Shows / Unleashing Sister Saints
Unleashing Sister Saints
Unleashing Sister Saints was created to strengthen the testimonies of sisters in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, while helping them wrestle through the cultural and gender dynamics that can limit or challenge women's influence and impact. Join host Dr. Susan R. Madsen, a global expert in women and leadership, mom of four, and a devoted member of the Church as she shares research, personal experiences, and weekly challenges to help women feel freed to bring their whole selves to…
Episodes
- Unleashing Sister Saints
165. Trusting the Future God Is Shaping in You
In this episode, I return to some foundational truths we often recite but struggle to truly believe—our divine identity, our worth, and the future God is…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
164. The Choice to Leave Abuse (Part II)
In the last episode, I shared some quotes from the book “The Choice to Leave Abuse,” by Dr. Ryan Anderson. I am still not finished with the book, but as I’m in…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
163. The Choice to Leave Abuse (Part 1)
As listeners know, I'm doing a lot of reading, research, and reflection around the issues of violence against women and children in the Church. With this in…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
162. Utah’s Status Quo Problem: Why We Resist Change Even When It Hurts Us
I know I’ve been sharing many editorials that I’ve written on this podcast, and I want to get to some other things, but I do have one more to share because I…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
161. Bullying Is More Common—and More Damaging—Than We Admit
This is the third episode in my new season, and I’m going to read another editorial. I’m writing on topics that are important to me, so I want them to be part…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
160. Why Utah’s Passive‑Aggressive Culture Hurts Us More Than We Think
This one absolutely applies to religious context, and I hope you'll appreciate it. I think women are socialized to do this more than men. I recently published…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
Why 159. Ethical Grounding Still Matters in a World That Feels Upside Down
In this episode, I turn to an editorial I published in June in the Utah News Dispatch—a piece that speaks directly to the lived experience of Latter‑day Saint…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
158. Why Moral Clarity Still Matters
After a refreshing summer break, I’m back and ready to launch Season Four of Unleashing Sister Saints. And I’m starting this season with an episode centered…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
157. Building Faith Communities Where Women Can Find Safety, Support, & Belonging
As I wrap up for the summer, I talk about a research study I'm conducting (with the help of a qualitative research team) titled "Building Faith Communities…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
156. What We Stand to Lose When Women’s Progress is Treated as Optional
I’m going to take a break for the summer, but felt like I didn’t have an episode that closes the loop on the year, so I’ll do that in this episode, but now I’m…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
155. Stewardship vs Ownership
In this episode, I explore a principle that has the power to soften your heart, reshape your relationships, and dramatically shift how you experience both the…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
154. The Hidden Ways Language Undermines Women
Decades of research shows that language doesn’t simply describe reality—it actively shapes it. The words we choose influence perception, identity, and…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
153. Mother in Heaven: A Study Guide
In this episode of Unleashing Sister Saints, we’re diving into one of the most soul‑shifting themes in Latter‑day Saint theology: our relationship with our…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
152. Using Friction to Grow
I recently finished a powerful new book titled Using Friction to Grow: Stories of Strength & Resilience—LDS Women 1968–1976, written by my friend Robin Ritch…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
151. Jesus’ Path to Conflict Transformation: Part 2
I recently finished reading the book “70x7: Jesus’s Path to Conflict Transformation” by Chad Ford. I shared some of my favorite passages, along with some…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
150. Jesus’ Path to Conflict Transformation – Part 1
During the last several months, I've read the book "70x7: Jesus’s Path to Conflict Transformation" by Chad Ford. He is an expert on peacebuilding and conflict…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
149. A Woman’s Power – Spiritual Gifts & Priesthood Power
In this podcast episode of Unleashing Sister Saints, I share a few personal experiences when the prayers of sisters have been incredibly powerful and…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
148. Understanding Gendered Communication: What Science Reveals
This episode is the fifth in a series designed to help parents, family members, educators, and community members better understand gender differences so we can…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
147. How Boys and Girls Play Differently
Gender differences continue to fascinate scientists across disciplines, and for good reason. Some researchers argue that sex differences in childhood may have…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
146. How Boys and Girls Sense the World Through Smell
I’m doing a series of short episodes on understanding gender – particularly some of the differences between boys, girls, men, and women. I find it so…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
145. How Boys and Girls Hear the World Differently—and Why It Matters
In the last episode—titled “Are There Differences in the Ways that Girls and Boys See the World?” – so difference in “sight.” I started a 5-part series around…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
