In this powerful conversation, Fran Grover shares her deeply personal journey of faith, grief, and transformation. Raised in an orthodox Mormon family, Fran’s story is one of navigating rigid religious expectations, personal loss, and ultimately, self-empowerment. She opens up about the tragic accident that took her sister’s life at a young age, the fear and anxiety that shaped her early years, and how she grappled with religious scrupulosity, spiritual gaslighting, and evolving beliefs about personal agency.
Throughout the discussion, Fran explores the complexities of being a Mormon mom, a mixed-faith marriage, the emotional toll of leaving the LDS Church, and the deep disconnect she felt between the church’s teachings and the equal partnership she built within her home. She candidly reflects on her struggles with depression, her experiences with pregnancy and motherhood, and the empowering realization that she no longer needed outside authority to dictate her worth.
Fran also details her academic journey through law school and her work in criminal defense—finding meaning in advocacy and justice. She shares how logic, critical thinking, and a deep desire to understand truth led her to question long-held beliefs about the Church’s authority, teachings, and institutional history. As she deconstructed her faith, she faced the trauma of leaving a high-demand religion, the pressure of family expectations -such as being a Mormon mom, and the ongoing process of rebuilding her identity.
This conversation touches on major themes of personal autonomy, embracing uncertainty, and learning to trust oneself. Fran discusses the fear of social conversion for her children, the challenges of mixed-faith relationships, and the bittersweet experience of being seen as a “disappointment” by believing family members despite her success. She also delves into the Church’s stance on mental health, the weight of past teachings on purity and obedience, and the difficult reality that the Church rarely acknowledges its own mistakes.
Ultimately, Fran’s story is one of resilience, growth, and self-acceptance. She reflects on how life outside the Church has been richer and more fulfilling, how she has learned to reduce suffering in any way she can, and how true empowerment comes from choosing who you are—on your own terms.
Join us as Fran Grover shares her moving story of love, loss, and the courage to rebuild.
