Why are highly educated, ambitious women choosing large families in an age of falling birthrates, frozen eggs, and fertility tech? In this episode, Dr. Catherine Pakaluk joins Brave New Us to unpack her groundbreaking book Hannah’s Children: The Women Who Defied the Birth Dearth.

We explore:

What drives women to embrace motherhood as a vocation—not a fallback

How the fertility crisis and biotech age shape our cultural assumptions about children, work, and worth

Why choosing family is the most radical—and future-focused—choice a woman can make today

About the guest:
Dr. Catherine Pakaluk is a professor of social research and economic thought at the Catholic University of America and a mother of eight.

Mentioned in the Episode

Get Hannah’s Children

A Catholic Guide to Infertility with John DiCamillo

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Grab a copy of Samantha’s book Reclaiming Motherhood—a theology of the body for motherhood in the age of reproductive technologies.

Stacy Trasancos, author of IVF Is Not the Way, joins Samantha to unpack the hidden costs and ethical challenges of IVF and fertility technology. Drawing on her science background and faith, Stacy reveals why IVF often falls short—and why natural fertility awareness and restorative reproductive medicine offer hope that’s overlooked by mainstream medicine.

We explore how the fertility industry profits from desperation, the ethical dilemmas of embryo freezing and manipulation, and how couples can reclaim control of their fertility through informed, compassionate alternatives.

Links mentioned in the episode:

IVF Is Not the Way by Stacy Trasancos

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Grab a copy of Samantha’s book Reclaiming Motherhood, a theology of the body for motherhood in an age of reproductive technologies.

In this episode of Brave New Us, Dr. Nathanael Blake joins host Samantha Stephenson to discuss his bold new book, Victims of the Revolution: How Sexual Liberation Hurts Us All. Together, they unpack how a movement that promised personal freedom has led to cultural confusion, emotional harm, and deep philosophical contradictions.

We explore:

What sets Victims of the Revolution apart from other critiques of the Sexual Revolution

Why the revolution’s “freedom” often means detaching the self from the body

The real-life consequences for the most vulnerable—especially women and children

What a more truthful and embodied view of human nature might look like

Dr. Blake reveals the philosophical roots and political consequences of sexual liberation—and why reclaiming a sane, integrated view of the human person is key to healing what’s broken.

Mentioned in the Episode

Victims of the Revolution: How Sexual Liberation Hurts Us All
Nathanael Blake at the EPPC: https://eppc.org/author/nathanael_blake/

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Grab a copy of Samantha’s book Reclaiming Motherhood, a theology of the body for motherhood in an age of reproductive technologies.

When does medicine cross the line from healing to harm?

In this episode of Brave New Us, bioethicist and nurse researcher Kallie Fell, Executive Director of the Center for Bioethics and Culture (CBC), joins Samantha Stephenson to expose critical ethical questions around reproductive technologies, gender medicine, and medical consent.

We dig into:

The hidden risks and ethical concerns of IVF, egg donation, and commercial surrogacy

How “informed consent” often fails in fertility treatments and gender-affirming care

The rapid rise of pediatric gender clinics and controversies surrounding transgender medical interventions for minors

What the CBC is uncovering about the commodification of human bodies in reproductive and gender medicine

How profit motives influence both the fertility industry and gender-affirming healthcare

Why women and vulnerable populations often bear the brunt of unregulated medical innovation

This episode offers a clear-eyed look at the intersection of bioethics, reproductive technology, gender medicine, and medical ethics, asking what it truly means to protect human dignity in an age of rapid biomedical change.

Mentioned in the Episode

Center for Bioethics and Culture

CBC Documentaries

Paul Ramsey Institute

The Detransition Diaries book

Kallie on X

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Grab a copy of Samantha’s book Reclaiming Motherhood—a theology of the body for motherhood in the age of reproductive technologies.

Grayson Quay joins Samantha Stephenson to expose the seductive logic of transhumanism—and the moral and spiritual cost of buying in. From AI and brain chips to synthetic immortality and gene editing, the push to “upgrade” the human experience promises power but may unravel what makes us human.

This conversation cuts through the hype to reveal what’s really at stake. Is transhumanism a scientific breakthrough or a new form of worship? What happens when we lose our reverence for the body and our humility before its limits?

Topics we cover:
– Why transhumanism is less science, more spiritual counterfeit
– The link between tech worship and ancient heresies
– What the push to overcome nature reveals about modern despair
– Whether enhancement is actually a form of self-erasure

Mentioned in this episode:

The Transhumanist Temptation

Grayson Quay on X

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If this conversation opened your eyes to what stem cell therapy can do, please:

Rate and review Brave New Us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

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Keep the conversation going at bravenewus.substack.com!

Grab a copy of Samantha’s book Reclaiming Motherhood, a theology of the body for motherhood in an age of reproductive technologies.

Is IVF the only answer for infertility—or is there a better way? In this episode, Samantha Stephenson welcomes back Grace Emily Stark, editor of Natural Womanhood and a leading voice in restorative reproductive medicine (RRM). Together, they unpack what RRM really is, how it differs from conventional gynecology and fertility treatments like IVF, and why so few women have ever heard of it.

