Managing Your Fertility: Recent Episodes
Bridget Busacker
Have you ever wondered if it's possible to live in sync with your cycle? Do you struggle with a negative mindset around your period? Are you wondering if it's possible to be feminist and anti-birth control?
We're going to explore these questions and so much more in the Managing Your Fertility podcast because this is about helping YOU live a whole and full life. I'm your host and guide, Bridget Busacker, joining you in the journey of exploration related to women's health care, feminism, and fertility awareness.
Are you ready?? Let's get started!
✨www.managingyourfertility.com✨
I'm joined by Marguerite Duane to discuss restorative reproductive medicine (RRM) options for women, men, and couples navigating infertility or "unexplained infertility" diagnoses, who are then recommended in-vitro fertilization (IVF) as an option to conceive a child(ren). While we identify what IVF is and how it works, we spend the majority of our time discussing viable options for couples to conceive while getting at the root cause of health issues through RRM. We discuss success rates, how it works, and, of course, how informed consent plays into this very important conversation when making choices about how you start a family. This is part of a series of conversations I'm having with guests to explore varied aspects of IVF and RRM.
GUEST BIO:
Dr. Marguerite Duane, a board certified family physician, is co-founder and Executive Director of FACTS about Fertility, an organization dedicated to educating healthcare professionals and students about scientifically valid natural or fertility awareness based methods (FABMs). She also serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor at Georgetown University, and sees via housecalls through her direct primary care practice. Dr. Duane is trained as a Creighton, FEMM and NeoFertility Medical consultant, and a TeenSTAR educator. Dr. Duane balances her career as a teacher and Family Physician, with her role as a mother and wife. She is married to a fellow family physician, Dr. Kenneth Lin, and they are the parents of 4 young children.
SHOWNOTES:
FACTS website: https://www.FACTSaboutFertility.org
FACTS on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/factsaboutfertility/
FACTS on X (formerly known as Twitter): https://twitter.com/FACTS_Fertility?lang=en
FACTS on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fertility-appreciation-collaborative-to-teach-the-science-facts/
FACTS on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fertilityfacts/?hl=en
Physician/Clinician/Medical Directory: https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/facts-physician-clinician-educator-directory/
Share the FACTS Folder (for your medical professional to learn about FABMs/charting & get connected to FACTS about Fertility): https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/product/sharethefacts-folder/
Authentic Women's Health Conference in Austin, TX: https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/authentic-womens-health-advancing-access-across-the-lifespan/
IRRM/A website: https://iirrm.org/
Successful pregnancy with restorative reproductive medicine after 16 years of infertility, three recurrent miscarriages, and eight unsuccessful embryo transfers with in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection: a case report (Dr. Phil Boyle): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9213097/
Fertility Awareness-Based Methods for Women’s Health and Family Planning (Duane M, Stanford JB, Porucznik CA and Vigil P): https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Fertility-Awareness-Based-Methods.pdf
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DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
Tim Pawl is a professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. He works on metaphysics, philosophical theology, and moral psychology.
In metaphysics he works on truthmaker theory, modality, and free will. In philosophical theology, he has published on transubstantiation, Christology, and Classical Theism. In moral psychology he has worked with psychologists on questions concerning how best to grow in virtue, and whether the traditional wisdom of the Christian moral tradition is conducive to growth in virtue. You can peruse his work, research and publications at his website: https://timpawl.wordpress.com/.
This is a 3-part interview series discussing varied aspects of marital debt. Perhaps you've heard of this before or maybe this is the first time you've ever heard such a phrase. While this might sound like it's a heady conversation, Dr. Pawl does an incredible job of breaking down what the marital debt is, where it comes from, what it's not, and if it's possible to say "no" to your spouse for sex (is it actually morally permissible?). We go in-depth in this conversation and look at various aspects of this often-controversial topic!
This is part 3 of the 3-part series on marital debt.
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DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
Tim Pawl is a professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. He works on metaphysics, philosophical theology, and moral psychology.In metaphysics he works on truthmaker theory, modality, and free will. In philosophical theology, he has published on transubstantiation, Christology, and Classical Theism. In moral psychology he has worked with psychologists on questions concerning how best to grow in virtue, and whether the traditional wisdom of the Christian moral tradition is conducive to growth in virtue. You can peruse his work, research and publications at his website: https://timpawl.wordpress.com/.This is a 3-part interview series discussing varied aspects of marital debt. Perhaps you've heard of this before or maybe this is the first time you've ever heard such a phrase. While this might sound like it's a heady conversation, Dr. Pawl does an incredible job of breaking down what the marital debt is, where it comes from, what it's not, and if it's possible to say "no" to your spouse for sex (is it actually morally permissible?). We go in-depth in this conversation and look at various aspects of this often-controversial topic! This is part 2 of the 3-part series on marital debt. SHOP MY AMAZON STOREFRONT: https://amzn.to/3MRxbTCSHOP MY BEAUTY & SKINCARE PRODUCTS: https://www.beautycounter.com/bridgetbusackerDISCOUNT CODES: 20% OFF PROOV TEST STRIPS: https://proovtest.com/?wly=5789320% OFF YOUR FIRST OLIVE & JUNE MANI KIT: http://fbuy.me/v/bridgetbusackerbc10% OFF YOUR TEMPDROP: http://www.tempdrop.com/discount/managingyourfertility3 MONTHS FREE & 20% OFF YOUR HALLOW SUBSCRIPTION: hallow.com/managingyourfertility10% OFF YOUR ODER AT EMBER CO: https://www.theember.co/?ref=91010% OFF YOUR ORDER AT BE A HEART: beaheart.com/managingyourfertility10% OFF YOUR ORDER AT ABUNDANTLY YOURS: abundantlyyours.org/bridget 10% OFF YOUR MENTIONABLES ORDER: https://www.shopmentionables.com/?snowball=FERTILITY10&utm_source=snowball&utm_medium=affiliate-program&utm_campaign=FERTILITY10DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
Tim Pawl is a professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. He works on metaphysics, philosophical theology, and moral psychology.
In metaphysics he works on truthmaker theory, modality, and free will. In philosophical theology, he has published on transubstantiation, Christology, and Classical Theism. In moral psychology he has worked with psychologists on questions concerning how best to grow in virtue, and whether the traditional wisdom of the Christian moral tradition is conducive to growth in virtue. You can peruse his work, research and publications at his website: https://timpawl.wordpress.com/.
This is a 3-part interview series discussing varied aspects of marital debt. Perhaps you've heard of this before or maybe this is the first time you've ever heard such a phrase. While this might sound like it's a heady conversation, Dr. Pawl does an incredible job of breaking down what the marital debt is, where it comes from, what it's not, and if it's possible to say "no" to your spouse for sex (is it actually morally permissible?). We go in-depth in this conversation and look at various aspects of this often-controversial topic!
This is part 1 of the 3-part series on marital debt.
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DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
Should we watch sex scenes in movies? Could they negatively or positively impact marital sex?
Today, I sit down with David and we talk about our own experiences navigating sex scenes in movies and the movie that challenged us to discuss how we would approach this issue in our own marriage moving forward.
We don't have all the answers and we certainly aren't providing an extended dissertation with research. You're tuning into an honest conversation of what we've processed over the past few months and what steps we're taking to navigate sex scenes in shows & movies.
This is a new style of podcast for us, so let us know what you think! And, if you agree or disagree with what we say, we want to know, so send us a DM on Instagram @managingyourfertility or an email at bridget@managingyourfertility.com.
SHOWNOTES:
- Newlywed Sex Bootcamp 2024 - VIP Signup: https://go.managingyourfertility.com/newlywedsexbootcamp
- The Oppenheimer Controversy: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/oppenheimer-sex-scene-controversy-florence-pugh-cillian-murphy-explained-indian-boycott-010031312.html
- Catechism of the Catholic Church #2354: "Pornography consists in removing real or simulated sexual acts from the intimacy of the partners, in order to display them deliberately to third parties. It offends against chastity because it perverts the conjugal act, the intimate giving of spouses to each other. It does grave injury to the dignity of its participants (actors, vendors, the public), since each one becomes an object of base pleasure and illicit profit for others. It immerses all who are involved in the illusion of a fantasy world. It is a grave offense. Civil authorities should prevent the production and distribution of pornographic materials."
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DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
What if you could talk to your medical professional with confidence about charting your cycle?!
In today's episode, I sit down and talk about the current state of women's health care, the challenges we face as women to navigate our care and what we need, and practical strategies for how you can approach your next visit with confidence! I've got a freebie for you, too (just check the shownotes!).
Shownotes -
- Fact sheet for your medical professional to learn about cycle charting (FABMs): https://go.managingyourfertility.com/factsheetformedprofessional
- FACTS about Fertility (another great resource for your doctor!): https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/
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DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
Does body literacy matter?
I'm sitting down with Christina Valenzuela, founder of Pearl & Thistle, and author of the book, "Cycle Charting for Single Women: The Catholic woman's guide to charting your menstrual cycle for health and wholeness". We discuss the need for body literacy, what it is, and how charting can help women embrace who they are & who they are called to be. We get into the nuances of charting and Christina is amazing at integrating the theology and the science in understanding the whole human person (body & soul)! I'm so excited for you to listen to this incredible conversation.
Her book is available on Amazon and would make a great gift for yourself or for a friend! Let's help women learn their bodies and embrace their bodies entirely!
Interviewee bio:
Christina Valenzuela is the owner and creative director of Pearl & Thistle, LLC, where she offers a unique blend of theology and science to bring better body literacy to Catholic families and parishes. She has been a certified instructor in the Boston Cross Check™ method of Natural Family Planning since 2013 and her signature course, Cycle Prep, was a 2021 OSV Innovation Challenge finalist. She holds an undergraduate degree in Philosophy and Theology from the University of Notre Dame as well as a Masters in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. She is a life-professed member of the Lay Fraternities of St. Dominic and resides with her husband and four children outside of Boston.
Shownotes:
Pearl & Thistle: https://pearlandthistle.com/
P&T courses: https://pearlandthistle.com/courses-and-resources/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pearlandthistle/
Cycle Charting for Single Women: The Catholic woman's guide to charting your menstrual cycle for health and wholeness: https://amzn.to/3tJvRg1
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20% OFF YOUR FIRST OLIVE & JUNE MANI KIT: http://fbuy.me/v/bridgetbusackerbc
10% OFF YOUR TEMPDROP: http://www.tempdrop.com/discount/managingyourfertility
3 MONTHS FREE & 20% OFF YOUR HALLOW SUBSCRIPTION: hallow.com/managingyourfertility
10% OFF YOUR ODER AT EMBER CO: https://www.theember.co/?ref=910
10% OFF YOUR ORDER AT BE A HEART: fbeaheart.com/managingyourfertility
10% OFF YOUR ORDER AT ABUNDANTLY YOURS: abundantlyyours.org/bridget
DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
We're coming back at ya with a Q&A all about functional nutrition by answering your questions from Instagram!
Here's what we cover in today's episode -
- What are general signs of hormonal imbalances?
- Can healthy eating heal chrons
- How do you do supplements? Are they safe? It can seem sketchy online with influencers promoting random health products
- What about the 80/20 rule for food? What if I enjoy sweets? I just give them up?!
- What the heck are mineral drinks? Confuses me!
- How did you know you had PCOS? I ovulate late, is that a sign?
- Advice for someone looking to lose baby weight?
- Advice for building better food habits??
- Recommendations for a healthier way to sweeten coffee that's not sugar?
- Can hormone imbalances cause miscarriage?
- Can you naturally increase progesterone?
- Tips for regulating cycle post birth control
- Best one thing overall you can do to improve health and hormones?I struggle with getting veggies/greens in my diet- is a “greens powder” supplement okay to replace with?
- How to keep hormones balanced (night shift nurse, PP mom, etc.)
- Do you have any free guides with food ideas? Or books with recipe ideas?
Interviewee bio:
Ginny founded The Women’s Health RN fueled by her personal mission to help women learn how to optimize their hormonal health through functional nutrition and cycle charting (FEMM). After seven years of frustrating experiences in seeking traditional medical advice for her own hormonal imbalance — Ginny became impassioned by the idea of ensuring as many women as possible would be saved from wasting time and resources walking down the same path.
Through years of research, education, training, and experience practicing as a nurse in a women’s health and fertility clinic — Ginny learned how hormonal health is connected to a variety of symptoms and what the root-cause of hormonal imbalances are. Unlike most traditional medical providers, Ginny’s approach to fixing the symptoms these imbalances present as are grounded in principles of Functional Medicine and a food-first philosophy.
SHOWNOTES:
The Women's Health RN: https://thewomenshealthrn.com/
Ginny Noce on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewomenshealthrn/
Work with Ginny 1:1: https://share.hsforms.com/168wfLz_BSSioXA39gPlEhgdfxy5
Hormone Academy (next round starts in January 2024!): https://share.hsforms.com/10AIy8GB5Sw6eM7U_Eu1jCQdfxy5
Ginny's recommended supplements: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/thewomenshealthrn/signup?preview=true
Nutrition by Robyn mineral drink recipes free guides: https://www.instagram.com/nutritionbyrobyn/?hl=en
Rachael's Good Eats cookbook: https://amzn.to/3Q7mEWq
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DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
Have you ever wondered if food can help the body heal?
Do some foods negatively impact your health (sleep, cycle, etc.)?
What if you could eat differently and achieve the results you want for your hormonal health?
Today, I'm talking with Ginny Noce, MS, RN, CNC, Certified FEMM Instructor and founder of The Women's Health RN. She helps women learn how to optimize their hormonal health through functional nutrition and cycle charting. Her passion stems from her own experiences struggling to find answers to her own hormonal imbalance and her journey led her to find the root cause of hormonal health issues for others. We talk about what functional nutrition is, if food can be medicine for your body and health, what it means to take a root-cause approach, intuitive eating, and so much more! This episode is all about the foundational understanding of functional nutrition and how it can benefit your health and I'm so excited for you to listen!
Interviewee bio:
Ginny founded The Women’s Health RN fueled by her personal mission to help women learn how to optimize their hormonal health through functional nutrition and cycle charting (FEMM). After seven years of frustrating experiences in seeking traditional medical advice for her own hormonal imbalance — Ginny became impassioned by the idea of ensuring as many women as possible would be saved from wasting time and resources walking down the same path.
