Valerie Tarico

Valerie Tarico is the author of Trusting Doubt: A Former Evangelical Looks at Old Beliefs in a New Light and Deas and Other Imaginings. Raised in a staunch fundamentalist family, Valerie attended Wheaton College, where the Billy Graham Center houses a museum dedicated to the history of Evangelism in North America. She obtained a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Iowa before completing postdoctoral studies at the University of Washington. She subsequently joined the staff of Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Seattle and ran Children’s Behavior and Learning Clinic in Bellevue, Washington, before moving on to a private clinic.

For years Valerie maintained a psychotherapy practice and practiced “don’t ask, don’t tell” about matters of faith. But as it became clear that George Bush and Evangelicals were opening a public conversation about Christianity, she decided to join the fray. She shrunk her practice and began writing and speaking about fundamentalism, American style. Her articles frequently are featured at TruthOut and ExChristian.net. “TrustingDoubt’s Channel” on Youtube offers life tips and insights for recovering fundamentalists. Only one of her brothers thinks that she is actually channeling Satan.

Not satisfied with spending her life energy critiquing all-too-familiar orthodoxies, Valerie is actively engaged in interspiritual dialogue that aims to find common ground in humanity’s shared moral core. She speaks regionally to churches and secular groups about topics such as moral development, the psychology of belief, and wisdom convergence as well as the dark side of orthodox dogmas. She is the founder of WisdomCommons.org, an interactive site that allows users to find and discuss information about virtues that emerge repeatedly across secular and religious wisdom traditions.

Valerie Tarico’s essays can be found at Away Point.

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Articles

"How the Catholic Bishops Outsmarted Washington Voters"   Away Point  May 24, 2013

"Will the Catholic Bishops Decide How You Die?"   Away Point   May 17, 2013

"Imagine No Religion. On Facebook."   Away Point  May 4, 2013

"What’s Wrong with the FDA’s Plan B Compromise? Almost Everything."   Away Point  May 1, 2013

"Plan B Ruling: Fox and Family Research Council Seize Chance to Spread Misinformation"   Away Point  Apr 22, 2013

"The Freedom to Die in Peace"   Away Point   Apr 16, 2013

"Thanks for Dirty Dishes. And Taxes."   Away Point  Apr 14, 2013

"Religious Trauma Syndrome: How Some Organized Religion Leads to Mental Health Problems"   Away Point  Mar 26, 2013

"Stupidest Budget Cuts Ever – or, Why Cutting Contraception Is Not Conservative"   Away Point  Mar 25, 2013

"My Shockingly Ordinary Rape Story— and What I Want to Tell my Daughters"   Away Point  Mar 23, 2013

"A Contraceptive Revolution: Lowering remaining barriers"   Away Point  Mar 19, 2013

"Exorcising the Dalkon Shield – Time to get over a bad (contraceptive) romance."   Away Point  Mar 15, 2013

"The Pill is 1965 Technology"   Away Point  Mar 12, 2013

"New Contraceptives for Cascadia: The lesson of St. Louis"   Away Point  Mar 6, 2013

"If the Dalai Lama were Pope"   Awaypoint   Mar 3, 2013

"Waitress-Stiffing Pastor Simply Said What Many Christians Think and Do"   Ethical Technology  Feb 9, 2013

"Which Contraceptive Is Best for Your Weight?"   Ethical Technology  Jan 26, 2013

"Religion May Not Survive the Internet"   Ethical Technology  Jan 22, 2013

"Abortion As a Blessing, Grace, or Gift–A Renewed Conversation about Reproductive Rights"   Ethical Technology  Jan 12, 2013

"Can Legal Weed Save Pizza and Ice Cream Parlors?"   Ethical Technology  Dec 27, 2012

"Celebrating Love and Light: 10 Holiday Tips for the Post-Religious"   Ethical Technology  Dec 20, 2012

"Celebrating Love and Light: 10 Holiday Tips for the Post-Religious"   Ethical Technology  Dec 14, 2012

"The Big Lie about Plan B–What You Really Should Be Telling Your Friends."   Ethical Technology  Dec 13, 2012

"Hey, Ladies! Thinking About Ditching Your Period? A Doctor Answers 12 Puzzling and Hopeful Questions"   Ethical Technology  Dec 8, 2012

"The Difference Between a Dying Fetus and a Dying Woman"   Ethical Technology  Nov 28, 2012

"When God was Pro-Choice and Why He Changed His Mind"   Ethical Technology  Nov 19, 2012

"Dramatic Drop In Teen Pregnancy Really a Technology Tipping Point"   Ethical Technology  Nov 9, 2012

"Why I Hope Conservatives Will Fight Gay Marriage Tooth and Nail Till Their Teeth and Nails Fall Out"   Away Point  Oct 31, 2012

"Does Romney’s Religious Devotion Make Him More or Less Trustworthy?"   Awaypoint  Oct 25, 2012

"Serious plus Correct—a Rwandan Formula for Hope"   Awaypoint  Oct 19, 2012

"Jesus Loves ME! He CAN’T have a wife!!"   Awaypoint  Oct 7, 2012

"Why Do the Craziest Religious People Get the Most Attention?"   Awaypoint  Oct 2, 2012

"Ten Proofs That There is No God"   Awaypoint  Sep 25, 2012

"Is Prayer Selfish?"   Awaypoint  Sep 18, 2012

"India to Africa: Living in Hand-Me-Downs"   Awaypoint  Sep 10, 2012

"My Abortion Was Different: Why Women Shame and Blame Each Other"   Awaypoint  Sep 3, 2012

"Sixteen Wives, Twenty Children: The Role of Machismo in Overpopulation"   Awaypoint  Aug 30, 2012

"When Science Teachers Don’t Believe in Evolution"   Awaypoint  Aug 26, 2012

"The Atheist Visibility Movement: Should Atheists Slam Religion or Show Respect?"   Awaypoint  Aug 18, 2012

"Morality, Spirituality, and Communications Technology"   Wisdom Commons  Aug 12, 2012

"Picture a Technology Revolution. In Contraception. It’s Here."   Awaypoint  Aug 3, 2012