We explore:

The science behind cycle charting and hormone diagnostics

Why the birth control pill often masks—not solves—reproductive issues

How RRM treats the root causes of infertility (like PCOS, endometriosis, and fibroids)

The cultural and political barriers to this life-giving approach

How anti-Catholic bias and insurance policy keep women from real options

Why restoration of fertility should be the gold standard—not bypassing it

If you're fed up with “lazy medicine,” frustrated by the one-size-fits-all approach of the pill, or wondering if IVF is really your only path forward, this conversation is a must-listen.

Mentioned in the Episode

Natural Womanhood

International Institute for Restorative Reproductive Medicine

nfpandmore.com

femmhealth.org

neofertility.com

Article: Should you take ozempic for PCOS?

Period Genius Program

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Grab a copy of Samantha’s book Reclaiming Motherhood, a theology of the body for motherhood in an age of reproductive technologies.

Is it possible to reverse autoimmune disease—permanently? In this episode of Brave New Us, Dr. Richard Burt, pioneering stem cell physician and author of Everyday Miracles, joins host Samantha Stephenson to unpack his revolutionary treatment for autoimmune disorders. Hailed by Scientific American as one of the top 10 medical advances of the decade, Dr. Burt’s non-myeloablative stem cell therapy has changed—and saved—lives.

Dr. Burt opens up about his early skepticism, the medical establishment's resistance, and the patients who inspired him to push forward. Together, we explore the promise and pitfalls of regenerative medicine and what it takes to bring groundbreaking science to the clinic without losing our humanity.

If you’ve ever wondered:

Can stem cells actually reverse disease, not just slow progression?

What does "immune system reset" mean—and is it safe?

Why is the medical establishment slow to adopt new therapies?

What ethical questions come with cutting-edge biotechnology?
This episode will challenge what you thought was possible.

Topics Covered:

How Dr. Burt’s stem cell therapy reversed multiple sclerosis, scleroderma, Crohn’s, and more

The difference between myeloablative and non-myeloablative stem cell treatments

Why Big Pharma and some doctors resisted the treatment—even after success

What “immune system reboot” really means and how it works

The role of patient advocacy and storytelling in transforming medicine

Why humility, ethics, and hope must guide the future of biotech

How Everyday Miracles bridges hard science with human dignity

Mentioned in the Episode

Dr. Burt’s books:

Everyday Miracles: Curing Multiple Sclerosis, Scleroderma, and Autoimmune Diseases

Kill Switch: The History of How Viruses Shaped Humanity and Led to COVID-19

Genani Biotech

How can I get HSCT for myself or my loved one?

https://astemcelljourney.com/about/drrichardburt/

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What happens when creating a child becomes a consumer choice? In this provocative episode of Brave New Us, research associate at the Heritage Foundation Emma Waters joins host Samantha Stephenson to break down the rising trend of embryo screening, designer genetics, and artificial wombs. From Elon Musk's child-maxxing to CRISPR enhancements and Build-a-Baby startups like Nucleus Genomics and Orchid, we explore how reproductive technologies are reshaping what it means to become a parent—and what’s at stake for the children created through these tools.

If you've ever asked yourself:
• Is embryo selection a form of modern eugenics?
• Can we separate desire from design in the future of family building?
• Are children becoming products instead of persons?
• What's the difference between healing and enhancement in genetic medicine?

Topics Covered:

Why "have healthy babies" is a deceptive marketing slogan

The ethics of picking embryos based on IQ, personality, or sex

The rise of child-maxxing among elites like Elon Musk

Why "designer babies" deepen inequality and threaten parent-child love

What three-parent embryos and artificial gametes mean for the future of family

The philosophy behind eugenics—and why it's rebranded, not gone

When CRISPR gene editing might cross the line from healing to hubris

Why strong families—not just birthrates—should be the goal of pronatalism

Mentioned in the Episode

Emma Waters’ work on pronatalism and reproductive ethics

Connect with Emma on X (Twitter)

New Atlantis article: Stop Hacking Humans

Public Discourse article: The Pronatalism and Silicon Valley

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If this conversation made you think differently about the future of family, science, and ethics, please:

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In this episode, I open up about my personal journey from hormonal contraceptives to finding my faith within the Catholic Church. My relentless pursuit of truth led me to a profound understanding of Catholic doctrine, culminating in my conversion and a renewed commitment to my beliefs. Join me as I share how contraceptives became my ‘gateway drug’ to my home in Christ's one true Church.

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In this episode of Brave New Us, we delve into the dual expectations society places on men and the concept of masculinity. We discuss the innate understanding of what it means to be a ‘good man’—characterized by duty, honor, integrity, and sacrifice—and contrast it with the societal pressure to ‘man up’ and embody toughness, competitiveness, and stoicism.

Joining us is Professor Pearcey, author of “The Toxic War on Masculinity, How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes,” who shares her personal journey and the inspiration behind her controversial book. She challenges the negative portrayal of masculinity in modern culture and offers a fresh perspective on how Christianity provides a balanced view of gender roles.

We explore the harmful effects of the so-called ‘toxic masculinity’ narrative and discuss how we can better support men in embracing their true roles as protectors, providers, and responsible individuals without succumbing to toxic traits.

Tune in to Brave New Us for an insightful conversation that seeks to understand and redefine what it means to be a man in today’s world.

Connect with Professor Pearcey: https://www.nancypearcey.com/

Buy the Book: https://amzn.to/44OP0LY

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