Jennifer Finlayson-Fife

Jennifer will do two presentations at the retreat. One will be based on her research which examines the radical feminist critique of patriarchy and its impact on women's sexual agency (women's ability to know and act consistent with their desires in the sexual realm), and asks the question if this critique is an applicable one for Mormon women. Jennifer engaged in 4-6 hour interviews with active, married LDS women who grew up in the church, looking specifically at their pre and post marital sexual experiences, including the experience of and response to desire and pleasure, the ability to speak for what one wants or does not want, and movement from non-sexual premarriage into sexual marriage, etc. We'll explore sexuality in Mormon culture, and how it impacts us as women, and how (or if) our attitudes about it conflict with the culture at large. The other presentation will be a more informal Q and A about sexuality, romantic love, and long-term relationships, gender roles, and the intersection with church culture.

Jennifer Finlayson-Fife grew up in Burlington, Vermont as the fifth of eight children in a active LDS family. She attended BYU for her undergraduate education, majoring in psychology and minoring in Women's Studies. She served an LDS mission in Spain, attended graduate school at Boston College, where she received masters and PhD degrees in Counseling Psychology. She is married to John Finlayson, and has three great kids. Jennifer currently has a small private psychotherapy practice, where the focus of her work is helping people to have healthier, more satisfying intimate relationships, including sexual relationships.