144. Are There Differences in the Ways that Girls and Boys See the World?
Conversations about the differences between girls and boys—and between women and men—often make people uneasy. Some fear that acknowledging differences will…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
143. When Religion and Sexism Collide, Women's Health Suffers
Although I never set out early in my career to research orwrite about sexism, the work found me. As I spent years studying how to develop girls and women into…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
142. Why We Still Can’t Confront Violence Against Women
In this episode I share an editorial I wrote for a statewide Utah that has applications to other states, countries, communities, and congregations. It is…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
141. Choosing the Abundance Mindset
Each January offers more than a fresh calendar—it gives us a quiet invitation to rethink how we move through the world. Not through grand resolutions that fade…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
140. In Honor of President Jeffrey R. Holland - My Favorite Quotes
President Jeffrey R. Holland passed away earlier this week, and he and his family have been in my thoughts are prayers. Of course, like so many of you, I loved…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
139: Arise & Shine - The Power of Sisterhood in Christ
I'm smiling as I release this episode as it is a little difference. I’ve been using AI for ideas, definitions, and other things the last few months, and I’m so…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
138. Are There 'Masculine Defaults' in the Church?
I recently had a commentary published in The Salt Lake Tribune that I thought you might find interesting. Through the years, I’ve had many people new to Utah…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
137. The Sister Missionary Age Change
This episode focuses on the recent sister missionary age change from 19 to 18. I actually really love this for a number of reasons. I talk about those, and I…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
136. Some Surprising Research on Utah Families
In September of 2025, the Utah Foundation – a partnerorganization that I have respected for years – published a report titled, “Households and Heritages: How…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
135. Hidden Pearl: Embracing and Understanding Your Sexuality with Dr. Chelom Leavitt
Dr. Chelom Leavitt is an amazing person with a fascinating background, from attending law school at BYU to later earning a Ph.D. in Human Development and…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
134. Moral Credits: Will Accruing More Positive Than Negative Credits Get Us to Heaven?
A month ago, the Salt Lake Tribune published apiece I wrote that they titled “Voices: In a place like Utah, ‘moral credits’ can’t make up for how we treat…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
133. Keeping a Soft Heart Takes Work
In this episode, I wrestle with the topic of people leaving the church for a variety of reasons and how I've evolved in my thinking about it. I also talk about…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
132. Why People Often Support Perpetrators More Than Victims (Even in the Church)
Last week on this podcast I talked about what Elder Renlund said about the Church needing to do better for women, and I argued for a policy change and for all…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
131. “We Can Do Better” So Let’s Do It!
