Coffee and Cocoa Episode 3: Kari's Story

Content note: This episode contains references to suicidal thoughts. Please take care of yourself as you listen. Last week, Kimberly told her story. This week, it's Kari's turn. Kari grew up immersed in the LDS (then "Mormon") church and culture with pioneer ancestors, temple sealings, road shows, ward dinners... Her faith was so woven into her life that questioning it never crossed her mind. She married young, had six children, and built what looked, from the outside, exactly like the Mormon dream. And then her oldest child left the church and barely spoke to the family for the next few years. In this episode, Kari shares how that broke her. She discusses the grief that went to her bones, the depression she had carried for years but never named, and the moment she found herself weighing whether her children would be better off without her. She talks about what it took to find her way back and the changes she had to make along the way. This episode explains why Kari does the work she does, and why it's so important to her to help LDS mothers who are suffering in silence to know that they are not alone, and that there is a way to hold onto their faith AND their children who have left the church. #ldsmom #faithjourney #exmormon #familyrelationships #churchofjesuschristoflatterdaysaints #faithmatters