In this unforgettable conversation, Heather chats with Hall of Fame quarterback and author Steve Young to explore one of the most transformative concepts: The Law of Love. Steve invites us to examine how our culture—especially within faith communities—often leans into transactional patterns in relationships, spirituality, and even identity. Through…

In this follow-up episode, Heather sits down again with Jill Freestone—an anxiety and emotion coach and somatic experiencing practitioner—to go even deeper into the emotion of anger. We focus on how anger shows up in family dynamics, especially between parents and children, and how we can change our relationship with this often-misunderstood emotio…

In this powerful and validating episode, Heather is joined by returning guest and anxiety/emotion coach Jill Freestone to explore the complex and misunderstood emotion of anger. With warmth, insight, and a touch of humor, they discuss how anger—especially in women—has been shamed, suppressed, and mischaracterized. Jill introduces the concept of “sa…

Couples conflict coach Crystal Hansen joins Heather to reframe the way we experience conflict in our relationships. With honesty, humor, and real-life examples, Crystal walks listeners through four common patterns that keep us disconnected and offers simple mindset shifts to create deeper connection and emotional safety in marriage. Whether you’re …

In this episode, Heather is joined once again by life coach Tiffany Rhoton to explore the delicate art of parenting young adults. Tiffany shares how parents can let go of control, embrace agency, and build strong, lasting relationships by parenting from love instead of fear. With wisdom drawn from gospel principles and her deep coaching experience,…

In this heartfelt episode, Coach Matt Rutter joins Heather Rackham to explore what it truly means to be wealthy. Moving beyond dollars and cents, Matt introduces the concept of “Wealth 360”—a holistic approach to prosperity that includes relationships, spirituality, health, experiences, and being fully present in life. Together, they unpack how pre…

How much in the Church is still, in 2025, coming to us through the male lens? Pretty much all of it. Our scriptures, doctrine, ward boundaries, curriculum, conference talks, local leadership, and decisions are almost entirely by and/or about men. A women’s organization made and presided over by men is not really a women’s organization, is it? How c…

In this heartfelt and deeply reflective episode, Coach Jill Pack introduces a powerful exercise called “Building My House”—a metaphorical journaling and self-awareness tool that helps individuals better understand themselves, their values, and how they relate to others. As a midlife women’s coach and host of the Seasons of Joy podcast, Jill shares …

Linda Hamilton explains, “I spent my whole life believing that spirituality was in big things. Visions from heaven, angels, signs. We always say in Mormonism, don't wait for a sign. You won't get a sign; you won't get a miracle. We say that...and then we go up in testimony meeting and talk about some sign we received." She describes having spent mu…

In this episode, Coach Bonnie Butler shares her powerful journey as a mother of 10—including six adopted children—and the challenges and healing that come with foster and adoptive parenting. She opens up about emotional regulation, rebuilding relationships, and letting go of guilt and control. Bonnie also introduces her free virtual summit designed…

Therapist C.A. Larson defines a high-demand religion as “a religious group that exerts significant control over its members' beliefs, behaviors, and daily lives. These groups often require strict adherence to doctrine, discourage independent thinking, and use social, psychological, or spiritual pressure to maintain compliance.” In Episode 218, C.A.…

In this powerful episode, Heather is joined by Leah Davidson, a coach, speech-language pathologist, and creator of the Resilience Journal. Together, they explore how creativity can be a transformative and accessible tool for nervous system regulation. Leah shares insights into how creative practices like doodling, journaling, and other forms of art…

“We have direct access to light and knowledge and power, and we have the right—the divinely given right—to take that power, even if it says to us something different from how the authorities or power structures over us may be thinking. If it's the thing that's right and true for ourselves, we are benefited when we follow the dictates of our own con…

In this episode, Heather sits down with registered dietitian Devrie Pettit, founder of Happily Fed, to discuss shifting away from diet culture and embracing a non-diet, intuitive approach to nutrition. Devrie shares her personal journey as a dietitian, mom, and advocate for positive food relationships. Together, they explore how faith, science, and…

These days it seems Latter-day Saints talk about the importance of temple attendance in almost every meeting and lesson. It makes sense: in 2001, then-Elder Russell M. Nelson explained, “Every activity, every lesson, all we do in the Church, point to the Lord and His Holy house.” But might this relentless focus on a thing not all members participat…

Making friends may seem simple, but many of us struggle with it, especially during life transitions. Whether you're a teenager, a young adult, or navigating empty nesting, creating and maintaining deep friendships takes intentional effort. In this episode, Coach Daelene shares practical strategies for forming genuine connections, overcoming social …

Shibboleths are customs, traditions, words, or phrasings that distinguish one group of people from another. Latter-day Saints have a lot of unique identifiers. Garment lines, beverage choices, vocabulary, or prayer styles might serve as reliable clues to whether or not someone belongs to our church. In Episode 215, Cynthia and Susan talk about some…