In March of 2025, an article in the Salt Lake Tribunesaid this: Speaking at a women’s conference this month in Arcadia, California, apostle Dale Renlund…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
130. New Research on Women's Wellness & Marriage
In this special episode, I'm joined by Dr. Jenet Jacob Erickson who is a fellow of the Wheatley Institute and a professor in the School of Family Life at…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
129. Becoming a Leader (Part 2)
In the last episode, I shared a chunk of what I taught to YSAs in my breakout session recently at the 2025 Regional YSA Conference. I was so inspired by these…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
128. Becoming a Leader
Recently, I did breakout session for the Regional YSA Conference at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City. I enjoyed teaching them about "Becoming a Leader…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
127. Reflections on Unleash Sisters in the Church
This 10-minute episode welcomes you to the 4th season of Unleashing Sister Saints by highlighting its' purpose, audience, and why I chose the title I did for…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
126. Healing After Sexual Abuse: A Latter-Day Saint Perspective
Welcome back to my next season of Unleashing Sister Saints. I'm starting out this season with a special episode titled "Healing After Sexual Abuse: A…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
125. Unconscious Bias Training - Part 5: Strategies & Conclusion
This is the last in a 5-part series I've been doing on unconscious bias. These are made up of episodes 121, 122, 123, 124, and 125. I wanted to share some of…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
124. Unconscious Bias Training - Part 4: Lenses & Types
If you are just joining and haven’t listened to Episodes 121, 122, and 123, I’d recommend listening to those first, as I’m in the middle of sharing the content…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
123. Unconscious Bias Training - Part 3: Background, Purpose, & Description
If you are just joining and haven’t listened to Episodes 121 and 122, I’d recommend listening to those first, as I’m in the middle of sharing the content of my…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
122. Unconscious Bias Training - Part 2: Background
This is the second in a series I'm doing that is part of a training I do on understanding unconscious biases. Episode 121 was the first in a series and this is…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
121. Unconscious Bias Training - Part 1: Introduction
For a long while, I’ve been thinking that I should provide you as listeners some of my unconscious bias workshop in chunks because I think it is more important…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
120. We Are Made for Connections
I just finished reading a report that came out a few months ago titled “The Connection Opportunity: Insights forBringing Americans Together Across Difference”…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
119. We are Whole Enough
In this 119th episode of Unleashing Sister Saints, I want to share some of my thoughts as I listened to President Camille Johnson’s talk during one of the…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
118. A Bolder Way Forward: Update & Inspiration
As most of you who have been listening to this podcast for a while already know, in 2023, my team and I launched A Bolder Way Forward as an initiative within…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
117. I Love the New Book - Changemakers!
As you know if you have glanced at with the title, I love the new book titled “Changemakers: Women Who Boldly Built Zion.” This is new from Signature Books and…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
116. Insights on Power
I recorded this episode the week after International Women's Day, and I had done 9 speeches in one week. In many of them, I brought up the topic of status quo…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
115. My General Conference Journey – Unique Reflections
In this podcast episode I am very candid about some of my frustrations particularly the last few weeks but then shift and focus on the confirmations from the…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
114. Reflections on Mormon Microfeminisms
Last month, ago, an article was published on the Exponent II by Linda Hamilton titled “Mormon Microfeminisms”. I smiled while reading it and wanted to share…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
113. Stories Matter
In the last few episodes, I’ve shared thoughts from sisters who have been listening to this podcast. In this episode I continue sharing women's thoughts and…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
112. Patriarchy, Wrestling, and Community
In this episode of Unleashing Sister Saints, I share some additional thoughts from others who have been listening to the podcast for the past year or two. Each…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
111. Waking Up to Our True Purpose
A few weeks ago, on an episode of Unleashing Sister Saints, I read an editorial I wrote for the Salt Lake Tribune on the illusion of choice. Basically, by the…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
110. Understanding Sexism
In this podcast episode, I come back to the topic of sexism. I used to avoid using the word “sexism” because it made people uncomfortable, including me, a…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
109. Seeing Differences Helps Us Be More Christlike
In this episode, I talk about the importance of seeing and serving differences. I refer lightly to things going on in my own state and in my own country…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
108. The Illusion of Choice
Recently I wrote and published an editorial in The Salt Lake Tribune called “In Utah, a woman’s choice can often be an illusion.” I read and comment on this…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
107. Melissa Inouye’s Writing on Women in the Church
I really appreciated the writings of Melissa Wei-Tsing Inouye, as she was such a powerful women scholar and writer in the Church. A few months before her…
- Unleashing Sister Saints
106. Teen Girls, Leadership, & Relationships - Research Findings
This is the fourth and final episode in a series I’ve been doing to share the key findings of a large 2023 study called The Girls’ Index. The first focused on…