Through years of research, education, training, and experience practicing as a nurse in a women’s health and fertility clinic — Ginny learned how hormonal health is connected to a variety of symptoms and what the root-cause of hormonal imbalances are. Unlike most traditional medical providers, Ginny’s approach to fixing the symptoms these imbalances present as are grounded in principles of Functional Medicine and a food-first philosophy.
SHOWNOTES:
The Women's Health RN: https://thewomenshealthrn.com/
Ginny Noce on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewomenshealthrn/
Work with Ginny one-on-one: https://share.hsforms.com/168wfLz_BSSioXA39gPlEhgdfxy5
Hormone Academy (next round starts in January 2024!): https://share.hsforms.com/10AIy8GB5Sw6eM7U_Eu1jCQdfxy5
SHOP MY AMAZON STOREFRONT: https://amzn.to/3MRxbTC
SHOP MY BEAUTY & SKINCARE PRODUCTS: https://www.beautycounter.com/bridgetbusacker
DISCOUNT CODES:
20% OFF PROOV TEST STRIPS: https://proovtest.com/?wly=57893
20% OFF YOUR FIRST OLIVE & JUNE MANI KIT: http://fbuy.me/v/bridgetbusackerbc
10% OFF YOUR TEMPDROP: http://www.tempdrop.com/discount/managingyourfertility
3 MONTHS FREE & 20% OFF YOUR HALLOW SUBSCRIPTION: hallow.com/managingyourfertility
10% OFF YOUR ODER AT EMBER CO: https://www.theember.co/?ref=910
10% OFF YOUR ORDER AT BE A HEART: fbeaheart.com/managingyourfertility
10% OFF YOUR ORDER AT ABUNDANTLY YOURS: abundantlyyours.org/bridget
DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
If you're wondering how you can build deeper connection in your marriage, but don't know where to start, this episode is for you!!
Today, I'm talking with Melissa Tablada, licensed marriage & family therapist, to talk about practical strategies, ideas, and opportunities for you to grow in your marriage and deepen your connection with your spouse.
We hear it so often in the NFP space: great sex requires great connection outside the bedroom. But, how do we do this?! How do you build connection when you're so busy and you can feel like ships in the night with your spouse?
Melissa unpacks these questions and I am so grateful for her wisdom & ideas! AND, if you're looking for even further support, her 14-day marriage challenge kicks off on October 1st and listeners get it at a discounted rate! Details in shownotes below!
Interviewee bio:
Melissa Tablada is a Catholic wife & mama living in Miami, Florida. She works as a Creighton Fertility Care Practitioner teaching women and couples to chart their cycles to achieve or avoid pregnancy, or manage their reproductive health. She is also a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, as well as a Life and Relationship Coach. Melissa is passionate about supporting women in becoming healthy and whole in mind, body and soul and supporting couples in having healthy, holy, thriving marriages!
SHOWNOTES:
- Website: https://www.melissagracetablada.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/melissagracetablada
- YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/melissatablada
- Your 14-day marriage challenge: https://melissagracetablada-therapist.myflodesk.com/jointhechallenge Use my code MYF15 when you checkout to purchase your challenge for only $15!!!
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3 MONTHS FREE & 20% OFF YOUR HALLOW SUBSCRIPTION: hallow.com/managingyourfertility10% OFF YOUR ODER AT EMBER CO: https://www.theember.co/?ref=91010% OFF YOUR ORDER AT BE A HEART: fbeaheart.com/managingyourfertility10% OFF YOUR ORDER AT ABUNDANTLY YOURS: abundantlyyours.org/bridget
DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
What do you think about the idea of women saying "yes" to what God calls them to and not fitting into a particular box or stereotypical role?
In this episode, I take a deep dive with my guest, Elise Gallagher, into what it means to be a Catholic woman who lives out her YES to God's calling in her life, while navigating the challenges of the often questionable "having it all" lifestyle. We don't stay surface-level in this podcast and we don't pretend to have all the answers.
What we do know is this: God calls each one of us to something unique because we are made unique and unrepeatable.
What does it look like to live this out with restrictive workplace environments, the "shoulds" for how to be the best woman, navigating marriage & family life, pondering if you should lean into your work or take a step back?
I'm excited for you to listen to this one and go deeper in your own life to see where God is calling YOU to give your resounding "YES!" to Him and not be afraid to examine your life and where you're needed to take some holy action.
Interviewee bio:
Elise Crawford Gallagher is a wife and mom to two little girls. As of March 2023, she is the Vice President of Operations at her family business, JC Law, a regional law firm based in Baltimore, MD. Before JC Law, Elise was the Founder & CEO of Ringlet, a marketing agency focused on serving women-owned businesses. Elise built RINGLET from a one-woman show to a thriving multi-dimensional company with eight employees. Ringlet produced national, multi-level campaigns for startups around the country. Elise’s mission is to empower Catholic women to boldly step into their feminine genius to live the vocations God has called them to.
Shownotes:
Elise Gallagher: https://www.elisecgallagher.com/
Roll Your Way Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/roll-your-way/id1622634739
CWIB: https://catholicwomeninbusiness.com/
Catholic Moms Made for Business: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-moms-made-for-business/id1588484474?i=1000614062360
Jen Fulwiler Podcast: https://www.jenniferfulwiler.com/podcast/episode/3131f8ee/158-village-balance
Surveys on workplace and how many hours people work
https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/01/business/4-day-work-week-uk-trial/index.html
https://www.wsj.com/articles/after-testing-four-day-week-companies-say-they-dont-want-to-stop-a06089cc
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/02/21/four-day-work-week-results-uk/
FemCatholic: women work inside and outside the home: https://www.femcatholic.com/post/we-need-better-support-for-women-working-outside-the-home
Leah Jacobson’s Wholistic Feminism and how women are not as happy as they initially were: https://www.amazon.com/Wholistic-Feminism-Healing-Identity-Movement/dp/1735223700
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DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
How do you integrate your physical, mental, & spiritual wellbeing?
In this episode, I breakdown what it means to live a life of integration and how to practically do this in your own life. Paired with this episode is a workbook that you can download to journal, explore different questions, and invite the Holy Spirit in to see what areas God is calling you to go deeper into with Him.
Did I mention this workbook is FREE?!
I want you to experience a life of integration and it's time to start your journey!
Let's not numb out in our lives. We're called to be Saints and to live fully alive! Let's see what God is asking of us.
Shownotes:
- Access your ✨FREE workbook✨: https://go.managingyourfertility.com/integrationworkbook
Additional questions about this episode? Reach out! I love hearing from you!
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I asked for YOUR questions about sex & intimacy and you all delivered!
I am sitting down with Dr. Sarah Bartel, moral theologian, to answer your questions. We are unafraid to get specific, honest, and address the nuances that can come from these kinds of questions, so we don't recommend this for young listeners.
List of questions we address:
- Using vibrators okay? (many questions about this!)
- Can the woman touch herself during sex? Is that the man’s job?
- Intimacy when husband is recovering from porn addiction
- How do you navigate low/non-existent libido for one or both partners? What’s licit?
- Tips for initiating when I have spontaneous and hubby has responsive desire? Always feels awkward because it’s the opposite narrative you usually hear about. (many questions about this!)
- How to orgasm at the same time? We achieved this once, and only once. Sometimes, orgasms happen before sex and can feel guilty about it.
- Is it okay to have oral sex but then normal sex right after that?
- NFP when getting to premenopausal, menopause, and post. TTA and sex is hard.
- Growing in trust outside of the bedroom in order to have more trust during sex
- How to get “one glass of wine” relaxed sex w/o the wine? So hard to shut down my brain & enjoy
- What is okay when it comes to imagination? What isn’t? Sometimes, thinking about a scene from a movie or foreplay gets me more in the “zone” and engaging with my husband. Is that wrong?
Interviewee bio:
Sarah Bartel helps married Catholics grow closer to God and closer to their beloved at CanaFeast.com. A moral theologian and mom of five, she and her husband of twenty years created the Cana Feast virtual marriage ministry to help bring the benefits of marriage retreats to more couples. She co-edited A Catechism of Marriage and Family Life for CUA Press. She hikes, reads Jane Austen, and has adventures with her family in the Seattle area. You can find her on Instagram and Facebook @canafeast.
Shownotes:
Cana Feast: https://www.canafeast.com/
Follow Cana Feast on IG: www.instagram.com/canafeast
Follow Cana Feast on FB: www.facebook.com/canafeast
My Delight Registration: https://bridgetbusacker.krtra.com/t/ybBnKEiMgtlF
Registration is open September 11 - 14, 2023; you can gain EARLY ACCESS with my affiliate link
Additional questions about this episode? Reach out! I love hearing from you!
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DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
What is priest's role when it comes to NFP? Here's my hot take.
We rely too heavily on our priests.
We think priests should take care of everything. We expect this in many areas of parish life and spiritual life, which I think is problematic because we are the church. We need to show up and support our priests and support our parish & our community.
Don't get me wrong: We NEED our spiritual fathers. Priests are so important!
When it comes to NFP, we expect priests to take care of everything. It's like a game of hot potato. As always, if you are loving the podcast, would you please consider leaving a review?! This helps the podcast grow, so these conversations can be shared and we can bring about a new wave of women's health care. It means so much - THANK YOU!
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Maybe you've been a part of the marriage prep training that highlights NFP with frolicking couples smiling at each other and the promo that NFP is life-changing.
And then, it wasn't.
Well, not in the ways you anticipated. cue all the emotions
In this episode, I talk about THREE ways we can better market & promote NFP that honestly and hopefully shares how NFP impacts marriages and what you might expect, rather than a sanitized version that leaves many feeling isolated and guilt-ridden.
And, I'm sharing Christina Valenzuela's amazing Parish Planning Packet (only $17!) and NFP Ambassador Training Program ($147 - amazing!), so you can learn how to practically support and change NFP in your parish!
I'd love to know what you think of this episode and what else you would add!
Shownotes:
Episode 54: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/managingyourfertility/episodes/54---What-does-it-look-like-to-lean-into-YOUR-NFP-story-e27c2qm
NFP Parish Planning Packet ($17): https://pearlandthistle.podia.com/nfp-parish-planning-packet
NFP Ambassador Training ($147): https://pearlandthistle.podia.com/nfpambassadors
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DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
Do we make space for every NFP story?
There are a lot of gaps when it comes to NFP. From marketing, teaching, instruction, spiritual direction... unless you happen to be in a great parish with a priest who is comfortable supporting parishioners, mentor couples to help with the practicals, and instructors to teach the science, it can feel like the wild west and you're on your own.
Today, I want to focus on what it looks like to own YOUR NFP story and your own journey of healing & refinement in your marriage.
Shownotes:
As mentioned in the episode, below are questions you can use as journaling prompts or to aid in a discussion with your spouse.
REMINDER These questions may bring up a lot of different reactions and emotions. Please be sure to invite the Holy Spirit into the conversation and use these as prompts. Perhaps, you choose one question to focus on or maybe a couple. Do not force conversation and be tender with each other.
- What are the joys of NFP for us?
- What are the challenges of NFP for us?
- Do we like using NFP?
- What do we not like about using NFP?
- Where do we feel like we could grow?
- What areas of our marriage have NFP shined a flashlight on or magnified issues for us?
- Do we understand how to chart or has this been a source of stress for us?
- Do we understand and feel comfortable with discernment or does it create stress for our marriage?
- Where could we use more support?
- What would make NFP easier for us?
- What would help us feel less alone or isolated?
- Are we being called to share our story of NFP with others (maybe even being honest about the journey we're on rather than we've "made it")? If not, why not?
- Do we need healing in other areas of our marriage?
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Ever heard the phrase "holier than thou"?
In today's episode, I have the joy of sitting down with my dear friend Sr. Emily Syverson, Pro Ecclesia Sancta, to talk about holiness and what the heck it means to be holy! And, how holiness doesn't need to be this drab, scrupulous experience, but can actually be a life of great joy, contentment, and direction!
Don't miss this episode as we discuss this hard hitter of a topi - including tips for discernment!
And, if you're loving the podcast, could you please leave a review?! I would love to hear from you and it helps me to share this podcast with so many more! I am SO grateful to you! 🫶
Interviewee bio:
Sr. Emily is a temporarily professed sister with the religious order, Pro Ecclesia Sancta, and currently serving in South Dakota. Previously joining PES, she was a pediatric nurse at a children’s hospital.
Shownotes:
Pro Ecclesia Sancta: https://www.sacredheartofjesusconvent.org/pro-ecclesia-sancta
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DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
Couple to Couple League (CCL) launched the Fertility Science Institute (FSI), which provides ongoing and long-term support for women and couples when it comes to all things related to charting and women's health.
I got to sit down with Katie Zulanas, the Executive Director of CCL, to talk about the FSI, what's included, how it serves women & couples, and how you can make the most of all the resources available.
This is an awesome episode and Katie does a great job walking you through what's available and how you can best use the different options on FSI, including a method matcher resource!
Shownotes:
- FSI website: https://fertilityscienceinstitute.org/
- https://www.youtube.com/@fertilityscienceinstitute8123
- https://www.instagram.com/fertilityscienceinstitute/
- https://instagram.com/coupletocoupleleague https://www.youtube.com/user/CoupleToCoupleLeague/
Interviewee bio:
Katie Zulanas is the Executive Director of the Couple to Couple League (CCL), an organization celebrating 50 years of promoting and teaching Natural Family Planning. With a background in software engineering and marketing, Katie has focused on providing platforms to allow teachers to support women and men through a lifetime of fertility. With millions of women downloading fertility apps, there is an unprecedented need for solid scientifically-based education regarding fertility which supports the dignity of the human person and safeguards the creation of new life. Katie is most energized by lending her skills to help CCL volunteers as they continue on with their mission to share the gift of Humanae Vitae. Katie spent 23 years promoting CCL with her husband Tom before joining the organization as Executive Director.
MY COURSES:
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DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
Did you know your egg quality impacts your overall health?