In this episode, Heather is joined by Jenn Zingmark, a coach who specializes in helping individuals navigate the challenges of divorce while staying faithful, resilient, and hopeful. Jenn shares her personal journey through divorce and remarriage, the lessons she’s learned, and how she now helps others find healing and hope. She discusses how to kn…

“Wouldn’t it be a good idea to have a book about girls who ask great questions?” This question from a 9-year-old inspired authors McArthur Krishna and Anne Pimentel to create their book Changemakers: Women Who Boldly Built Zion. By highlighting women’s stories, the book affirms our roles in building, growing, and sustaining the Church—influencing o…

In this episode, Heather is joined by Jackie Swainson, a master-certified coach specializing in helping midlife women navigate transitions with clarity, purpose, and peace. They dive deep into the power of stillness, how it connects us to God, and how it helps us process life's accumulated experiences. Jackie shares her insights on how to silence i…

“What is it like to be an introvert in a church that really supports extroversion?" When therapist C.A. Larson asked this question in a previous episode, it was a lightbulb moment for many listeners. Through voicemails, emails, and on social media, women of the ALSSI community reported feeling seen, and understanding their own church experiences in…

In this episode, we dive into a conversation with Nikki Olson, a licensed clinical mental health counselor and coach, to explore the differences between therapy and coaching. Nikki shares insights from both perspectives, highlighting when therapy is essential and when coaching can be a powerful tool for personal development. She also discusses how …

“My faith is this process of evolving, ebbing, flowing, forming, reforming, shaping, shape shifting,” explains Kathie Debenham. It’s no surprise that she describes her faith as a moving thing; as a dancer, her education includes a graduate certification focused on “observing, describing, recording, and making meaning of movement.” In Episode 212, K…

In this episode of the podcast, Heather sits down with Coach Summer Davis, a certified life coach specializing in missionary mental health and emotional resilience. Summer shares her deep passion for helping young adults prepare mentally and emotionally for their missions—not just survive, but truly thrive in the field. With a background in coachin…

When asked about the possibility of priesthood ordination for women in 1998, Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley famously told Larry King, “It would take another revelation to bring that about. I don’t anticipate it.” Big changes have come following revelations in LDS history, but must prophetic revelation always precede change? Even on a local level, many le…

Coach Meg Tilton shares the story of her 29,029 endurance challenge, where she climbed the elevation equivalent of Mount Everest in 36 hours. Through intense physical training and mental preparation, Meg discovered profound truths about resilience, the power of discomfort, and the importance of trusting herself and others. This transformative exper…

In Part 2 of the conversation about biblical marriage, Susan and Cynthia ask Dr. Jennifer Bird about virginity, purity culture, and—of course!—biblical polygamy. Joseph Smith drew on polygamy in the Hebrew Bible to justify instituting the practice in early Mormonism, teaching that sometimes God not only condoned but actually mandated it. So what do…

In this heartfelt episode, Heather is joined by Coach Ruth Farris-Harris, who shares her journey of overcoming betrayal and finding healing through self-introspection and faith. Ruth’s candid discussion about the emotional toll of infidelity and pornography use sheds light on the often-isolating experience of betrayal, while providing practical too…

“If we want to look at this sacred collection called the Bible as our guide, let's be really clear and honest about what it was saying on its own terms first, then leave it up to everyone to figure out what we're going to do with that, because we're going to do different things with it,” suggests Dr. Jennifer Bird. In Episode 209, she joins Susan a…

In this inspiring episode, Coach LeAnn Austin shares how balancing the mind, body, and spirit is foundational for meaningful connections. Using the analogy of a three-legged stool, she explains how intentional focus on these areas can lead to greater harmony in life. LeAnn introduces her Connection Blueprint, a practical guide to fostering connecti…

Latter-day Saints have a complicated relationship with the word patriarchy. We reverence it, including variations in some of our highest callings and ordinances, yet many members won’t touch it in a discussion of women’s rights or organizational equality. So how can we have meaningful conversations about it with other Church members? Amy McPhie All…

In this episode, Coach Bob Smith shares his personal journey of embracing vulnerability, healing emotional wounds, and turning life’s messes into impactful messages. Through relatable stories, like helping his daughter overcome fear on a rollercoaster, Bob highlights the profound connections between fear, excitement, and growth. He also introduces …

When it comes to talking about abuse and violence against women, “You have to become comfortable with being uncomfortable,” explains Susan Madsen. In Episode 207, Dr. Madsen joins Susan and Cynthia for a conversation about the link between religiosity and abuse, and the power disparity that fosters it. Even where the Church is strongest, the statis…

