Blog

Debunking Modern-day Motherhood Myths: KSL Mom Show

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Lindsay Aerts of KSL's "The Mom Show" and share my thoughts about certain motherhood expectations that seem to permeate our society. I loved this topic, as it touches on so many themes that are important to me: Mormon culture, mental health, families, and social media. Here are some common modern-day motherhood myths debunked!

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Assertiveness & Women's Sexuality: Mormon Sex Info Podcast

Sometimes Mormon culture seems to perpetuate the idea that women exist solely as a helpmeet or support person for others (namely their husband and children). We often define ourselves in relation to other people, and while it's wonderful to be focused on relationships, we may unintentionally begin to lose sight of own selves. When it comes

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Mormon Women Family, Work, and Faith: Deseret News

I was pleased to have my thoughts included in a recent Deseret News article that focused on a few themes I am very interested in: aspirational shame for Mormon women, the wage gap, motherhood, and partnership. Here are some of the ideas that I shared:

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Mormon Culture and The Problem of Assertiveness: A Thoughtful Faith Podcast

Mormon Culture and The Problem of Assertiveness: A Thoughtful Faith Podcast

As a therapist, one of my favorite things to observe and write about is the intersection of religious beliefs and mental/emotional health. That's why I was so excited to sit down with Gina Colvin of "A Thoughtful Faith" podcast and discuss Mormon culture in terms of assertiveness, specifically challenges LDS women may experience when it comes to being assertive. Here are some of the main themes from our conversation:

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How Assertiveness Improves Relationships: Beyond The Couch Podcast

In order to understand what assertiveness is, I find that it's helpful to first identify what it isn't, as there are many misconceptions about it: it's not being pushy, aggressive, or demanding. It also doesn't just mean speaking your mind or telling people what you think. Instead, assertiveness refers to reflecting on your emotional history, understanding and managing your feeling, then expressing yourself in a way that will strengthen your relationships. It's a way of articulating what you believe while also allowing room for differences. Overall, assertiveness is a way of being your true self while also becoming closer to others.

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Dividing Household Labor in Families Q&A: Good Things Utah

To talk about how families can better share the load of family chores and unpaid work, we took to social media to see what our viewers' thought about these issues. Here are a few questions we received:

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How Families Can Share Household Responsibilities: Good Things Utah

I recently sat down with the hosts of "Good Things Utah" to discuss a concern in family life that many, many women seem to experience: the division of household labor.

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How to Let Go of Labels: Studio 5

Have you ever noticed how much we label each other? Particularly as women, we tend to put each other in boxes: there's the Pinterest mom, the Amazon-Prime mom, the athlete mom, the working mom, the stay-at-home mom, and the list goes on. In life, we need to organize things to make sense of them in our brains, but it can be problematic when we try to categorize people as well. Human beings are multi-dimensional, and labels, even positive ones ("the pretty one," or "the smart one"), can be limiting. Here are some strategies to move beyond this and see each other as really people:

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The 3 Communication Stances: Are You a Doormat, Sword, or Lantern?

There are three stances we can take when communicating in difficult circumstances. The lantern is the goal for all communication. A lantern values her own feelings and thoughts but is also mindful of and sensitive toward those of others. Individuals with a doormat stance often allow their own needs and feelings to be trampled on. Those with a sword stance are perhaps too vocal, even pushy, about their views, as they express them in ways that are harsh and alienating to others.

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Normalizing the Challenges of Marriage: Elephant Talk Podcast Interview

Whether or not we admit it, everyone has problems in their marriages. Everyone. So many times, it seems that we think we're the only ones struggling in our relationship with our spouse, and this can cause intense feelings of shame and inadequacy.

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"My Life Didn't Turn Out as Planned, Now What?"

A mid-life Mormon Mom, Elizabeth, thought life would turn out a certain way if she did the right things: marry, stay home with her children. Her husband is struggling with a porn problem and now, she facing the possibility of divorce. She asks me for help in knowing how to find herself and prepare for her next steps.

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Love & Gender Equality at Home: Sunstone Symposium Audio

Listen to Dr. Julie Hanks' Sunstone presentation. Early relationship patterns lay the framework for our identity development, social interactions, and assumptions about others. If gender equality is to be achieved within Mormon culture and theology, it must first be modeled in family relationships. Cultural Transformation Theory provides a framework for moving from a domination model that values “masculine” over “feminine” to a partnership model where relationships are based on connection and equality.

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