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Elisa Yao to discuss all aspects of egg quality and how we can improve our egg quality to reap positive health benefits, too! She shares what egg quality is, how to know if you have good egg quality or not, the ways in which egg quality impacts overall health, and opportunities to learn more through Dr. Yao through her online course! Dr. Yao explains and teaches on this subject with clarity and ease, so you won't be wondering what the heck some of the terminology means - she's such a gift in the women's health care space. Don't miss this fascinating interview!
Interviewee bio:
Dr. Elisa Yao is passionate about helping couples get pregnant naturally by carefully searching & addressing the root causes of fertility issues, using her unique blend of training from functional medicine, Natural Procreative Technology, FEMM Medical Management, and now also Neofertility. Dr. Yao has a wholistic fertility telemedicine clinic in California. She graduated from UC Berkeley with Phi Beta Kappa honors, majoring in Molecular Cell Biology, and completed her medical training at UC Davis School of Medicine. She’s now a mother of two healthy girls, having overcome infertility despite advanced maternal age and lean PCOS. She is also the founder of Fertility Breakthru Academy, an online course that teaches couples how to improve egg & sperm quality using science-backed approaches.
Shownotes:
- Dr. Elisa Yao's website: https://www.elisayaomd.com
Please note: for people who live in California and are interested in working with Dr. Yao as a patient, she recommends they start by scheduling a Fertility Insight Session through her website. - Take Dr. Yao's course that teaches couples how to easily improve egg & sperm quality using science-backed approaches.
Get 50% off the course for MYF listeners!! https://fertilitybreakthru.teachable.com/p/331?coupon_code=MYF&product_id=4263939
MY COURSES:
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DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
This month, the World Health Organization (WHO) came out with a report highlighting the number of people who struggle with infertility (1 in 6) and what its top recommendation is for increased care and access.
I share my honest thoughts on the podcast and this report has spurred me to bring in experts in the coming weeks to talk about fertility care options for infertility, specifically exploring Artificial Reproductive Technology (ART) and Natural Procreative Technology (NaPro).
Tune in and let me know what you think!
Shownotes:
- WHO Report on Infertility: What's Missing Blog Post: https://www.managingyourfertility.com/who-report-on-infertility-whats-missing/
- 1 in 6 people globally affected by infertility: WHO: https://www.who.int/news/item/04-04-2023-1-in-6-people-globally-affected-by-infertility#:~:text=Large%20numbers%20of%20people%20are,care%20for%20those%20in%20need
- Financial costs of assisted reproductive technology for patients in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review: https://academic.oup.com/hropen/article/2023/2/hoad007/7066921?login=false
- Email me your thoughts/questions on the topic of infertility treatment: bridget@managingyourfertility.com
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DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
What the heck is purity culture?
Do you have command over your virginity or is it something your husband owns?
How has purity culture negatively impacted sex?
I'm sitting down with Bekah from Feminine Genius Ministries to get really honest about purity culture, what it is, and how it's impacting the way we as women see ourselves. And, how this lens negatively impacts sex, too!
This episode gets into the nitty gritty and I love how Bekah doesn't hold back, but really sits with challenging ideologies and addresses the core issues of a movement that had good intentions - but it totally missed the mark.
And, don't worry - we leave you with practical, hopeful tools that can help facilitate healing and a far better view of yourself & sex!
Shownotes:
Mulieris Dignitatem: https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_letters/1988/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_19880815_mulieris-dignitatem.html
Love & Responsibility: https://amzn.to/3z9SYjd
Humanae Vitae: https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae.html
Holy Sex: https://amzn.to/40FacAJ
Awaken Love: https://amzn.to/3LUPyZp
Marital Debt (Christopher & Wendy West): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57TBg0-C4rM
The Good Girls Guide to Great Sex: https://amzn.to/40Ga5EY
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DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
In this episode, I explore mindset and how our thought patterns impact the way we live, think, and experience freedom or enslavement in our daily lives.
I also talk about some of the core issues of men and women as it relates to Genesis 3:16, specifically addressing disordered desire (women) and domination (men), and how this dis-integration from original sin impacts our mindset in how we view equality and the differences of men & women.
And, finally, having this foundational episode, I start to explore how this can impact the way we view sex and how identifying our thoughts and where they may come from can help us experience greater freedom and the kind of life we hope for (and are made for!) versus what we're currently experiencing.
Shownotes:
Metanoia Catholic: https://metanoiacatholic.com/
Breaking Down the Model Part 1 - Circumstances & Thoughts: https://metanoiacatholic.com/circumstances-and-thoughts/
The Thought Recon - Taking Thoughts Captive!: https://metanoiacatholic.com/the-thought-recon-taking-thoughts-captive/
Does Mindset Matter in Sex?: https://www.managingyourfertility.com/does-mindset-matter-in-sex/
Men & Women He Created Them, General Audience 33, section 6: “It seems that the second creation account has assigned ot the man “from the beginning” the function of the one who above all receives the gift (see Gen 2:23). The woman has “from the beginning” been entrusted to his eyes, to his consciousness, to his sensibility, to his “heart”; he, by contrast, must in some way ensure the very process of the exchange of the gift, the reciprocal interpenetration of giving and receiving the gift, which, precisely through its reciprocity, creates an authentic communion of persons.”
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DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
I sit down with David to talk about sexual sin, chastity, and about our own struggles to make sense of "how far is too far?" and never getting a straight-shooting answer from Catholic resources.
This is the conversation we wished someone had with us and shared with us to help us understand HOW to identify sexual sin, WHAT to do about it, and WHERE to go for continued support to heal and integrate our love. And, news flash: sexual sin & failing in chastity aren't fixed by marriage. But, through grace in marriage, healing, and honest conversations - it CAN get way better and the possibility of freedom is there in Jesus Christ and in our courage to choose a new way to live and to love.
We hope you enjoy this episode and it brings about fruitful conversations in your relationships!
Shownotes:
- Why is Masturbation Wrong? https://www.catholic.com/qa/why-masturbation-is-wrong
- CCC 2337 & 1857: https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM
- Marriage is Funny Podcast: http://www.meetthepeppers.com/
- Fr. Mike Schmitz Homily on Temptation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQCPYFVI0eo&ab_channel=SundayswithAscension
- Fr. Mike Schmitz - Avoiding Impurity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y2S58hTLqA&ab_channel=AscensionPresents
MY COURSES:
- START YOUR CHART™ COURSE - $37 for lifetime access: https://go.managingyourfertility.com/buystartyourchart
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- 3 MONTHS FREE & 20% OFF YOUR HALLOW SUBSCRIPTION (must register via desktop): hallow.com/managingyourfertility
DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
What does it look like to enjoy sex during the luteal phase? Can you say "no" to sex with your spouse? How can you navigate a spontaneous vs. responsive libido? Dr. Sarah Bartel is joining me again to answer all of your sex questions you submitted to me on Instagram! We don't hold back, so this episode is practical, specific AND in alignment with Catholic Church teachings on human sexuality and morality. Interviewee bio: Sarah Bartel helps married Catholics grow closer to God and closer to their beloved at CanaFeast.com. A moral theologian and mom of five, she and her husband of twenty years created the Cana Feast virtual marriage ministry to help bring the benefits of marriage retreats to more couples. She co-edited A Catechism of Marriage and Family Life for CUA Press. She hikes, reads Jane Austen, and has adventures with her family in the Seattle area. You can find her on Instagram and Facebook @canafeast and @drsarahbartel. Shownotes: My Delight course: https://bridgetbusacker.krtra.com/t/lVxsdr8BUKoQ Awaken Love: https://www.amazon.com/Awaken-Love-Truth-Transform-Marriage/dp/1732445907 The Good Girls Guide to Great Sex: Creating a Marriage That’s Both Holy & Hot: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Girls-Guide-Great-Sex/dp/0310364752/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2TG87MCXYY014&keywords=the+good+girls+guide+to+sex&qid=1676348796&s=books&sprefix=the+good+girls+guide+to+sex%2Cstripbooks%2C299&sr=1-1 Holy Sex: https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Sex-Toe-Curling-Mind-Blowing-Infallible/dp/0824524713 Love & Responsibility: https://www.amazon.com/Love-Responsibility-Karol-Wojtyla/dp/0898704456 Mulieris Dignitatem: https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_letters/1988/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_19880815_mulieris-dignitatem.html Humanae Vitae: https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae.html The “Marital Debt” Explained: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57TBg0-C4rM Licit & Ilicit Acts with Dr. Sarah Bartel (Part 1): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/71-licit-and-illicit-acts-with-dr-sarah-bartel-part-1/id1523878491?i=1000563239910 Does Sacrificial Love Mean Never Having to Say No to Sex with Your Spouse? https://anchor.fm/managingyourfertility/episodes/44---Does-Sacrificial-Love-Mean-Never-Saying-No-to-Sex-with-Your-Spouse-e1ung21
Have you ever had painful sex?
Did you find things didn't feel "quite right" down there?
Are you in the wild west of PP recovery and peeing your pants sounds like a reality for the rest of your life?
In today's episode, I have the honor of sitting down with Dr. Chelsea Harkins, founder & PT practitioner of Dallas Pelvic Health, to talk about the basics of the pelvic floor, what kinds of treatment options are available, when you might want to book an appt with a PT, how to improve your sex life, how to stop peeing your pants... the list goes on & on! Dr. Chelsea is all about healing the whole person and it is so refreshing to talk to her about all things related to the pelvic floor. This is an episode for EVERY woman! Whether you're single & 18 or married & 40 (or anywhere in between or beyond), this is for YOU!
Interviewee bio:
Dr. Chelsea is a wife, mother to 3 boys, and pelvic floor therapist. She holds the Father’s design for the female body in the highest regard. She serves women through her practice, Dallas Pelvic Health and is also cofounder of Vessel, a company devoted to mothers providing guides and products to support women in their seasons of motherhood. She strives to live a lifestyle of intentional motherhood and stewarding wellness with her gaze fixed on Jesus.
Shownotes:
- Dallas Pelvic Health: https://www.dallaspelvichealthllctx.com/
- Dr. Chelsea Harkins on social media: https://www.instagram.com/dallaspelvichealth/?hl=en
MY COURSES:
START YOUR CHART™ COURSE - $37 for lifetime access: https://go.managingyourfertility.com/buystartyourchart
SHOP MY AMAZON STOREFRONT: https://amzn.to/3MRxbTC
SHOP MY BEAUTY & SKINCARE PRODUCTS: https://www.beautycounter.com/bridgetbusacker
DISCOUNT CODES:
20% OFF PROOV TEST STRIPS: https://proovtest.com/?wly=57893
20% OFF YOUR FIRST OLIVE & JUNE MANI KIT: http://fbuy.me/v/bridgetbusackerbc
10% OFF YOUR TEMPDROP: http://www.tempdrop.com/discount/managingyourfertility
3 MONTHS FREE & 20% OFF YOUR HALLOW SUBSCRIPTION: hallow.com/managingyourfertility
DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
Does sacrificial love mean you never refuse your spouse sex? Can women enjoy sex or does it have to be a thing you "get through"? Is it the husband's job to help you have great sex, too? In today's episode, I sit down with Dr. Sarah Bartel, co-founder of Cana Feast, to talk about sex and the work she does through her course & coaching program, My Delight, to help women have better sex with their spouses, learn practical skills for improved communication, understanding your libido and arousal curve, etc. It's such an amazing opportunity for women to receive practical support and not live in "I just gotta muscle through it" land when it comes to sex! Shownotes: Cana Feast: https://www.canafeast.com/ My Delight (registration open Feb 13-16): https://bridgetbusacker.krtra.com/t/lVxsdr8BUKoQ Sarah's other episode with me: https://anchor.fm/managingyourfertility/episodes/12---Dr--Sarah-Bartel-How-to-Strengthen-Your-Marriage--Sex-Life-e19bb4j Gaudium Et Spes: https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19651207_gaudium-et-spes_en.html Theology of the Body General Audience 33: https://www.amazon.com/Man-Woman-He-Created-Them/dp/0819874213/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3HMHFH0ZPGWKG&keywords=theology+of+the+body&qid=1675961149&s=books&sprefix=theology+of+the+bod%2Cstripbooks%2C316&sr=1-4 General Audience 33 section 6: "It seems that the second creation account has assigned ot the man "from the beginning" the function of the one who above all receives the gift (see Gen 2:23). The woman has "from the beginning" been entrusted to his eyes, to his consciousness, to his sensibility, to his "heart"; he, by contrast, must in some way ensure the very process of the exchange of the gift, the reciprocal interpenetration of giving and receiving the gift, which, precisely through its reciprocity, creates an authentic communion of persons." The Catechism of the Catholic Church (sections on marriage & sex): https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P55.HTM & https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P57.HTM Holy Sex by Dr. Popcak: https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Sex-Toe-Curling-Mind-Blowing-Infallible/dp/0824524713/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=holy+sex&qid=1675961659&s=books&sr=1-1 Theology of the Body for Beginners: https://www.amazon.com/Theology-Body-Beginners-Rediscovering-Meaning/dp/1635820073 BONUS content: The Secret about Sex & Holiness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hKRpVmTygU&ab_channel=AscensionPresents "As often as a husband and wife enter into the sexual embrace in a state of grace, they are growing in grace and in glory." - St. Thomas Aquinas MY COURSES: START YOUR CHART™ COURSE - $37 for lifetime access: https://go.managingyourfertility.com/buystartyourchart SHOP MY AMAZON STOREFRONT: https://amzn.to/3MRxbTC SHOP MY BEAUTY & SKINCARE PRODUCTS: https://www.beautycounter.com/bridgetbusacker DISCOUNT CODES: 20% OFF PROOV TEST STRIPS: https://proovtest.com/?wly=57893 20% OFF YOUR FIRST OLIVE & JUNE MANI KIT: http://fbuy.me/v/bridgetbusackerbc 10% OFF YOUR TEMPDROP: http://www.tempdrop.com/discount/managingyourfertility 3 MONTHS FREE & 20% OFF YOUR HALLOW SUBSCRIPTION: hallow.com/managingyourfertility DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
Why the heck don't men take contraceptives? After all, they're fertile all the time!
In this episode, I explore why men don't take hormonal contraceptives, the challenges in research, and why I think women's healthcare needs an overhaul.
Get curious with me!
