Mother, Where Art Though? Women Seeking Wholeness Podcast

I recently had the chance to share my thoughts with Cherie Burton on her podcast "Women Seeking Wholeness." Here are a few of the ideas we discussed:

My Journey As a Healer:

Cherie asked me some questions that led me to articulate why I'm so drawn to the topic of helping women. As a therapist of nearly twenty five years practicing in Utah, a great deal of my clients have been women who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I noticed a theme in my clinical practice that many of them had never really developed their own voice or had lost it along the way of marriage, motherhood, and church responsibilities. In many ways, this reflected my experience, as I remembered how my own voice had been clouded by depression, body image issues, and feelings of shame and worthlessness as a teenager. I realized that I wanted to be an advocate for women and demonstrate that they did not have to sacrifice their own voice even as they pursued relationships, careers, parenting, and other aspirations.

Feminine Influence (or Lack Of) in Faith

Our discussion also ventured into the territory of feminine influence in religion (or the lack of it), and I pointed out how in Latter-day Saint theology, a female deity (or Heavenly Mother) is acknowledged, but sadly She has not been really emphasized. In my work, I've noticed that a lot of women are seeking that understanding of and connection with the divine female, and I expressed that that is part of my own spiritual journey. It is difficult to do in a largely male-centric world, but I am encouraged that many seem to be up to the challenge to try.

Cherie was kind enough to begin her podcast playing an excerpt of my song "Mother, Where Art Thou?" The lyrics express my earnest desire to know and connect with Her:

I have read the ancient books
Searching for your name
Tracing every line on every page
Imagining your face

I hear echoes of your voice
In the stillness of the night
As I strain to see your shadow
In the stories of so long ago

Are you the binding on each page
Are you the thread that binds
All humankind through every age
Are you the spaces in between
Above around beneath
Come out from your cloud
Mother, where art thou?

Where you there when it began
In the garden near the tree
As the architect of Eden’s door for Eve
And all humanity

Are you the cradle and the grave
Are you the hand that lifts
All living things to higher ways
Are you the soil and the waves
The blossom and the rays
Come out from your shroud
Mother, where are thou?

Your weary daughters kneeling
We’re praying and we’re pleading
That you can stop this bleeding
The world has lost its feeling
How we need your healing
We long for your revealing
How we need a mother now

Listen to the episode above for the entire discussion.
For help finding your own unique voice, explore my book "The Assertiveness Guide For Women.