In this episode, Heather is joined by Jille Dunsmore, a body and life coach who helps women overcome cravings and develop healthy relationships with food and their bodies. Jille shares her personal journey of battling sugar addiction for over 30 years and how she finally found freedom by retraining her brain and transforming her self-talk. The disc…

“How many things have to happen to you before something occurs to you," says Darice Auston, quoting Robert Frost. In Episode 206, Darice joins Cynthia and Susan to share some of the things that have occurred to her, and where those insights are leading her now. It's a conversation that illustrates the ways our unique experiences can shape and infor…

In this episode, Coach Karen Papin joins the conversation to share her inspiring journey from struggling with anxiety and shyness to becoming a certified life coach, NLP practitioner, and host of the Divine Worth Podcast. Karen opens up about her challenges with public speaking and how her faith and trust in God helped her transform weaknesses into…

As we welcome the New Year, many of us are eager to set goals and improve our lives. But how do we avoid the overwhelm and frustration that often come with traditional goal-setting? In this episode, Coach Sue Tester shares her innovative KISS method for goal setting: Keep, Incrementally Improve, Start, and Stop. By focusing on small, actionable ste…

Is this the end?! In this season 5 finale, we discuss the decision to intensionally end the production of this podcast, reflect on why we started it, our current positions on faith and disbelief after these last 5 years, how doing this has changed our lives and our relationship to each other, and where we intend to go from here. We also discuss the…

In this episode, Heather is joined by Coach Tanya Hale to discuss the concept of "relationship circles" and the importance of maintaining a strong sense of self in fostering healthy, intimate connections. Tanya shares insights on how differentiation, empathy, and validation can create a safe space for partners to grow individually and together. The…

“The natural world, with all its varieties of God’s creations, shows us so many [other] ways of being,” writes Kaylee McElroy. Zooming out as far as human imagination can take us may bring our ideas about God and our relationship to the physical world into clearer focus. In Episode 205, Susan and Cynthia are joined by Kaylee for a conversation abou…

In this inspiring episode of Latter Day Life Coaches, Heather welcomes Coach Ken Williams, who shares a refreshing perspective on goal setting. Together, they explore how traditional "smart goals" may limit our potential and introduce Ken's revolutionary "stupid goals" framework. With personal stories, insights from his coaching journey, and action…

The siblings are joined by special return guest Brother Jordan to talk about the predatory organization (or cult) known as Twin Flames Universe, which claims that ‘You can have Harmonious Twin Flame Union if you choose to take the spiritual journey all the way to your natural destination of eternal love’ … also, make a lot of personal sacrifices an…

In a church where everything is “true,” how do we allocate importance? With only so much bandwidth, we all have to make choices about what matters to us. Which ideas do we find to be consistently resonant, or generative? Which produce meaningful fruit in our lives and relationships? In Episode 204, Cynthia and Susan take on the current interest in …

In this insightful episode, Heather welcomes coach and actor Shelly Townsend, who shares her inspiring perspective on self-worth, divine potential, and the beauty of personal growth. Drawing parallels from scripture stories, Hollywood classics like The Lion King, and the humble yet powerful dandelion, Shelly explores how we can reframe limiting bel…

There are some topics that seem to surface again and again in our ALSSI conversations: love, fear, self, change, and patriarchy, to name a few. In Episode 203, Cynthia and Susan are joined by Valerie Hamaker for a conversation that touches on these themes and others as we discuss evolving faith.By Cynthia Winward, Susan Hinckley

In this episode, host Heather sits down with coach Michelle Keil to explore the intersection of science, psychology, and the spiritual process of repentance. Together, they redefine repentance as a joyful and empowering experience rather than one rooted in fear or shame. Michelle shares insights into the science of neuroplasticity, explaining how t…

When things start to shift around our faith, the need to tell people about the change can feel overwhelming. There are all kinds of reasons people want to share—it can feel isolating to carry such big thoughts, feelings, and experiences alone. But depending on the circumstances, spilling the details of your evolving faith can have all kinds of cons…

In this insightful episode, Coach Glenn Lovelace shares powerful lessons about managing anger and conflict in relationships. Drawing from personal experiences, including a life-altering accident and a close call involving his son, Glenn delves into the importance of recognizing and managing anger as a natural human emotion. He explores the "Four Ho…

David French wrote, “We live in an age of misplaced certainty, when even the smallest expressions of doubt or the slightest of disagreements break institutions and fracture families." In Episode 201, Cynthia and Susan take on certainty as it contributes to the development of a Church monoculture. Is there room for existential or intellectual humili…

In this episode, Heather is joined by marriage and sex coach Amanda Louder to explore the complex topic of sexual desire within marriage, particularly focusing on the common challenges of desire discrepancies. Amanda provides a compassionate and insightful look at the biological, psychological, and sociological factors that shape desire, explaining…