Shownotes:
- Why Don't Men Take Hormonal Contraceptives article: https://www.managingyourfertility.com/why-dont-men-take-hormonal-contraceptives/
- The Complicated History of the Pill article: https://www.managingyourfertility.com/the-complicated-history-of-the-pill/
- Efficacy and Safety of an Injectable Combination Hormonal Contraceptive for Men: https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/101/12/4779/2765061?login=false
- Male Birth Control Study Killed After Men Report Side Effects: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/11/03/500549503/male-birth-control-study-killed-after-men-complain-about-side-effects
- Little Women (2019) - Marriage Is an Economic Proposition Scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0D8nRpJsQlk&ab_channel=Movieclips
MANAGING YOUR FERTILITY LINKS & LOVES
WEBSITE: https://www.managingyourfertility.com
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/managingyourfertility
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/managingyourfertility
PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/managingyourfertility
MY COURSES:
START YOUR CHART™ COURSE - $37 for lifetime access: https://go.managingyourfertility.com/buystartyourchart
SHOP MY AMAZON STOREFRONT: https://amzn.to/3MRxbTC
SHOP MY BEAUTY & SKINCARE PRODUCTS: https://www.beautycounter.com/bridgetbusacker
DISCOUNT CODES:
20% OFF PROOV TEST STRIPS: https://proovtest.com/?wly=57893
20% OFF YOUR FIRST OLIVE & JUNE MANI KIT: http://fbuy.me/v/bridgetbusackerbc
10% OFF YOUR TEMPDROP: http://www.tempdrop.com/discount/managingyourfertility
3 MONTHS FREE & 20% OFF YOUR HALLOW SUBSCRIPTION: hallow.com/managingyourfertility
DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
Today, I get lit up about the history of contraception, the limitations its placed on women (rather than freeing us) and the complications it's caused to our health. This conversation is the beginning of many because this topic is nuanced, challenging, and deserves more airtime than one episode.
But, this episode IS intended to get you thinking about your own health and choices. What do you want your health to look like? How do you want to show up in the world? What does it mean for you to have fertility freedom?
I'd love to hear from you on this one, so feel free to reach out!
Shownotes:
- The Complicated History of the Pill: https://www.managingyourfertility.com/the-complicated-history-of-the-pill/
- Abortion is a Band-Aid Solution: https://www.managingyourfertility.com/abortion-is-a-band-aid-solution/
- Humanae Vitae (please note, I said 1969 and it was published July 25, 1968): https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae.html
- The Different Stakes of Male & Female Birth Control: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/11/the-different-stakes-of-male-and-female-birth-control/506120/
- Male Contraception Research: https://www.sutterhealth.org/health/teens/sexual/male-contraception-research
- Male Birth Control Study Killed After Men Report Side Effects: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/11/03/500549503/male-birth-control-study-killed-after-men-complain-about-side-effects
MANAGING YOUR FERTILITY LINKS & LOVES
WEBSITE: https://www.managingyourfertility.com
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/managingyourfertility
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/managingyourfertility
PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/managingyourfertility
MY COURSES:
- START YOUR CHART™ COURSE - $37 for lifetime access: https://go.managingyourfertility.com/buystartyourchart
SHOP MY AMAZON STOREFRONT: https://amzn.to/3MRxbTC
SHOP MY BEAUTY & SKINCARE PRODUCTS: https://www.beautycounter.com/bridgetbusacker
DISCOUNT CODES:
- 20% OFF PROOV TEST STRIPS: https://proovtest.com/?wly=57893
- 20% OFF YOUR FIRST OLIVE & JUNE MANI KIT: http://fbuy.me/v/bridgetbusackerbc
- 10% OFF YOUR TEMPDROP: http://www.tempdrop.com/discount/managingyourfertility
- 3 MONTHS FREE & 20% OFF YOUR HALLOW SUBSCRIPTION: hallow.com/managingyourfertility
DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
What happens when NFP doesn't go the way you thought it would?
How do you respond when you get a positive pregnancy test and you're feeling ALL the feels?
Is it okay to love and hate NFP at the same time?
My dear friend, Amanda, is joining me today to get REAL about NFP, share her story, and start conversations about the realities, struggles, and goodness of NFP. She believes that both the hard & the good can co-exist when it comes to using NFP in your daily life (and, I agree with her!). Amanda's vulnerability and willingness to share her own story in the hopes of helping and supporting other women is so inspiring to me and I'm so honored she joined me on the podcast to do just that. Don't miss this incredible episode!
Interviewee bio:
Amanda Grimes is a Catholic convert who is a wife & SAHM. She and her husband have been married for 7 years and they have 3 kids and one on the way.
MANAGING YOUR FERTILITY LINKS & LOVES
WEBSITE: https://www.managingyourfertility.com
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/managingyourfertility
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/managingyourfertility
PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/managingyourfertility
MY COURSES:
START YOUR CHART™ COURSE - $37 for lifetime access: https://go.managingyourfertility.com/buystartyourchart
SHOP MY AMAZON STOREFRONT: https://amzn.to/3MRxbTC
SHOP MY BEAUTY & SKINCARE PRODUCTS: https://www.beautycounter.com/bridgetbusacker
DISCOUNT CODES:
20% OFF PROOV TEST STRIPS: https://proovtest.com/?wly=57893
20% OFF YOUR FIRST OLIVE & JUNE MANI KIT: http://fbuy.me/v/bridgetbusackerbc
10% OFF YOUR TEMPDROP: http://www.tempdrop.com/discount/managingyourfertility
3 MONTHS FREE & 20% OFF YOUR HALLOW SUBSCRIPTION: hallow.com/managingyourfertility
DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
How do you live out Theology of the Body in your daily life?
What does it mean to embrace your body and your personhood?
Can you live in integration with your body AND soul? Or, does one have more value than the other?
I have the great joy of sitting down with my friend, Jen Messing, to talk about all things Theology of the Body. The conversation is nuanced, fun, and so insightful! Jen is so on fire with the Holy Spirit and does an excellent job making TOB accessible for all ages.
Her background is in social work and she quickly realized that a lot of the hard issues that get to the heart of who we are as individuals can't be addressed without a deeper understanding of personhood and how our bodies play a very significant role in our lives, our wounds, and our healing.
If you've ever wondered what Theology of the Body is and HOW to lean in and live it out, this episode is for you!
Interviewee bio:
Launching from her hometown of Minneapolis, MN, Jen Messing has been teaching both youth and adults how to apply the theology of the body since 2002. With an undergraduate degree in Social Work and a Master of Theological Studies, Jen founded Into the Deep in 2012 to formally speak, teach, and lead camping retreats around the country.
Shownotes:
- Into the Deep: https://idretreats.org/
- 2023 ID Retreats: https://idretreats.org/2023-idretreats/
- Resources: https://idretreats.org/resource-list/
- Ask Christopher West Podcast: https://askchristopherwest.com/
- Camping, Contemplation, & Cancer (Jen Messing): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyntHrmA_oA&ab_channel=TheologyoftheBodyInstitute
- Theology of the Body Institute: https://tobinstitute.org/
- The Chastity Project: https://chastity.com/
- JPII Healing Center: https://jpiihealingcenter.org/
- JoyTOB: https://joytob.org/
- The Ecstasy of St. Teresa of Avila: https://aleteia.org/2020/06/30/this-famous-sculpture-depicts-the-ecstasy-of-saint-teresa-of-avila/
When we understand ourselves as women, we're able to show up fully to whatever table (or tables!) we sit at. When we're integrated, we can make informed, intentional choices in our lives that impact our progress: both the physical and spiritual goals we have for ourselves.
Today, I'm leaning into the conversation that fertility awareness is medical & soul care. It's not one or the other. When we lean into our whole selves as women, we embrace the reality of our goodness and that our ENTIRE PERSON is good.
I can't wait for you to hear this one!
Shownotes:
Dr. Stacy Sims: https://www.drstacysims.com/
The Aligned Cycle (cycle syncing your schedule): https://thealignedcycle.com/
Lumina Health Services (cycle syncing your workouts): https://www.luminahealthservices.com/courses-1 MANAGING YOUR FERTILITY LINKS & LOVES
WEBSITE: https://www.managingyourfertility.com
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/managingyourfertility
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/managingyourfertility
PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/managingyourfertility
MY COURSES:
START YOUR CHART™ COURSE - $37 for lifetime access: https://go.managingyourfertility.com/buystartyourchart
SHOP MY AMAZON STOREFRONT: https://amzn.to/3MRxbTC
SHOP MY BEAUTY & SKINCARE PRODUCTS: https://www.beautycounter.com/bridgetbusacker
DISCOUNT CODES:
20% OFF PROOV TEST STRIPS: https://proovtest.com/?wly=57893
20% OFF YOUR FIRST OLIVE & JUNE MANI KIT: http://fbuy.me/v/bridgetbusackerbc
10% OFF YOUR TEMPDROP: http://www.tempdrop.com/discount/managingyourfertility
3 MONTHS FREE & 20% OFF YOUR HALLOW SUBSCRIPTION: hallow.com/managingyourfertility
DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
I know, I say it a lot: you need an instructor. In this episode, I go into three reasons why you need an instructor and I get into some of the nitty gritty aspects of charting. Whether you're single, engaged, or married: this is the episode for you! And, this isn't specific to people with cycle issues. This episode is for every lady who wants to chart their cycle successfully!
MANAGING YOUR FERTILITY LINKS & LOVES
WEBSITE: https://www.managingyourfertility.com
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/managingyourfertility
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/managingyourfertility
PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/managingyourfertility
MY COURSES:
START YOUR CHART™ COURSE - $37 for lifetime access: https://go.managingyourfertility.com/buystartyourchart
SHOP MY AMAZON STOREFRONT: https://amzn.to/3MRxbTC
SHOP MY BEAUTY & SKINCARE PRODUCTS: https://www.beautycounter.com/bridgetbusacker
DISCOUNT CODES:
20% OFF PROOV TEST STRIPS: https://proovtest.com/?wly=57893
20% OFF YOUR FIRST OLIVE & JUNE MANI KIT: http://fbuy.me/v/bridgetbusackerbc
10% OFF YOUR TEMPDROP: http://www.tempdrop.com/discount/managingyourfertility
3 MONTHS FREE & 20% OFF YOUR HALLOW SUBSCRIPTION: hallow.com/managingyourfertility
DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
In this week's episode, Bridget sits down with Danielle Thompson, founder of Favor Fertility Ministry, to talk more about her story of infertility and the journey to foster care. She shares very openly and vulnerably about her journey of infertility and how foster care is impacting her family life. She also answers practical questions for someone interested in learning more about the foster care system and process, so if you are someone that has been wondering if this is an option for you, definitely tune in!
It was such a joy to have Dani on the podcast and have her pour her passion for her family life, ministry, and love of Jesus with me! And, I have the great pleasure of sharing this conversation with all of you! I hope it blesses you as it blessed me!
Shownotes:
Favor Fertility Ministry: @favorfertilityministry
Follow Dani on Instagram: @dani_jenee
Interviewee bio:
Danielle Thompson is a devoted wife, a growing foster mommy and the founder of her fertility ministry, Favor! Believing for the miraculous in her womb has built a radical faith and love of the Father in her heart. Becoming a foster mother to two precious children has brought much refinement, a longing fulfilled and a deeper giving of herself! After all, Dani's two babies have gifted her a new name, one that she have prayed so long for, "Mommy"!
MANAGING YOUR FERTILITY LINKS & LOVES
WEBSITE: https://www.managingyourfertility.com
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/managingyourfertility
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/managingyourfertility
PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/managingyourfertility
MY COURSES:
START YOUR CHART™ COURSE - $37 for lifetime access: https://go.managingyourfertility.com/buystartyourchart
SHOP MY AMAZON STOREFRONT: https://amzn.to/3MRxbTC
SHOP MY BEAUTY & SKINCARE PRODUCTS: https://www.beautycounter.com/bridgetbusacker
DISCOUNT CODES:
20% OFF PROOV TEST STRIPS: https://proovtest.com/?wly=57893
20% OFF YOUR FIRST OLIVE & JUNE MANI KIT: http://fbuy.me/v/bridgetbusackerbc
10% OFF YOUR TEMPDROP: http://www.tempdrop.com/discount/managingyourfertility
3 MONTHS FREE & 20% OFF YOUR HALLOW SUBSCRIPTION: hallow.com/managingyourfertility
DISCLOSURE: This description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the podcast. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
Have you ever wondered about the history of feminism?
Did you ever feel like you didn't really fit into the movement based on your beliefs & values, but you sure as heck believe in the dignity of women?
Do you dream about a feminism that embraces women AND their fertility AND their dreams?
This episode is for you!!! Bridget sits down with her dear friend, Leah Jacobson, to talk about wholistic feminism, the history of feminism, if Catholics can call themselves feminists, the challenges and opportunities within the feminist movement & so much more! Leah's wisdom is unparalleled! She truly embodies new feminism and her fight for women's rights in their personhood, dignity, and fertility is incredible!
Shownotes:
The Guiding Star Project: https://guidingstarproject.com/
Leah’s website: https://www.leahajacobson.com/
Wholistic Feminism: https://amzn.to/3VKlfam
Interviewee bio:
Leah Jacobson founded The Guiding Star Project in 2011 after feeling called to help women and families by providing resources that honor Natural Law and promote wholistic feminism. She seeks to create Guiding Star Centers to serve as beacons of hope, joy, and truth — safe havens that uphold human dignity in all stages of life. Leah lives in Minnesota with her family and works as a board-certified lactation consultant. As a mother to seven children, she has a special interest in supporting young women as they transition into their roles as new mothers. --- MANAGING YOUR FERTILITY
LINKS & LOVES
WEBSITE: https://www.managingyourfertility.com
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/managingyourfertility
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/managingyourfertility
PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/managingyourfertility
MY COURSES:
START YOUR CHART™ COURSE - $37 for lifetime access: https://go.managingyourfertility.com/buystartyourchart
SHOP MY AMAZON STOREFRONT: https://amzn.to/3MRxbTC
SHOP MY BEAUTY & SKINCARE PRODUCTS: https://www.beautycounter.com/bridgetbusacker
DISCOUNT CODES:
20% OFF PROOV TEST STRIPS: https://proovtest.com/?wly=57893
20% OFF YOUR FIRST OLIVE & JUNE MANI KIT: http://fbuy.me/v/bridgetbusackerbc
10% OFF YOUR TEMPDROP: http://www.tempdrop.com/discount/managingyourfertility
3 MONTHS FREE & 20% OFF YOUR HALLOW SUBSCRIPTION: hallow.com/managingyourfertility
10% OFF MENTIONABLES: https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=2085722&u=3409336&m=127884&urllink=&afftrack=
DISCLOSURE: This video description may include affiliate links for products or services mentioned in the video. If you purchase products or services at these links I receive a small commission for the referral. I appreciate your support of my business!
