The Hidden Cost of Mormon Belief: Conditioned From Childhood

About this episode

This episode discusses the long-term psychological effects of religious conditioning on individuals, particularly focusing on former Latter-day Saints and sexual minorities.

What if the harm didn’t start with a crisis… but with what you were taught as a child? In this episode of Mormonism Live, we sit down with researcher and clinician Samuel Clemens, PhD, LCSW, to unpack his groundbreaking study on religious trauma among former Latter-day Saints—particularly those who identify as sexual minorities. This isn’t a conversation about people being “offended” or simply losing belief. It’s about something deeper. Clemens’ research reveals that for many, the damage isn’t tied to a single moment—but to years of subtle conditioning. Messages about worthiness, identity, obedience, and belonging begin early… and often shape how individuals see themselves long before they have the language to understand who they are. We explore: How religious trauma develops over time—not in one event, but through repetition Why identity and morality being fused together creates lasting psychological conflict The “double bind” many experience: be authentic and risk losing everything, or conform and lose yourself The central role of family, belonging, and conditional acceptance Why leaving can feel both freeing and devastating at the same time This is an honest, nuanced…

People in this episode

Guest: Samuel Clemens, PhD, LCSW

Topics covered

• religious trauma
• Latter-day Saints
• identity
• psychological conflict
• high-demand religious systems
• healing

Keywords

• religious trauma
• Latter-day Saints
• identity
• psychological conflict
• high-demand religion
• healing
• conditional acceptance

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Mormon Discussion Inc, Mormonism Live

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