyholly.com/abstract.html -- This link goes straight to the art Holly has done related to her faith transition, and her reclamation of motherhood.
Ryan's Music: http://www.ryannielsenmusic.com/music -- This link goes straight to the music portion of Ryan's website. Several pieces there are related to my faith transition, including "Prayer for Peace" and "Requiem."
Support Ryan! Ryan has written a 9 movement suite that explores his experience of a faith crisis, through the lens of the life of Elijah Abel. It's time to get this recorded. Ryan has created a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for the project. Please support this worthy project!

1290: Surviving Spiritual Abuse and Suicidality at BYU-Idaho Faculty - Ryan & Holly Nielsen Pt. 4 Apr 06, 2020

Show notes

Important themes for this episode include:

Ryan's perfectionism and guilt/shame as a Mormon youth.
Holly's closeted feminism as a Mormon youth and adult.
Holly and Ryan learning to listen to their own inner voices, which also involved navigating a religious faith crisis.
Navigating BYU-Idaho while one is full time faculty, and in a mixed-faith marriage. This story includes harassment from bishopric over maintaining continuing faculty endorsement (mostly related to Holly’s resignation from the Mormon church.
An insider’s view of BYU-Idaho administration, including difficulties dealing with BYU-Idaho executives related to Title IX issues (e.g., sexual misconduct of Mormon ecclesiastical leaders towards BYU-Idaho students and faculty).
Navigating and healing from religion-based depression, including suicidality.
Deconstructing Mormon literalism and reconstructing a nuanced worldview.
Learning to choose love over ideas.

Additional Resources mentioned in the episodes:

Ryan's AMAZING faith crisis/transition Reading/Podcast list can be found here, and has also been included below, after the video and audio links. This is probably the most impressive and thoughtful resources list I've ever seen for Mormon/religious faith transitions.
Holly's Art: https://www.artbyholly.com/abstract.html -- This link goes straight to the art Holly has done related to her faith transition, and her reclamation of motherhood.
Ryan's Music: http://www.ryannielsenmusic.com/music -- This link goes straight to the music portion of Ryan's website. Several pieces there are related to my faith transition, including "Prayer for Peace" and "Requiem."
Support Ryan! Ryan has written a 9 movement suite that explores his experience of a faith crisis, through the lens of the life of Elijah Abel. It's time to get this recorded. Ryan has created a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for the project. Please support this worthy project!

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