*Do you ever wonder if you're doing marriage "right"?
Are you nervous that you might not have what it takes to create a healthy, thriving marriage?
Curious about how you lean into God's grace in marriage and what that actually means?*
We're not saying we have all the answers, but we're definitely willing to dive into this conversation with our own experiences, what we've learned in our own marriages and from others, and how we want to cultivate healthy, holy marriages!
In this episode, David joins Bridget for a double date episode (although crying babies require him to leave for a bit IYKYK) with Renzo & Monica Ortega. The Ortegas share their hearts and their own experiences in marriage about what's worked, what hasn't, how their growing together, what it means to be on the same team, how to lean into your own story and SO MUCH MORE! It's such an awesome episode, you don't want to miss it! Your marital status doesn't matter for this one; you're sure to gain insight no matter where you are in your journey!
Shownotes:
Two Become Family: https://twobecomefamily.com/
Two Become Family Podcast: https://twobecomefamily.com/podcast
Interviewees bios:
Renzo and Monica Ortega are high school sweethearts married almost 10 years and parents to five kiddos. They co-founded an engagement and marriage online ministry called Two Become Family. Monica & Renzo’s hope is to restore confidence in family life with the help, writings, and intercession of St. John Paul the Great. Renzo is a director of social work for a local nursing home and Monica is a stay at home mom and homeschools the older three kids. Their favorite date night is take out in bed watching crime shows or The Office.
*What does the Catholic Church teach about pre-marital sex?
What do the stats say about pre-marital sex?
How do those hormones work?
Okay, we get it... but we still want to have sex! So, let's talk about it.*
Bridget sits down with Emily to talk about a struggle that's more commonly heard than not in their work and they want to talk about it. Bridget and Emily talk honestly and build the foundation for what the Catholic Church teaches, what the science says, how our bodies work, and some suggestions about what to do when you're having pre-marital sex and don't feel like you can say "no" or you don't want to say "no" and you're torn!
Shownotes:
- Consent is not enough. We need a new sexual ethic.: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/03/17/sex-ethics-rethinking-consent-culture/
- Pew Research - Marital status: https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/religious-landscape-study/marital-status/
- Too Risky to Wed in Your 20s? Not if You Avoid Cohabiting First: https://www.wsj.com/articles/too-risky-to-wed-in-your-20s-not-if-you-avoid-cohabiting-first-11644037261#:~:text=But%20a%20growing%20body%20of,more%20likely%20to%20get%20divorced
- Is Cohabitation Still Linked to Greater Odds of Divorce?: https://ifstudies.org/blog/is-cohabitation-still-linked-to-greater-odds-of-divorce
Pew Research Center - Marriage and Cohabitation in the U.S.: https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2019/11/06/marriage-and-cohabitation-in-the-u-s/ * CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH: https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM
Interviewee bio:
Emily Frase (rhymes w/ crazy) is a south Louisiana native living in northern Virginia with her husband and three cherubs. After receiving her bachelor's degree in architecture, she went on to work in the nonprofit world in D.C. for five years. To her delight, her background in creative problem solving and working with politicians prepared her perfectly for her current full-time job managing toddler tantrums. She founded the Total W(h)ine Blog in 2018, where she shares her passion for living all aspects of the Catholic Faith in a joyful and honest way, especially marriage, motherhood, NFP, and fertility awareness. She is the co-founder and president of the nonprofit organization, FAbM Base.
*Have you ever wondered if it's okay to have great sex?
Do you worry about Googling your questions only to come up with something you wish you could unsee?
Are you wondering how the heck to have conversations about sex when it seems like it's taboo in Catholic circles?*
Let's kick off season 3 by talking about sex, baby! Bridget sits down with Brandy Norton, founder of Good Catholic Sex, a resource for Catholic men and women who have questions they need answered about sex & intimacy, to get real about sex, intimacy, and the nitty gritty details.
Sex isn't dirty. We're here to have a respectful, thoughtful, and honest conversation about the common questions and fears that come up for engaged, newly married, and married longer and wondering if sex should work by now folks. If you fit somewhere in that spectrum, you're in great company!
This content is not appropriate for little ears, as it is explicit about aspects of sex (i.e. clarification of oral stimulation vs. oral sex).
Shownotes:
- Good Catholic Sex: https://www.goodcatholicsex.com/
- Finding Your Blue Flame: https://www.amazon.com/Your-Blue-Flame-Guilt-Makes/dp/031034977X
- Holy Sex!: A Catholic Guide to Toe-Curling, Mind-Blowing, Infallible Loving: https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Sex-Toe-Curling-Mind-Blowing-Infallible/dp/0824524713/ref=sr_1_1?crid=UZUH25E0UWP9&keywords=holy+sex&qid=1662496630&s=books&sprefix=hol%2Cstripbooks%2C334&sr=1-1
- Love & Responsibility: https://www.amazon.com/Love-Responsibility-Karol-Wojtyla/dp/0898704456
- Good News About Sex & Marriage (Revised Edition): Answers to Your Honest Questions about Catholic Teaching: https://www.amazon.com/Good-News-About-Marriage-Revised/dp/0867166193
Interviewee Bio:Brandy Norton is a wife, a mom, and dangerously confident. She lives in Louisville, KY with her husband of 6 years and their two toddlers. She has a Master's in Theology and professional experience in corporate, church ministry, and non-profit roles. She launched www.goodcatholicsex.com in 2021 and started pursuing a life as a stand up comic.
I'm hopping on the podcast to share more about Start Your Chart™, how it started, and what you can expect out of this course!
The course is LIVE, so don't hesitate to sign-up!
Start Your Chart™ is all about helping you start charting! I provide you with practical tools and resources, so that you can start charing your cycle. Ultimately, this is about you growing in confidence and clarity with your health!
In this course, I will walk you through a cycle overview, the methods available, effectiveness rates, costs, and help you decide on and pick a method, instructor-client relationship dynamics, so you can work with your DREAM instructor, conversation starters with your doctor about fertility awareness, and bonus materials for you!
I hope you'll join me! This course is intended to get you to start charting in ONE hour.
For the cost of a nice dinner out with a friend or your spouse, you can gain fertility freedom! Are you ready?? Let's get you signed up!
What is Theology of the Body (TOB)?
How do we live TOB out in marriages?
Can TOB help us grow in joy in our marriages?
The season finale is here and WHAT a finale it is! I had the pleasure of sitting down with Damon Owens to talk to him about Theology of the Body, specifically in the context of our own personhood and how it relates to marriage & NFP. Don't miss this amazing episode!
Shownotes:
JoyTOB: https://joytob.org/
Joyful Ever After: Epic Intimacy Challenge: https://www.joyfuleverafter.org/epic-intimacy-challenge
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damon.c.owens/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/damonowens
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DamonOwens
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/damonowensofficial
Interviewee bio:
Damon Owens, international speaker and evangelist, is executive director of Joyful Ever After (joyfuleverafter.org). The first executive director of the Theology of the Body Institute and chairman of the 2016 International Theology of the Body Congress, Damon founded Joyful Ever After as a non-profit ministry dedicated to encouraging and educating couples to understand and live marriage and family life together with joy through St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. Host of the 2020 Catholic Marriage Summit, presenter at the 2019 Catholic Family Life Symposium, 2017 USCCB Convocation of Catholic Leaders, and 2015 World Meeting of Families, Damon keeps a full international speaking schedule at conferences, seminars, universities, high schools, seminaries, and parishes on the good news of marriage, sexuality, Theology of the Body, Theology of the Family, adoption, and NFP. In 2018, Pope Francis honored Damon with his Benemerenti Papal Medal in recognition for his work in support of marriage and family. Damon lives outside Philadelphia with his wife Melanie and their eight children.
Welcome to the final episode of the Method Conversation series! You'll hear from trained instructors who represent a variety of organizations that provide scientifically-proven, methodologically-sound, and Catholic Church-approved fertility awareness based method (FABM) instruction that are well-respected in the fertility awareness and medical community. Remember, don't work with an instructor who creates their own rules & methods! Work with trained experts.
In this episode, Bridget sits down with Lauren Vitale, a trained Marquette Instructor and co-founder of Whole Mission. Lauren shares the history of the Marquette Method, how it works, effectiveness rates what it looks like to work with an instructor, how to find an instructor, and important aspects to consider before picking a method and instructor. Don't miss this series and this helpful conversation!
Shownotes:
- Marquette Method: https://www.marquette.edu/nursing/natural-family-planning-model.php
- Whole Mission: https://www.mmnfp.com/
- Whole Mission Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wholemission
- Whole Mission Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whole.mission/
- Whole Mission YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQBbGePhY_xFiCuFGg19sVg
Interviewee bio:
Lauren is a registered nurse and Marquette Method natural family planning instructor. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Madonna University in 2009, practiced as a pediatric nurse until 2015, and has been teaching couples the highs, lows, and peaks of the Marquette Method since 2017. Lauren and her husband, Giovanni, co-founded Whole Mission, an online natural family planning education service. Lauren continues to provide fertility education to couples and women around the world, all while she follows her true calling of raising five fantastically-unique children to (hopefully) become saints.
Welcome to the next episode of the Method Conversation series! You'll hear from trained instructors who represent a variety of organizations that provide scientifically-proven, methodologically-sound, and Catholic Church-approved fertility awareness based method (FABM) instruction that are well-respected in the fertility awareness and medical community. Remember, don't work with an instructor who creates their own rules & methods! Work with trained experts.
In this episode, Bridget sits down with Kristina Poce, a trained Marquette Instructor and founder of Femme Fertility. Kristina shares the history of the Marquette Method, how it works, effectiveness rates what it looks like to work with an instructor, how to find an instructor, and important aspects to consider before picking a method and instructor. Don't miss this series and this helpful conversation!
Shownotes:
- Marquette Method: https://www.marquette.edu/nursing/natural-family-planning-model.php
- Comprehensive list of Marquette Instructors: marquettemethod.com
- Femme Fertility: https://www.femmefertilitynfp.com/
- Use code MYF10 to receive 10% off any course offering at Femme Fertility (until August 31, 2022).
- Femme Fertility Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/femme_fertility/
- Femme Fertility Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/femmefertility
- *Please note: Dr. Fehring has retired since the recording of this podcast episode and Dr. Schneider now runs the research team.
Interviewee bio:
Kristina Poce is the Founder of Femme Fertility. She is a registered nurse, mom, and wife. She feels strongly that body literacy is every woman’s right. Kristina wants women, men, and couples to make informed decisions about their health, to know how destructive hormonal contraceptives can be, and feel empowered by the use of a healthy and effective alternative that gives women bodily autonomy and insight into their overall health. She loves chocolate chip cookies, red wine, memoirs, and all things wholesome goodness.
Welcome to the next episode of the Method Conversation series! You'll hear from trained instructors who represent a variety of organizations that provide scientifically-proven, methodologically-sound, and Catholic Church-approved fertility awareness based method (FABM) instruction that are well-respected in the fertility awareness and medical community. Remember, don't work with an instructor who creates their own rules & methods! Work with trained experts.
In this episode, Bridget sits down with Mairead Suthoff, a FEMM Instructor and founder of Lumina Health Services. Mairead shares the history of FEMM Health, how it works, effectiveness rates what it looks like to work with an instructor, how to find an instructor, and important aspects to consider before picking a method and instructor. Don't miss this series and this helpful conversation!
Shownotes:
- FEMM Health: https://femmhealth.org/
- Lumina Health Services: https://www.luminahealthservices.com/
- Lumina Health Services Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luminahealthservices/
- Lumina Health Services Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/luminahealthservices/?eid=ARDxFI6lAisLCKYlOxB8eJsw71Y4GaGvlHGvHhS8PR05Orf2TFn7aU8ode1hGxIIt675KoQn839NXy-t
Interviewee bio:
Mairead Suthoff is a certified athletic trainer and a certified FEMM instructor. She thrives in inspiring women to chart their cycles. Her business, Lumina Health Services, teaches women how to chart for health, body literacy, cycle syncing, and family planning. Her background in sports medicine makes her particularly passionate about helping active women achieve cycle health and sync their workouts to the phases of their cycle.
Welcome to the next episode of the Method Conversation series! You'll hear from trained instructors who represent a variety of organizations that provide scientifically-proven, methodologically-sound, and Catholic Church-approved fertility awareness based method (FABM) instruction that are well-respected in the fertility awareness and medical community. Remember, don't work with an instructor who creates their own rules & methods! Work with trained experts.
In this episode, Bridget sits down with Mikayla Dalton, a Boston Cross Check Method Instructor. Mikayla shares the history of Boston Cross Check, how it works, effectiveness rates what it looks like to work with an instructor, how to find an instructor, and important aspects to consider before picking a method and instructor. Don't miss this series and this helpful conversation!
Shownotes:
- Boston Cross Check Method: https://www.bostoncrosscheck.com/
- Boston Cross Check Method Instructor List: https://www.bostoncrosscheck.com/ https://www.bostoncatholic.org/sites/g/files/zjfyce871/files/2021-04/NFP%20Instructor%20list%202021.pdf
- Humanae Vitae - https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae.html
Interviewee bio:
Mikayla Dalton is a femtech geek, fertility awareness based method educator since 2011 and childbirth educator since 2019. Her husband once told her that she looks like the Borg Queen with all her charting wearables on. Resistance, she said, is futile. She’s an Australian cradle-turned-revert Catholic and a lay Dominican living in the USA.
