Elizabeth Macdonald

Introduction Navigating a faith journey—whether that means questioning, leaving, returning to, or remaining within your religious tradition—can deeply impact identity, relationships, and mental health. I specialize in supporting individuals and families through the complexities of Mormon faith transitions and exploration, including those who choose to stay engaged in the LDS Church and those who do not. Your experience is valid, and your choices deserve to be met with curiosity, compassion, and respect. About My Approach Using Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Parts Work, I help clients explore the many internal voices that emerge during spiritual or identity shifts. Together, we create space for all parts of you—those shaped by religious teachings, cultural norms, personal values, and life experience—to be heard and integrated. Through Lifespan Integration, we gently process unresolved trauma and past experiences, helping your nervous system move toward regulation, self-trust, and inner coherence. This is especially powerful for clients navigating developmental wounding or spiritual shame rooted in their religious upbringing. Grounded in a feminist and multiculturally sensitive framework, I work to honor your lived experience, empower your voice, and respect the many cultural, relational, and systemic influences that shape identity. I also specialize in the complexities of parenting through a faith transition. Shifting belief systems can be destabilizing for families, and many parents feel unsure of how to support their children—emotionally, spiritually, and developmentally—through these changes. Whether you’re navigating co-parenting in a mixed-belief marriage, answering your child’s spiritual questions, or rebuilding new family rituals and values, I offer a space where we can work through the fear, guilt, grief, and hope that often accompany this journey. My clinical work is informed by qualitative research on family conflict related to faith differences, and I bring this knowledge into therapy with depth and care. I currently serve as a professor of psychology atUtah Valley University, where I teach and mentor students in clinical, multicultural, and research-based practices. This academic grounding supports my ongoing commitment to evidence-informed, culturally sensitive care. Specialties     •    Mormon faith transitions & exploration     •    Religious trauma and spiritual abuse     •    Staying faithfully engaged with evolving beliefs     •    Parenting through a faith shift     •    Family conflict around religion or belief systems     •    Internal Family Systems (IFS) & Parts Work     •    Lifespan Integration     •    Feminist and multicultural counseling     •    Identity and values clarification     •    Mixed-belief relationships and intergenerational healing Who I Work With I work with adults, young adults, parents, and couples navigating the emotional, relational, and existential shifts that come with changes in belief and identity. My practice is inclusive and affirming of LGBTQ+ clients, BIPOC individuals, and those at any stage of their spiritual path—from devout and engaged to questioning or post-faith. There is no one right path. Whether you are staying, leaving, or exploring in between, you deserve a space where your full humanity is honored. Therapy can help you rediscover your inner wisdom, rebuild trust with yourself, and move forward with clarity—for your own sake and for the generations to come.