Finally joined - been reading here for a while

[rampion]

Hi. :)

I've been reading some of the posts here for a few weeks, and wanted to be part of some of the discussions, so I finally got around to joining.

A little about me so that you will know who I am:

I've always been LDS. Some of my ancestors were pioneers who came from Europe and travelled to Utah with handcart companies. On my dad's side, I'm first generation American. My grandparents joined the church in Norway, and came to the U.S. during WWII, when my father was 5 years old. I noticed the norsk forum here, and plan to visit there as well. I taught myself the language after my grandfather died, 8 years ago.

I wasn't raised in Utah, but pretty much all over the world. But I have lived all over Utah for much of the past 20 years - various different locations. Utah is still a strange place.

I started noticing these forums when religion became a banned topic at another online community I participate in, and I realized that that site was missing something that I consider an essential part of who I am, and had prohibited me from sharing that essential part of myself.

Although I was a SAHM (and homeschooled my kids) for a long time, I could not do it anymore. I felt so trapped, and pursuing my own goals became a matter of survival. I went back to school, graduated, got a job, got another job at the same time, started graduate school, changed jobs, started internship, and somewhere along the way realized that I had become a workaholic. The worst was when one of my jobs required 14 hour shifts every Saturday and Sunday (I thought then I could still be home with the kids).

My therapist keeps telling me that I never show her that my religion means much to me. She is not LDS. But there were sessions that felt like a temple recommend interview, and she was much tougher on me than my bishop. Part of what I'm trying to figure out is how to show her that this is important to me, without coming across like I'm preaching to her or trying to convert her, etc.

So, maybe that's a lot more than you ever wanted to know about me, but there it is. And, hello, again. It's good to meet you. :)

p.s. forgot to mention I'm a perfectionist, with myself anyway, and perfectionism is bad for me, and I know that.

Edited August 17, 2008 by rampion
spelling and format errors

[pam]

Utah is a strange place. I've been here for 13 years now. Welcome to the site. It was great to learn more about you and I hope you continue to join us.

[Maya]

Hi nice to hear of someone with Norwegean roots. My husband is norwegean and we live close Oslo. If you can any norwegean pleace do come and write something in norwegean part of the forum. We kind of hope more norwegean inputs... Hanne Line and I:D

[Connie]

Welcome. :)

[melissar]

Welcome to the site!

[Misshalfway]

Welcome. Hope you enjoy participating as much as lurking. :)

[siouxz72]

Welcome to the site! Hope you enjoy our little home away from home :)

[rampion]

Thanks for the welcome replies! Yes, I think that participating is better than lurking.

[Dr T]

Welcome to this site :)

[Truegrits]

Hello, rampion...Welcome to the site! :)

[Mykdiver]

Welcome to the site. Good to have you.

As far as your therapist goes, bear your testimony to her and just explain how much the Church means to you. If she does not want you to go into more detail, or feels uncomfortable I am sure they will let you know.

[rampion]

I have told her that the church is true and means a lot to me. It seems that she must be claiming it's a contradiction to say all of that and still not be happy. In other words, if I really lived my religion, I should be cured by now. Yeah, and I think that is good in theory, but I think there is a little more to it.

And it's strange that she has never shown any sign of being uncomfortable talking religion with me. She generally brings it up, not me. Even though I do believe that ultimately the answers are in faith and Christ bearing our pains as well as our sins through the atonement, and living true to our beliefs, it is still hard to consider that within the realm of therapy. But maybe it is. I would tell others that is the way to find peace. But it is so much harder to apply it to myself.

[Mykdiver]

It is always harder to do it yourself. It is easy to give advice, but harder to take it.

Maybe talking about the Gospel with her would help you also, and possibly find a convert in her. You neve know.

[rampion]

She has her own beliefs and makes a point in telling me that they are different from mine. Still I feel that if she really knew what it is that we have and could recognize it for what it is, she would accept it.

I am much better at telling other people what to do than I am at doing it myself. But thenk, at least I'm understanding about how hard it is when they struggle with following the advice.

[Maya]

In Norway my daughter was told her problems are because of religion and all religions are bad.

[rampion]

That was the attitude here too, and there are still a few therapists and a lot of lay people who think that religions are bad. The field grew from tolerating religion and recognizing that people have a right to be religious if they choose, to where now most therapists recognize that religion and spirituality can be an important part of a person's well-being. I went to this therapist because she did recognize the importance of spirituality.

Edited August 18, 2008 by rampion
typo

[Hemidakota]

Hi. :)

I've been reading some of the posts here for a few weeks, and wanted to be part of some of the discussions, so I finally got around to joining.

A little about me so that you will know who I am:

I've always been LDS. Some of my ancestors were pioneers who came from Europe and travelled to Utah with handcart companies. On my dad's side, I'm first generation American. My grandparents joined the church in Norway, and came to the U.S. during WWII, when my father was 5 years old. I noticed the norsk forum here, and plan to visit there as well. I taught myself the language after my grandfather died, 8 years ago.

I wasn't raised in Utah, but pretty much all over the world. But I have lived all over Utah for much of the past 20 years - various different locations. Utah is still a strange place.

I started noticing these forums when religion became a banned topic at another online community I participate in, and I realized that that site was missing something that I consider an essential part of who I am, and had prohibited me from sharing that essential part of myself.

Although I was a SAHM (and homeschooled my kids) for a long time, I could not do it anymore. I felt so trapped, and pursuing my own goals became a matter of survival. I went back to school, graduated, got a job, got another job at the same time, started graduate school, changed jobs, started internship, and somewhere along the way realized that I had become a workaholic. The worst was when one of my jobs required 14 hour shifts every Saturday and Sunday (I thought then I could still be home with the kids).

My therapist keeps telling me that I never show her that my religion means much to me. She is not LDS. But there were sessions that felt like a temple recommend interview, and she was much tougher on me than my bishop. Part of what I'm trying to figure out is how to show her that this is important to me, without coming across like I'm preaching to her or trying to convert her, etc.

So, maybe that's a lot more than you ever wanted to know about me, but there it is. And, hello, again. It's good to meet you. :)

p.s. forgot to mention I'm a perfectionist, with myself anyway, and perfectionism is bad for me, and I know that.

I am a perfectionist also but had to back off. I know how you feel but welcome to the forum.