Bridget sits down with Dr. Marguerite Duane, a board certified family physician and co-founder and Executive Director of FACTS. She is trained as a Creighton, FEMM and NeoFertility Medical consultant, as well as a TeenSTAR educator. Dr. Duane recently completed a research fellowship in women’s health at the University of Utah and also serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor at Georgetown University. Dr. Duane and Bridget discuss the challenges in the medical field with lack of education and awareness for women's bodies, how this impacts women's experiences with providers, what the research shows us about the benefits of tracking cycles and the importance of informed consent, the importance of reproductive justice, and the need for access to information in order to achieve informed consent. This conversation is not religiously affiliated or specific to a certain "type" of woman. This episode is for EVERY WOMAN! Don't miss it!
Shownotes:
- Website: www.FACTSaboutFertility.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/factsaboutfertility/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fertilityfacts/?hl=en
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/FACTS_Fertility?lang=en
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fertility-appreciation-collaborative-to-teach-the-science-facts/
- Physician Clinician Directory: https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/physician-clinician-educator-directory/
- FACTS Webinars: https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/learn-more/webinars/
- FACTS Conferences: https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/2022-conference/
- What is Charting?: https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/what-is-charting/
- Donate $25 or more to receive a "Share the FACTS" folder to provide to your doctor: https://fmec.networkforgood.com/projects/102059-facts-2020-giving-page (indicate you are donating for a "share the FACTS" folder)
Interviewee Bio:
Dr. Marguerite Duane, a board certified family physician and co-founder and Executive Director of FACTS. This organization is dedicated to educating healthcare professionals and students about scientifically valid natural or fertility awareness based methods (FABMs). She is trained as a Creighton, FEMM and NeoFertility Medical consultant, as well as a TeenSTAR educator. Dr. Duane recently completed a research fellowship in women’s health at the University of Utah and also serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor at Georgetown University, and sees via house calls through her direct primary care practice. Dr. Duane balances her career as a teacher and Family Physician, with her role as a mother and wife. She is married to a fellow family physician, Dr. Kenneth Lin, and they are the parents of 4 young children.
Welcome to the next episode of the Method Conversation series! You'll hear from trained instructors who represent a variety of organizations that provide scientifically-proven, methodologically-sound, and Catholic Church-approved fertility awareness based method (FABM) instruction that are well-respected in the fertility awareness and medical community. Remember, don't work with an instructor who creates their own rules & methods! Work with trained experts.
In this episode, Bridget sits down with Hanna & Paul Caruso, Serena Canada Instructors. Hanna & Paul share the history of Serena, how it works, effectiveness rates what it looks like to work with an instructor, how to find an instructor, and important aspects to consider before picking a method and instructor. Don't miss this series and this helpful conversation!
Shownotes:
Serena Canada: https://serena.ca/
Contact: https://serena.ca/contact/
Interviewees' Bios:
Hanna and Paul have been teaching the Symptothermal method as volunteers with Serena since 2018. They met in physics class at university and were married in 2015. They have used the Symptothermal method to achieve and avoid pregnancy, and while navigating a PCOS diagnosis and fertility challenges. They have found natural family planning empowering and helpful every step of the way. They now have a beautiful 1-year-old son. They enjoy working and volunteering with Serena in various capacities on the national, provincial, and local team level.
Welcome to the next episode of the Method Conversation series! You'll hear from trained instructors who represent a variety of organizations that provide scientifically-proven, methodologically-sound, and Catholic Church-approved fertility awareness based method (FABM) instruction that are well-respected in the fertility awareness and medical community. Remember, don't work with an instructor who creates their own rules & methods! Work with trained experts.
In this episode, Bridget sits down with Ellen Holloway, a SymptoPro Fertility Education Instructor (and host of the Charting Toward Intimacy podcast!). Ellen shares the history of SymptoPro, how it works, effectiveness rates what it looks like to work with an instructor, how to find an instructor, and important aspects to consider before picking a method and instructor. Don't miss this series and this helpful conversation!
Shownotes:
- SymptoPro Fertility Education: https://symptopro.org/
- Charting Toward Intimacy: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/charting-toward-intimacy-expanding-the-natural-family/id1523878491
- Ellen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chartingtowardintimacy/?hl=en
- Ellen's Coaching: https://linktr.ee/chartingtowardintimacy
Interviewee Bio:
Ellen is an NFP advocate located in the Bay Area of California. She hosts a podcast called Charting Toward Intimacy that expands the Natural Family Planning conversation from a Catholic Perspective. Ellen also speaks on Natural Family Planning and Fertility Awareness at diocesan and parish events as well as marriage preparation conferences. Additionally, Ellen and her husband Kurt teach Natural Family Planning through SymptoPro.
Welcome to the second episode of the Method Conversation series! You'll hear from trained instructors who represent a variety of organizations that provide scientifically-proven, methodologically-sound, and Catholic Church-approved fertility awareness based method (FABM) instruction that are well-respected in the fertility awareness and medical community. Remember, don't work with an instructor who creates their own rules & methods! Work with trained experts.
In this episode, Bridget sits down with Mariana Lopez, a Couple to Couple League Instructor. Mariana shares the history of CCL, how it works, effectiveness rates what it looks like to work with an instructor, how to find an instructor, and important aspects to consider before picking a method and instructor. Don't miss this series and this helpful conversation!
Shownotes:
- Couple to Couple League: https://ccli.org/
Interviewee Bio:
Mariana Lopez and her husband are a certified Natural Family Teaching Couple with the Couple to Couple League. They live in the Bay area, with their four young children, and love to share how NFP, though not without challenges, has touched their marriage and brought them closer to God.
Welcome to the second episode of the Method Conversation series! You'll hear from trained instructors who represent a variety of organizations that provide scientifically-proven, methodologically-sound, and Catholic Church-approved fertility awareness based method (FABM) instruction that are well-respected in the fertility awareness and medical community. Remember, don't work with an instructor who creates their own rules & methods! Work with trained experts.
In this episode, Bridget sits down with Heather Turner, a Billings Ovulation Method Instructor. Heather shares the history of Billings, how it works, effectiveness rates what it looks like to work with an instructor, how to find an instructor, and important aspects to consider before picking a method and instructor. Don't miss this series and this helpful conversation!
Shownotes:
- Billings Ovulation Method: https://billings.life/en/
- Billings Instructor List (for US residents): https://www.boma-usa.org/find-a-boma-usa-teacher.html
- WOOMB (international Billings Organization): https://woombinternational.org/
- Heather Turner's Website: https://www.planninglifesbumps.com/
- Heather's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/PlanningLifesBumps
Heather will be offering an online Billings introduction class on April 23, 2022 at 9 a.m. CST. You can contact Heather here for more details & the sign-up link: https://www.planninglifesbumps.com/contact-me/
Interviewee Bio:
Heather Turner teaches Billings online to women all over the U.S. She has learned 5 NFP methods already and loves to learn about different ways of understanding fertility and teaching it. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and 3 kids and dreams about spring!
Welcome to the second episode of the Method Conversation series! You'll hear from trained instructors who represent a variety of organizations that provide scientifically-proven, methodologically-sound, and Catholic Church-approved fertility awareness based method (FABM) instruction that are well-respected in the fertility awareness and medical community. Remember, don't work with an instructor who creates their own rules & methods! Work with trained experts.
In this episode, Bridget sits down with Melissa Buchan, an integrative health coach & NeoFertility Advisor, who has 15 years experience in the fertility awareness space working with women & couples. Melissa shares the history of ChartNeo, how it works, effectiveness rates what it looks like to work with an instructor, how to find an instructor, and important aspects to consider before picking a method and instructor. Don't miss this series and this helpful conversation!
Shownotes:
- ChartNeo: https://www.chartneo.com/
- Melissa Buchan's Website: https://www.melissabuchan.com/
- Melissa's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtusfertilitycare/
- Melissa's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/virtusfertilitycare/
Interviewee Bio:
Melissa Buchan believes that a well-charted menstrual cycle is a powerful daily empowerment practice. Fifteen years in the Fertility Awareness arena, her passion for coaching and advocating for women and couples paved the path to her new program Chart Your Cycle, and online coaching platform empowering women around the world to know their bodies, confidently practice natural birth control, navigate infertility, and advocate for their own restorative reproductive healthcare. The first Neo Fertility Advisor in the United States and a Duke trained and Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach, Melissa uses a coaching framework to help women create a well-charted cycle that serves as a diagnostic tool to investigate the root cause of reproductive and hormonal imbalance issues. She helps her clients build a web of support with clinicians who take a restorative approach to women's healthcare and she partners with her clients to create a customized plan of action for meaningful lifestyle shifts that optimize health and wellbeing.
Welcome to the first episode of the Method Conversation series! You'll hear from trained instructors who represent a variety of organizations that provide scientifically-proven, methodologically-sound, and Catholic Church-approved fertility awareness based method (FABM) instruction that are well-respected in the fertility awareness and medical community. Remember, don't work with an instructor who creates their own rules & methods! Work with trained experts.
In this episode, Bridget sits down with Melissa Tablada, who is a trained Creighton Fertility Care Practitioner who teaches women and couples how to chart. She'll get into the history of the Creighton Model, how it works, effectiveness rates what it looks like to work with an instructor, how to find an instructor, and important aspects to consider before picking a method and instructor. Don't miss this series and this helpful conversation!
Shownotes:
- Creighton Model: https://creightonmodel.com/
- NaPro Technology: https://naprotechnology.com/
- Melissa's Website: https://www.melissagracetablada.com/
- Melissa's Instagram: https://instagram.com/melissagracetablada
- Melissa's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/melissatablada
Melissa Tablada is now offering a bundled package of one year worth of Creighton Fertility Care Support PLUS six coaching sessions based on your season of life. For couples this will entail martial coaching & for single women the sessions will focus on life coaching. This new service provides the opportunity for clients to receive support in a more complete way, addressing the whole person rather than just one part. You'll have the chance to customize your sessions based on your personal and unique goals. Please email melissagracetablada@gmail.com for more information & to sign up!
Interviewee Bio:
Melissa Tablada is a Catholic wife & mama living in Miami, Florida. She works as a Creighton Fertility Care Practitioner teaching women and couples to chart their cycles to achieve or avoid pregnancy, or manage their reproductive health. She is also a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, as well as a Life and Relationship Coach. Melissa is passionate about supporting women in becoming healthy and whole in mind, body and soul!
Do you feel drained in your motherhood?
Are you struggling with mom guilt weighing you down?
Ever wondered if you lean into joy you might be participating in toxic positivity?
Bridget sits down for part II of this series with Alex DeRose discussing the joy of motherhood and tangible, practical ways to create joy in your life and motherhood. We get into the nitty gritty: why so many women are leaning into fear instead of fearlessness in motherhood, how to embrace motherhood practically (whether single, engaged or married), and how embracing ourselves in wholeness actually helps us lean into our lives and leaning into real, authentic joy.
Additional resources discussed:
- JoyMama Blog: https://www.joymamablog.com/
- Follow Alex on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandriaderose/
Interviewee bio:
Alex DeRose is a Family Nurse Practitioner & Fertility Care Practitioner turned SAHM homeschooling mom to four sons. She's passionate about empowering women with knowledge for fertility awareness, joyful encouragement and the dignity of motherhood.
How do you create a joyful marriage?
Can that joy include the bedroom (ahem, or wherever you might find yourselves)?
What mindset work do we need to do in order to give & receive love in marriage?
Joyful marriages don't just happen. Today, Bridget is talking with Alex DeRose all about why joyful marriages matter and what it looks like to practically live it out. This episode is about authentic joy, sacrifical love, and how leaning into virtue, grace, and seeing the best in your spouse can have serious impact on your marriage and your sex life. Bridget and Alex get into the challenges of intimacy and how what takes place outside of the bedroom directly impacts connection and having great sex with your spouse. You don't want to miss it! This is part 1 of a two-part series centering around joyful marriages & motherhood.
Shownotes:Joy Mama Blog: https://www.joymamablog.com/
The Best Marriage Advice: https://www.joymamablog.com/new-blog/2021/11/21/the-best-marriage-advice
Laugh & Date Night Challenge: https://www.joymamablog.com/new-blog/2021/1/17/laugh-amp-date-night-challenge
Husband Gratitude Challenge: https://www.joymamablog.com/new-blog/2021/1/17/husband-gratitude-challenge
Choosing Joy in Marriage: https://www.joymamablog.com/new-blog/2020/6/2/choosing-joy-in-marriage
Marriage Advice I Need to Take: https://www.joymamablog.com/new-blog/2018/10/15/best-marriage-advice
Interviewee bio:Alex DeRose is a Creighton & nurse practitioner recently turned SAHM who is passionate about empowering women with knowledge for fertility awareness, joyful encouragement and the dignity of motherhood. You can find her at joymamablog.com and @alexandriaderose on social media.
*Are you navigating infertility or have questions about how to know if you're infertile?
Are you struggling to know what to say to a friend who is navigating infertility?
Are you tired of being told birth control is the only option and you're worried it may impact your health long-term?*
Bridget sits down with Mary Bruno, founder of White Lotus Blooming, Creighton Practitioner, and co-founder & Executive Director of the non-profit, FAbM Base, to discuss a topic that often gets overlooked or met with awkward silence out of fear of saying something wrong: infertility. Mary shares her own story, including her late diagnosis of endometriosis and her even later diagnosis of adenomyosis. Mary's late diagnoses inspired her to improve fertility awareness and they discuss the approach of "one size fits all" in women's health care, the power of women charting their cycles to uncover medical conditions that require treatment & care, changes to women's health care around this diagnosis, what to say to a friend navigating infertility, and so much more!
Additional resources discussed:
- Fabmbase.org: https://fabmbase.org/resources/external-resources/#hfaq-post-711
- White Lotus Blooming: https://marygbruno.wordpress.com/
- “The Upside of Infertility” by Dr. Susan Caldwell: https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.drsusancaldwell.com/post/the-upside-of-infertility&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1644962408670374&usg=AOvVaw35TrozFcdzjNb9QPKfSh0m
- Facts About Fertility: https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/
Interviewee bio:
Mary grew up right outside of New Orleans and married a Southern Louisiana boy in 2013. After 12 years of severely painful periods, she was finally diagnosed with endometriosis, followed by an adenomyosis diagnosis 7 years later. Now infertile, she and her husband have a beautiful adopted daughter who is now 5 years old, and they are waiting to adopt again. Mary's late diagnoses inspired her to improve fertility awareness and women's health education and access through speaking, writing, and social media. She is a Creighton Practitioner, founder of Taking Back the Terms, and co-founder & Executive Director of the new non-profit organization, FAbM Base.
