About Me

I was 35 when I left the Mormon Church. I had been born and raised in it, and it shaped every single life choice that I made. Though my choices did not always align with the demands of the religion, my faith always affected the path by which I made those decisions. Other aspects of my identity influenced my experience as a Mormon, including my gender, my status as a daughter of divorced parents, my political views, and my non-temple marriage to a Lutheran man. Each one of these identities placed me in specific groups that were marginalized. Though I still held a lot of privilege as a straight and white girl and woman, these other identities opened my eyes to the various ways in which groups of people are othered within Mormonism. Though social and political issues deeply affected me throughout my life, I learned to rationalize them and did not choose to leave until I became aware of problematic historical issues. I felt a sense of relief as I ultimately chose to walk away, but also felt trepidation, betrayal, and grief. My experience is not unique, and the further I have gotten from Mormonism, the more I have realized that there is a severe lack of support available to those experiencing faith crises and faith transitions.

There are several social justice and human rights issues that I am passionate about, but there is not one that more directly speaks to my own experience than that of religious trauma. I have a deep love for Mormons and post-Mormons alike, and I want to be there to support those who are struggling. I conducted my research on the experiences of post-Mormons as members and ex-members with the goal to create a support system that helps them navigate their lives beyond Mormonism. Throughout my research, I have discovered that while our experiences as post-Mormons are often similar, each person does have unique struggles and needs. My research will be used as a tool to identify those needs and build resources that support them in their growth outside of their former religion.