Reclaiming Catholic Intimacy

In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway unpacks how disappointment can sabotage your sex life. She explores why unmet expectations, like not receiving the Christmas gift you hoped for, often lead to resentment and sexual withdrawal. Ellen offers practical mindset shifts and clear communication strategies to help you avoid turning sex into a transactional exchange. This episode equips you to protect intimacy in your marriage and show up fully, even when things don't go as planned. 

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Ready to increase your desire and experience pleasure? Join the next round of Want it and Enjoy it

Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommended books!

Reach out at instagram.com/ellenholloway_/ or email us at [email protected]

Please rate and review Charting Toward Intimacy on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway and Kathleen Chovanes explore the common belief that NFP is the problem in Catholic marriages. They share personal experiences and discuss how the true issue is often a lack of non-sexual intimacy. The conversation offers practical tools for cultivating emotional closeness and connection outside the bedroom, helping couples reconnect and feel united, even during seasons of abstinence. 

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Ready to increase your desire and experience pleasure? Join the next round of Want it and Enjoy it

Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommended books!

Reach out at instagram.com/ellenholloway_/ or email us at [email protected]

Please take a moment to rate and review Charting Toward Intimacy! It helps other women find the podcast and transform their marriages. 

In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway explores the Feast of the Immaculate Conception through a powerful and rarely considered lens: the sanctity of the sexual union that conceived Mary. She reflects on how Anne and Joachim’s openness to grace reveals God's profound affirmation of the dignity of sex within marriage.

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Ready to increase your desire and experience pleasure? Join the next round of Want it and Enjoy it

Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommended books!

Reach out at instagram.com/ellenholloway_/ or email us at [email protected]

Please rate and review Charting Toward Intimacy! It helps other women find the podcast and benefit from it!

In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway dives into the damaging expectation that your husband should be able to read your mind (especially when it comes to emotional and sexual needs). She explores why this belief undermines true intimacy and reframes what genuine, loving actions look like in marriage. Ellen breaks down the importance of asking clearly for what you want, and how your husband's choice to respond, even reluctantly, can still be deeply loving. 

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Ready to increase your desire and experience pleasure? Join the next round of Want it and Enjoy it

Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommended books!

Reach out at instagram.com/ellenholloway_/ or email us at [email protected]

The course or guide mentioned in this episode is no longer sold, but the help you’re looking for is still available. If you want support improving your sex life while staying faithful to Catholic teaching, I invite you to explore Want It and Enjoy It, my current program for Catholic wives. 

In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway and Kathleen Chovanes explore the difference between eroticism and holy sex, drawing insights from Dr. Gregory Popcak's book Holy Sex. They discuss how purity culture, shame, and cultural misconceptions distort our understanding of sexual pleasure and God's design. This conversation unpacks what it means to embrace your full self in the bedroom, how arousal and intimacy work together, and why holy sex actually grows more joyful over time. 

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Ready to increase your desire and experience pleasure? Join the next round of Want it and Enjoy it

Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommended books!

Reach out at instagram.com/ellenholloway_/ or email us at [email protected]

The course or guide mentioned in this episode is no longer sold, but the help you’re looking for is still available. If you want support improving your sex life while staying faithful to Catholic teaching, I invite you to explore Want It and Enjoy It, my current program for Catholic wives.

In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway dives into the struggle of making time for sex in the midst of a packed, modern-day schedule. She challenges the cultural norm of constant busyness and offers a clear, practical strategy for prioritizing intimacy. Ellen explains why spontaneity might be sabotaging your sex life and how intentional prioritizing can reignite desire and connection in marriage. 

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Ready to increase your desire and experience pleasure? Join the next round of Want it and Enjoy it

Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommended books!

Reach out at instagram.com/ellenholloway_/ or email us at [email protected]

The course or guide mentioned in this episode is no longer sold, but the help you’re looking for is still available. If you want support improving your sex life while staying faithful to Catholic teaching, I invite you to explore Want It and Enjoy It, my current program for Catholic wives.

So many Catholic women secretly struggle with body image, but few realize how deeply it’s sabotaging their desire for intimacy. In this episode, Ellen and Kathleen unpack how negative thoughts about your body directly impact your sex life, why losing weight doesn’t automatically fix body image issues, and how to begin healing your mindset so you can show up more confidently and joyfully in the bedroom. They talk about the spiritual side of body image, how the devil uses self-hatred to divide marriages, and practical ways to rebuild trust—in God, your husband, and yourself. 

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Ready to increase your desire and experience pleasure? Join the next round of Want it and Enjoy it

Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommended books!

Reach out at instagram.com/ellenholloway_/ or email us at [email protected]

 When sex is completely off the table and there’s no end in sight, it can leave you feeling isolated, frustrated, and unsure of what God is doing in your marriage. In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway helps you understand how long term abstinence, whether from a high risk pregnancy, illness, or painful sex, can become an unexpected path to deeper connection. Learn how to find peace in God’s plan, grow closer to your husband without physical intimacy, and hold onto hope even in the midst of suffering. 

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Ready to increase your desire and experience pleasure? Join the next round of Want it and Enjoy it

Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommended books!

Reach out at instagram.com/ellenholloway_/ or email us at [email protected]

The course or guide mentioned in this episode is no longer sold, but the help you’re looking for is still available. If you want support improving your sex life while staying faithful to Catholic teaching, I invite you to explore Want It and Enjoy It, my current program for Catholic wives.

You’re married now, so why do you still feel guilty wearing that flattering dress? In this episode, Ellen and Kathleen talk about what modesty really looks like after marriage, how purity culture messages can linger, and why your wardrobe might be quietly affecting your confidence and intimacy. We’re diving into how to find the virtuous middle ground, dress the body you have right now, and embrace your beauty as part of God’s design for love and marriage. 

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Ready to increase your desire and experience pleasure? Join the next round of Want it and Enjoy it

Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommended books!

Reach out at instagram.com/ellenholloway_/ or email us at [email protected]

The course or guide mentioned in this episode is no longer sold, but the help you’re looking for is still available. If you want support improving your sex life while staying faithful to Catholic teaching, I invite you to explore Want It and Enjoy It, my current program for Catholic wives.

In this episode, Ellen Holloway talks about why so many Catholic women struggle with sexual desire and what to do about it. She explains the difference between spontaneous and responsive desire and how understanding this can transform your experience of intimacy in marriage. You’ll learn practical ways to cultivate openness to arousal, strengthen emotional and spiritual intimacy, and align your approach to sex with Catholic teaching. This conversation helps Catholic wives embrace sexuality as a source of joy, unity, and holiness within marriage. 

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Ready to increase your desire and experience pleasure? Join the next round of Want it and Enjoy it

Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommended books!

Reach out at instagram.com/ellenholloway_/ or email us at [email protected]