*Have you ever wondered how an instructor is trained?
Are you nervous about getting a psycho instructor who's secretly (or maybe, not-so-secretly) trying to make sure you have millions of babies?
Do you wonder what a reporting structure looks like if you need to address unethical issues with your instructor?*
Oh, this episode is for you! I'm excited to be joined by Lauren Vitale, co-founder of Whole Mission, an online NFP education service, registered nurse, and Marquette Method instructor. We talk about the ethics of FA/NFP instructors, how an FA/NFP instructor is supposed to work, what are red flags to look out for in an instructor, hat to do if you think your instructor is behaving inappropriately, and how to break-up with an instructor if it's not a good fit. Lauren shares so much practical insight and gives great tips about how you can have a GREAT instructor relationship and find freedom in charting by avoiding the crazies and knowing what to look for when you're trying to find an instructor that works for you.
Additional resources discussed:
- USCCB Standards for Instructors: https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/natural-family-planning/diocesan-ministry/standards-full-text
- Marquette Method Instructor Organization: https://marquettemethodprofessionals.com/
- Importance of Responsible Parenthood & Couples Ability to Discern: https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/natural-family-planning/catholic-teaching/upload/Responsible-Parenthood.pdf
- Resource for Couples with Medically Complex Situations: https://www.ncbcenter.org/
- Institute for Natural Family Planning Model: https://www.marquette.edu/nursing/natural-family-planning-model.php
Whole Mission: https://www.mmnfp.com/
Interviewee bio:
Lauren is a registered nurse and Marquette Method Natural Family Planning instructor. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Madonna University in 2009, practiced as a pediatric nurse until 2015, and has been teaching couples the highs, lows, and peaks of the Marquette Method since 2017. Lauren and her husband, Giovanni, co-founded Whole Mission, an online Natural Family Planning education service. Lauren continues to provide fertility education to couples and women around the world, all while she follows her true calling of raising five fantastically-unique children to (hopefully) become saints.
Ever wondered if fatherhood & motherhood matter?
Do you ever struggle with definitions of what a mother or father "should" be and get frustrated?
How about those specific definitions that put dads in a box of long work hours and moms in a box of exhausting, never-ending laundry and messes?
Today, Bridget is is talking with Tim Lucchesi, husband, father of three, and stay-at-home dad and founder of Love Worth Chasing. They get into a conversation about weak arguments, especially around fatherhood & motherhood, and how this can be detrimental to us living out our calling as individuals and in marriages. Tim breaks down what a specific versus universal definition is and argues that universal definitions offer a better framework and opportunity to live out our unique callings, too. This episode doesn't have all the answers, but it gets at the hard parts of this topic that often gets missed at those fun, large young adult gatherings (you know what we mean).
Additional resources discussed:
- Love Worth Chasing: www.loveworthchasing.com
Should a Wife Be Submissive to Her Husband?: https://loveworthchasing.com/2021/08/14/should-a-wife-be-submissive-to-her-husband/ * Identity of Motherhood and Fatherhood:
https://www.meandmyhouse.net/post/made-in-god-s-image-the-identity-of-a-stay-at-home-dad * The Supreme Vocation of Women (According to St. John Paul II):
https://www.sophiainstitute.com/products/item/the-supreme-vocation-of-women * Three to Get Married by Ven. Fulton J. Sheen:
https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/three-to-get-married-11222 * BONUS article - Awesome tips for a healthy sex life:
https://loveworthchasing.com/2021/05/05/ten-awesome-tips-for-a-healthy-sex-life/
Interviewee bio:
Tim is a husband, father of three, and an aspiring superhero. He loves cheesecake, although it doesn't always love him back. In 2017, after six year as a parish youth minister, Tim became a stay at home dad and developed the ministry Love Worth Chasing with his beautiful bride. Tim believes that most of the world's problems are caused by a failure to recognize the dignity of the self and the dignity of the other, and by not enough people wearing comfy pants. Follow Tim @loveworthchasing on Facebook and Instagram.
Have you ever wondered if you could get really specific about your hormones?
Do you know how to specifically identify ovulation?
Wondering if it's possible to capture your body's data from home?
Today's guest is Dr. Amy Beckley, founder & CEO of PROOV, the first FDA cleared test to confirm ovulation and ovulation quality at home. Bridget and Amy sit down to discuss Amy's personal story and struggle with infertility, her desire to learn more about her body and figure out what the heck was going on with her cycle, and how she founded PROOV. They get into the specifics of what PROOV is, how it works, who it's for, and how you can access your own kit to begin testing at home. Amy's story and the growth of this incredible business is one you don't want to miss! Women's healthcare is changing and this interview shows us just what it looks like to have boots on the ground and making changes.
Additional resources discussed:
- For 20% off your first purchase, use code MYF20 or click this affiliate link: https://proovtest.com/?wly=57893. Managing Your Fertility is proud to be an affiliate with this amazing company!
- USA Today interview: https://www.today.com/video/how-the-pandemic-is-impacting-family-planning-and-ivf-102026821986
Interviewee bio:
Amy Beckley holds a PhD in Pharmacology with a focus in hormone signaling. Her personal battle with infertility led her to invent Proov, the first FDA cleared test to confirm ovulation and ovulation quality at home.@infertile_scientist; @proovtest
*How do you love your spouse during times of abstinence?
What does chastity look like in marriage?
How can husbands stay supportive when practicing NFP?*
Bridget talks to her friend, John Capistrant, about the joys and struggles of using Natural Family Planning (NFP) in marriage and how to love your spouse when NFP feels hard and challenging. They talk about what it looks like for husbands to love their wives, especially when NFP is an integral part of marriage, and how to be a supportive spouse when NFP requires abstinence.
Additional resources discussed:
Is NFP Just "Catholic Birth Control"?: https://www.spokenbride.com/blog/2020/10/26/is-nfp-just-catholic-birth-control https://totalwhine.com/2020/09/26/why-i-dont-refer-to-fertility-awareness-as-contraception/
Catechism of the Catholic Church #2337
Holy Sex!: A Catholic Guide to Toe-Curling, Mind-Blowing, Infallible Loving: https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Sex-Toe-Curling-Mind-Blowing-Infallible/dp/0824524713
Good News About Sex & Marriage (Revised Edition): Answers to Your Honest Questions about Catholic Teaching: https://www.amazon.com/Good-News-About-Marriage-Revised/dp/0867166193
Interviewee bio:
John is a Catholic husband and father. He and his wife, Katelyn, celebrated their 5th wedding anniversary in July. John teaches middle school language arts and religion at Community of Saints Catholic School in West St. Paul, MN. John enjoys sports, doing escape rooms, watching classic films, making people laugh (especially his 1 year old son, Anthony), and playing strategic board games.
Do you want to have a healthier marriage?
Are you wondering how you can incorporate intimacy into your marriage?
Does sex feel more like a chore, but you want it to be more enjoyable?
In this episode, Bridget sits down with Dr. Sarah Bartel, a moral theologian and mom of five, she and her husband of twenty years created the Cana Feast virtual marriage ministry to help bring the benefits of marriage retreats to more couples. She is passionate about helping women understand their bodies, specifically body literacy around reproductive health, and helping couples create healthy, holy marriages. Bridget and Sarah discuss what it looks like to cultivate a healthy marriage, why NFP is so helpful to women and couples, and why sex isn't the "dessert" of marriage, but an integral point of connection and intimacy together.
Additional resources discussed:
- Familiaris Consortio: https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_19811122_familiaris-consortio.html
- Holy Sex: A Catholic Guide to Toe-Curling, Mind-blowing, Infallible Love: https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Sex-Toe-Curling-Mind-Blowing-Infallible/dp/0824524713
- Cana Feast Blog - Joy Filled Catholic Marriages: https://blog.canafeast.com/
- FREE Communication Virtual Retreat: https://www.canafeast.com/communicationtips
- Couple's Prayer Guide: https://www.canafeast.com/pray
Interviewee bio:
Sarah Bartel helps married Catholics grow closer to God and closer to their beloved at CanaFeast.com. A moral theologian and mom of five, she and her husband of twenty years created the Cana Feast virtual marriage ministry to help bring the benefits of marriage retreats to more couples. She co-edited A Catechism of Marriage and Family Life for CUA Press. She hikes, reads Jane Austen, and has adventures with her family in the Seattle area. You can find her on Instagram and Facebook @canafeast and @drsarahbartel.
What's it like to live out Fertility Awareness (FA) in everyday life?
How can Natural Family Planning (NFP) help your marriage?
What can we do to broaden the conversation around FA/NFP?
Bridget sits down with Cami Berthiaume, Digital Content Coordinator for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Fertility Awareness Advocate, to talk about what it's like to live out FA/NFP in everyday life. She shares more broadly about why FA/NFP is so valuable for women and how her own personal journey led her to become an advocate for holistic women's health. Cami also shares the realities of living out NFP in marriage and why couples need more support to thrive (not just survive) in this space.
Interviewee bio:
Cami works as Digital Content Coordinator for the Archdiocese of St. Paul's Office of Communications, which encompasses her role as Producer for Practicing Catholic - a radio show collaboration between the Archdiocese and Relevant Radio 1330AM. Her love for authentic evangelization also led to the creation of her side business, Cookies by CJ: a custom cookie business catering to celebrations of the Sacraments, and all events in between! Cami married her high school sweetheart, Ryan, in the summer of 2019 and her love for women's health stems from her own deep dive into the world of NFP during their engagement. When she's not baking cookies, you can find her visiting new breweries around the Twin Cities, hosting game nights in her tiny apartment, and volunteering with the youth ministry and Confirmation programs at her parish (not simultaneously). You can follow Cami on Instagram @cj.berthiaume and @cookiesbycj1.
When should women learn about their cycles?
How can we start these conversations sooner and make it age appropriate?
Can cycle awareness help overall body positivity and health literacy?
Bridget chats with Christina Valenzuela, Fertility & Cycle Educator and Founder of Pearl & Thistle, to discuss age appropriate ways to talk to young girls about body positivity, periods, and cycles and the program she's put together for parents & daughters to attend together: Cycle Prep. In this conversation, they explore age appropriate ways to address cycles and sex, barriers to changing the narrative, and ways we can make impact in women's health care by starting education at younger ages. This episode is particularly helpful for parents of young girls, but it's not limited to moms and dads. Women who are interested in learning about how they can make waves in this space will love this episode, too!
Additional resources discussed:
- Pearl & Thistle: https://www.pearlandthistle.com/
- Cycle Prep: https://www.pearlandthistle.com/cycle-prep.html
Interviewee bio:
Christina is first and foremost a wife, and mother of four children ages 11 to 2. She is also a fertility and cycle educator, trained in the Boston Cross Check method of Natural Family Planning since 2013. Through her business, Pearl and Thistle, she equips Catholic families and parishes with resources to learn, appreciate, and support one another in reading the language of the body. Christina holds an undergraduate degree in Philosophy and Theology from the University of Notre Dame, and a master's degree in theology from Harvard Divinity School. She is also a life-professed member of the Lay Fraternities of St. Dominic.
Are you wondering if it's possible to be at peace with your period?
Do you struggle with body positivity?
Is it possible that a mindset shift could positively change your relationship with your body?
Bridget sits down with Sarah Rooney, wife, mom, and entrepreneur with a passion for helping women and families, specifically around fertility and reproductive health. Sarah is a FertilityCare Practitioner with a particular passion for women's health, focusing specifically on mindset and self image. She believes that working on our mindset can greatly impact how we see our bodies, love our bodies, and, ultimately, see our periods as our greatest superpower. Sarah also has a Peaceful Period Challenge taking place in June 2021 that you don't want to miss! Link to sign-up below.
Additional resources discussed:
- Peaceful Period Challenge: https://www.familywellnessinspired.com/challenge
- The Woman School: https://bit.ly/WS-January
- Seeing Red: The One Book Every Woman Needs to Read. Period.: https://www.amazon.com/Seeing-Red-Every-Woman-Period/dp/1982131950
- The Fifth Vital Sign: Master Your Cycles & Optimize Your Fertility: https://www.amazon.com/Fifth-Vital-Sign-Optimize-Fertility/dp/1999428005/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=fifth+vital+sign&qid=1622572675&sr=8-2
- Mairead Suthoff: Cycle Syncing to Maximize Your Workouts: https://anchor.fm/managingyourfertility/episodes/Mairead-Suthoff-Cycle-Syncing-to-Maximize-Your-Workouts-e10l0vl
- Megan Faller: How to Align Your Cycle with Your Schedule: https://anchor.fm/managingyourfertility/episodes/Megan-Faller-How-to-Align-Your-Cycle-with-Your-Schedule-eva0eq
Interviewee bio:
Sarah Rooney is a wife, mother, and entrepreneur with a passion for helping women and families. With all of her own infertility and cycle issues, and her heart for authentic women's health, she has been helping hundreds of women and couples as a FertilityCare Practitioner and women’s health educator for over 10 years. Seeing how much our mindset and self image are key to our health and wholeness, Sarah has been also guiding women as a Woman School Strategist in their transformation to becoming who they are called to be, with the tools to live the best versions of themselves. You can find Sarah on Instagram @familywellnessinspired and on Clubhouse @sarahrooney.
Should you ramp up intimacy before marriage?
Is lube okay to use?
How do you combat purity culture when you've been raised with "sex is bad before marriage"... and now you're married and terrified?
Emily Frase is BACK! Bridget and Emily sit down to have an honest conversation about sex, commonly asked questions about the wedding night, and confusion about intimacy (thanks, purity culture). This episode is geared specifically towards engaged couples and addresses questions specific to those who are engaged and nervous about having sex, what it looks like to actually practice NFP in marriage, and how the heck to learn about sex when Dr. Google can be a freaky place to search.
