Friends and listeners who are: 1) struggling with a Mormon faith crisis, 2) in a Mormon mixed-faith marriage, or 3) struggling with marriage/family issues relating to a Mormon faith crisis .
As my time is super limited (working on a book!), and my individual faith crisis coaching practice is filled to the brim, AND as I realize that for some people hourly coaching can be pricey – I would like to experiment with a format of doing faith crisis mini-workshops in the Utah/Idaho/Arizona/Colorado areas (or others if interested). This would allow me to support more people, and would allow people within a specific area to make friends and build deeper connections who are close by (thus fostering community).
The format would be as follows:
- Size of group: 10-12 people, couples and/or individuals welcome.
- Date/Time: Any 6 hour block, weekday, weeknight, or weekend.
- Possible Topics: Navigating a Mormon faith transition, tips for positive Mental Health, healthy marriages/relationships, communicating with believing family and friends, finding community and/or spirituality during and after a faith crisis, etc. (Basically whatever the group wants to cover)
- Location: I could travel to where the group is, or we could find a central location.
- Cost: $150/person (6 hours of coaching for around the cost of 1 hour of coaching).
It would be particularly meaningful to target specific areas and bring people together who live close to each other (e.g., Alpine, S. Jordan, Provo, Orem, Logan, Ogden, Davis County, SLC, Boise, St. George, Cedar City, Spanish Fork, Park City, Heber/Midway, etc.)
If any of you are interested in hosting/organizing such an event, please email me at drjohndehlin@gmail.com or at mormonfaithcrisis@gmail.com. I would love to support you in this way, and help build local friendships/community at the same time.
Thanks in advance!
John Dehlin, Ph.D.
This seems like a great experiment, John. I hope it evolves gracefully and robustly – which, on consideration, I realize may be mutually exclusive operations. Still, great good fortune to this enterprise!
How I wish there was anything similar to the work you and your friends are doing out there in the Utah region, here in New England! It is needed.
Many here are silently questioning, for many reasons and at many levels, and are unaware of each other, or of what is developing in the church at large (since all they have for information is the official channels).
Not sure why, but I hear a lot, quietly , from other members. I notice things, too. Things have been shifting out here for awhile now. There seems to be the same faith crisis developing out here, seemingly in about the same proportion to the overall membership, as what you describe happening out there.
All I can do is offer nonjudging witness to what people share with me, and some validation of their inner sense. Maybe that’s all that’s needed.
We do have the advantage, in a certain point of view, of being surrounded by a larger culture that barely registers the existence of the Church. They hold no judgment around any particular Mormon’s faith crisis or faith transition. On the other hand, this means that, as a transitioning Mormon, there’s your judging Mormon community on one side of the great divide, and your nonjudging but also uncomprehending, nonmormon community on the other. This leaves you with nowhere to process the experience.
Early-stage questioning members are unlikely to go poking around online for support. And, even later, it’s very difficult to find anything other than forums which are so stuck in anger that they only confirm the official narrative about what becomes of doubters. Took me nearly a year of intermittent poking around to discover some more objective, thoughtful discourse on Mormon faith-shifting. Including this podcast. Yay!
Anyone in the Pocatello area interested? All my friends are believers
This would have been great for my marriage 10 years ago, not that it would have prevented divorce, but it could have settled the tension at that time. I think this great idea for people in this situation.
I am in St George…. feel so isolated…am I the only one have a faith crisis? My neighborhood and ward seem to be TBM
I’m 74 and this situation could seriously
Impact my marriage after 56 years. I’ve been struggling for 8 years now… but I’ve resigned to just being a buffet Norman
For now but Sundays are painful.. my mental health ebs and flows …just don’t have anyone to talk to… morman stories
Is my lifeline….a group connection would be wonderful…. val
I am in St George…. feel so isolated…am I the only one having a faith crisis? My neighborhood and ward seem to be TBM
I’m 74 and this situation could seriously
Impact my marriage after 56 years. I’ve been struggling for 8 years now… but I’ve resigned to just being a buffet Norman
For now , but Sundays are painful.. my mental health ebs and flows …just don’t have anyone to talk to… morman stories
Is my lifeline….a group connection would be wonderful…. val
I am in St George…. feel so isolated…am I the only one having a faith crisis? My neighborhood and ward seem to be TBM
I’m 74 and this situation could seriously
Impact my marriage after 56 years. I’ve been struggling for 8 years now… but I’ve resigned to just being a buffet Norman
For now , but Sundays are painful.. my mental health ebs and flows …just don’t have anyone to talk to… morman stories
Is my lifeline….a group connection would be wonderful….