Additional resources discussed:
- Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) #2237: https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/natural-family-planning/catholic-teaching/upload/Chastity.pdf
- Real Talk: Honeymoon Sex: https://totalwhine.com/2020/10/01/real-talk-honeymoon-sex/
- Holy Sex!: A Catholic Guide to Toe-Curling, Mind-Blowing, Infallible Loving: https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Sex-Toe-Curling-Mind-Blowing-Infallible/dp/0824524713
- Good News About Sex & Marriage (Revised Edition): Answers to Your Honest Questions about Catholic Teaching: https://www.amazon.com/Good-News-About-Marriage-Revised/dp/0867166193
- Theology of the Body in One Hour: https://www.amazon.com/Theology-Body-Hour-Jason-Evert/dp/1944578846/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=theology+of+the+body&qid=1621359537&s=books&sr=1-7
- Theology of the Body for Beginners: Rediscovering the Meaning of Life, Love, Sex, and Gender: https://www.amazon.com/Theology-Body-Beginners-Rediscovering-Meaning/dp/1635820073/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=theology+of+the+body&qid=1621359537&s=books&sr=1-4
Interviewee bio:
Emily Frase is a south Louisiana native living in northern Virginia with her husband and two toddlers. After receiving her bachelor's degree in architecture, she went on to work in the nonprofit world in DC for five years. She founded the blog totalwhine.com in 2018, where she shares her deep passion for living all aspects of the Catholic faith in a joyful and honest way, especially marriage, motherhood, NFP and fertility awareness. She is the co-founder and president of the nonprofit organization FAbM Base, a new fertility awareness database coming soon. She has been featured in FemCatholic, Theology of Home, Vigil Magazine, Letters to Women podcast, and The St. Philip Institute.
Is the movement towards clean beauty products a gimmick?
How do you start cleaning out your cabinet of personal care products?
Why does what we put on our bodies impact our fertility?
Bridget chats with Elizabeth Marcolini, Entrepreneur, NYT Best Selling Author, and Executive Director with Beautycounter, to talk about her personal journey to swapping out her products for cleaner alternatives and what motivated her to make the change. They share their own mishaps and struggles with switching to clean, apps they recommend for cleaning out your products, and practical tips for making changes that are budget-friendly. Elizabeth shares some of the reasons why she works with Beautycounter and what research ultimately made her decide to work with Beautycounter to make a difference in women's health care and personal care product journeys.
Additional resources discussed:
- Beautycounter: https://www.beautycounter.com/
- The Never List: https://www.beautycounter.com/the-never-list
- Environmental Working Group Skin Deep App: https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
- Think Dirty, Shop Clean App: https://thinkdirtyapp.com/
- Hermosa Study: https://cerch.berkeley.edu/research-programs/hermosa-study
- Toxic Chemicals Finding Their Way into the Womb (2010): http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/06/01/backpack.cord.blood/index.html
Interviewee bio:
Elizabeth Marcolini is an Entrepreneur, NYT Best Selling Author, and Executive Director with Beautycounter. Elizabeth holds a Masters in Theological Studies from the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Dallas. She was also a John Jay Fellow, an Alliance Defending Freedom Areté (A-RAY-te) Fellow, and has spent many weeks in Africa doing educational mission work, with a specific focus on faith formation. Her greatest joy is being a wife to her husband, Matt!
Is it possible to sync your cycle to your workouts?
Can you maximize your workouts while honoring your body?
Do you hate your period and think it gets in the way of your workouts?
Bridget sits down with Mairead Suthoff, Certified Athletic Trainer & Certified FEMM Instructor, to talk about the specifics of cycle syncing, if it's real, how it works, and how women can use this information to have better workouts and overall health. Mairead offers coaching sessions and trainings to help women understand their cycles and maximize their workouts through her business, Lumina Health Services. Her work is incredible and so needed in this space! If you're wanting to avoid "pushing through" a workout and actually enjoy your daily exercise/movement activities, this is the episode for you!
Additional resources discussed:
- Lumina Health Services: https://www.luminahealthservices.com/
- Dr. Stacy Sims: https://www.drstacysims.com/
- Ted Talk w/ Dr. Stacy Sims - Women Are Not Small Men: https://www.ted.com/talks/stacy_sims_women_are_not_small_men_a_paradigm_shift_in_the_science_of_nutrition
- How to Optimize Your Workouts to Your Menstrual Cycle: https://verilymag.com/2020/10/what-is-menstrual-cycle-syncing-workouts-tailored-20
- WomanCode: Perfect Your Cycle, Amplify Your Fertility, Supercharge Your Sex Drive, and Become a Power Source: https://www.amazon.com/WomanCode-Perfect-Amplify-Fertility-Supercharge/dp/006213079X
- ROAR: How to Match Your Food and Fitness to Your Unique Female Physiology for Optimum Performance, Great Health, and a Strong, Lean Body for Life: https://www.amazon.com/ROAR-Fitness-Physiology-Optimum-Performance/dp/1623366860
Interviewee bio:
Mairead Suthoff is a certified athletic trainer and a certified FEMM instructor. She thrives in inspiring women to chart their cycles. Her business, Lumina Health Services, teaches women how to chart for health, body literacy, cycle syncing, and family planning. Her background in sports medicine makes her particularly passionate about helping active women achieve cycle health and sync their workouts to the phases of their cycle.
What does authentic, holistic women's health care look like?
How can we embrace our bodies as women - including our reproductive system?
Can we change conversations around birth control and feminism?
In this episode, Bridget sits down with Alex DeRose to talk about her experiences as a NaProTechnology-trained nurse practitioner and how her views of women's health were deeply impacted by the women she served in her nursing career. They talk about her research in her Master's program, the need for increased knowledge for women about their reproductive health, and being honest about the side effects and impact of hormonal birth control on women's overall health. This episode packs a punch and isn't meant to carry all the answers, rather it's a conversation to get you thinking, researching, and learning how you can be empowered by your health and recognize the power of knowing yourself - your body - to make waves in women's health care.
Additional resources discussed:
- NaProTechnology: https://naprotechnology.com/
- Subverted: How I Helped the Sexual Revolution Hijack the Women’s Movement: https://www.amazon.com/Subverted-Helped-Sexual-Revolution-Movement/dp/1586177966
- On Not Using Contraception Postpartum: https://www.joymamablog.com/new-blog/2021/1/17/on-not-using-contraception-postpartum
- Knowledge is Power: How Learning about Fertility Empowered Me: https://www.joymamablog.com/new-blog/2020/7/21/knowledge-is-power-how-learning-about-fertility-empowered-me
- The Different Stakes of Male and Female Birth Control: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/11/the-different-stakes-of-male-and-female-birth-control/506120/
Interviewee bio:
Alex DeRose is a Family Nurse Practitioner & Fertility Care Practitioner turned stay-at-home homeschooling mom to four sons. She's passionate about empowering women with knowledge for fertility awareness, joyful encouragement and the dignity of motherhood. You can find her work on her blog, Joy Mama Blog (https://www.joymamablog.com/) and on Instagram @alexandriaderose.
Bridget sits down with Kelly Breaux, co-founder of Red Bird Ministries, to talk honestly about the struggles of pregnancy and child loss, resources needed, how the Catholic Church can better support women and couples, and what to say to a friend who's experienced loss. This interview is so beautiful and Kelly shares her own story of loss and how it impacted the ministry she and her husband founded to help women and couples navigate loss with tangible resources. They really focus on integrative, whole person support, so that individuals don't feel isolated or alone in the journey of healing.
Additional resources discussed:
- Red Bird Ministries: https://www.redbird.love/
- Hiding in the Upper Room: How the Catholic Sacraments Healed Me from Child Loss: https://www.amazon.com/Hiding-Upper-Room-Catholic-Sacraments/dp/1732443688
- Saints for Slackers Podcast: https://www.redbird.love/saintsforslackers
- Couples grieving the loss of a child now have support in this new ministry: https://aleteia.org/2020/06/06/couples-grieving-the-loss-of-a-child-now-have-support-in-this-new-ministry/
- 10 New ministries you should know about: https://aleteia.org/2020/12/28/10-new-ministries-you-should-know-about/
Interviewee bio:
Ryan and Kelly Breaux gave birth to a set of twins in 2005, a son Talon and a daughter Emma Grace. Talon died after 15 days with Emma Grace joining her brother in Heaven three years later.
Their lives were propelled onto a personal journey of both discovery and recovery after battling a decade of darkness in their marriage. By the grace of God, their marriage was saved. Through the Sacraments of the Catholic Church, the Breaux’s found healing and restoration.
Through personally experiencing the loss of a child and through their own suffering, the thirst of bringing those who suffer back to the light and to the Lord grew. Therefore, they looked to Mother Teresa (patroness of Red Bird Ministries) for passion and inspiration to serve those who are suffering, specifically through the loss of a child.
In the gift of restoration, they felt called to help others navigate the pain and unexpected challenges that come from the loss of a child, and through their first divine vocation of parenthood, Red Bird Ministries was born.
Red Bird Ministries was named by Altheia as the top 10 ministries to know in 2020!
Did you ever think you could align your cycle with your work schedule?
Have you ever wondered if you could maximize your productivity with your cycle instead of fighting it?
This episode is for you! Really, for every woman!
Bridget sits down with Megan Faller, Cycle & Productivity Strategist, helps women align their cycles with their schedules to maximize their daily routines to help grow businesses, goals, roles with ease. You can work with Megan 1:1 to align your cycle with your schedule or you can take group setting courses, too!
Additional resources discussed:
- The Aligned Cycle: https://thealignedcycle.com/
- Dr. Stacy Sims: https://www.drstacysims.com/
- Alisa Vitti: https://www.floliving.com/
- How to Optimize Your Workouts with Your Menstrual Cycle: https://verilymag.com/2020/10/what-is-menstrual-cycle-syncing-workouts-tailored-20
- Should Women Be Entitled to Period Leave? These Countries Think So: https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/20/business/period-leave-asia-intl-hnk-dst/index.html
Interviewee bio:
Megan Faller is a Menstrual Cycle & Productivity Strategist and Founder of The Aligned Cycle. As a Certified FertilityCare Practitioner she spent years helping women understand their bodies and chart their cycles so they could make important decisions about planning their families and scheduling medical procedures. Then she stumbled into using the power of her cycles and hormonal waves to schedule her work. Now she helps other women put their cycles to work for them, so they can make an impact and grow businesses with flow and ease.
What does it mean to have "holy sex" and what does that actually look like?
How can you create a thriving, healthy sex life with your spouse?
Does the Catholic Church hate sex and only celebrate babies?
In this episode, Bridget chats with Emily Frase all about sex, tackling the theological, historical, and, most importantly, the practical. Emily and Bridget delve into an honest conversation about what it means to have holy sex with your spouse, answering commonly asked questions and identifying the need throughout their conversation that honest, reverent conversations about sex are so important to create cultural change and impact on a micro and macro level.
Additional resources discussed:
- Theology of the Body: https://www.amazon.com/Theology-Body/s?k=Theology+of+the+Body
- Theology of the Body for Beginners: https://www.amazon.com/Theology-Body-Beginners-Rediscovering-Meaning/dp/1635820073/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=theology+of+the+body+for+beginners&qid=1617639003&s=books&sr=1-1
- Humanae Vitae: http://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae.html
- Holy Sex!: A Catholic Guide to Toe-Curling, Mind-Blowing, Infallible Loving: https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Sex-Toe-Curling-Mind-Blowing-Infallible/dp/0824524713/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=holy+sex&qid=1618266280&s=books&sr=1-1
- Good News about Marriage & Sex: https://www.amazon.com/Good-News-About-Marriage-Revised/dp/0867166193
You can follow Emily over on her personal Instagram account at @totalwhine_ and her business account, @fabmbase.
Interviewee bio:
Emily Frase is a south Louisiana native living in northern Virginia with her husband and two cherubs. After receiving her bachelor's degree in architecture, she went on to work in the nonprofit world in D.C. for five years. To her delight, her background in creative problem solving and working with politicians prepared her perfectly for her current full-time job managing toddler tantrums. She founded the Total W(h)ine Blog (https://totalwhine.com/) in 2018, where she shares her passion for living all aspects of the Catholic Faith in a joyful and honest way, especially marriage, motherhood, NFP, and fertility awareness. She is the co-founder and president of the nonprofit organization FAbM Base (https://totalwhine.com/2020/11/12/fabm-base-fundraiser/), a new fertility awareness database coming soon.
What is the feminine genius?
How does fertility awareness tie into the feminine genius?
Why should women lean into their feminine genius?
In this episode, Bridget chats with Emily Harpole about the feminine genius and how it relates to fertility awareness. Bridget & Emily delve into living lives of wholeness and integration to better understand who we are as women in order to help us embrace our bodies and cycles.
Additional resources discussed:
- Letter to Women: http://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/letters/1995/documents/hf_jp-ii_let_29061995_women.html
- Mulieris Dignitatem: http://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_letters/1988/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_19880815_mulieris-dignitatem.html
- Theology of the Body: https://www.amazon.com/Man-Woman-He-Created-Them/dp/0819874213/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Theology+of+the+Body&qid=1617648842&sr=8-1
- Theology of the Body for Beginners: https://www.amazon.com/Theology-Body-Beginners-Rediscovering-Meaning/dp/1635820073/ref=sr_1_2?crid=29Y6FX0FYA4LF&dchild=1&keywords=theology+of+the+body&qid=1617648873&s=books&sprefix=theo%2Cstripbooks%2C222&sr=1-2
- The Culture Project International: https://thecultureproject.org/
- Seeking Excellence Podcast: https://www.thosewhoseek.org/
You can follow Emily over on her Instagram account, @emily.marie.glorify.
Interviewee bio:
Emily Harpole is from Denver, Colorado and is a 2019 graduate of Benedictine College where she studied Theology, Evangelization/Catechesis and Political Science.
She spent her first year post-grad as a missionary with The Culture Project where she spoke to middle and high school students about the dignity of human life and the richness that comes from living a life of sexual integrity. She loves ministry, especially in the realm of Theology of the Body and fostering healthy relationships, with a special place in her heart for encouraging young women.
Emily uses her Instagram account @emily.marie.glorify to reach out to other young people and currently works as the scheduling coordinator for Sarah Swafford and Emotional Virtue Ministries.