Today, I'm speaking with Megan McDermott, a nursing student from Nebraska, on how she healed from an eating disorder in college with the help of God. This episode is perfect for anyone who's struggling with any sort of negative body image, whether it's annoying thoughts, full-blown bulimia, or anywhere in between. Megan's story is vulnerable, beautiful, and God-honoring. For more info or to sign up for the Authentic Beauty Challenge, head over to www.thecatholicfeministpodcast.com/shownotes/megan.

Helping the poor? It isn’t easy. Understanding homelessness and systematic racism? It’s a lot to unpack. But today, we have Yvonne Chamberlain on the podcast talking about the dignity of the poor and homeless. A former coordinator at a homeless shelter, Yvonne shared some beautiful insights about how to treat the poor, aka God’s most beloved. If you’re like me, and struggling to understand how you can help alleviate poverty in a meaningful, evangelization-minded way, this episode is perfect for you. For more info, check out thecatholicfeministpodcast.com/shownotes/yvonne. 

"Isn't Natural Family Planning just Catholic birth control?" "Can you really care about women's health if you don't support Planned Parenthood?" "Do women really need to understand their fertility?" "What's so bad about IVF?" We answer all these and more this week as I chat with Leah Jacobson, the founder of the Guiding Star Project. Leah has her Master's Degree in women's health and wellness, and she's here to chat with us about women's healthcare and natural family planning. For more information on this week's episode, head to thecatholicfeministpodcast.com/shownotes/leah. 

This week, I'm chatting with Audrey Assad, an award-winning Christian singer. Audrey and I chat about Syrian refugees, her conversion to Catholicism, her struggles with recording her latest album, and her own musical influences. For more info and to unlock an exclusive mini episode, head on over to www.thecatholicfeministpodcast.com/shownotes/audrey. 

Today we're chatting with Jiza Zito, the co-founder of Catholic wedding resource SpokenBride.com. Whether you're single, married, or planning your big day, it's important to understand the vocation of married life and how that fits in to your wedding day. We talk about how Jiza's time at the Theology of the Body Institute taught her the importance of loving yourself before entering married life, how to use your wedding as an evangelization tool, and why she started a wedding blog just for Catholics. For more info, head to www.thecatholicfeministpodcast.com/shownotes/jiza. 

Can women lead men at work? It seems obvious, but there are plenty of people who don't understand that although Eve was created to be a "helpmate", she can also be a leader. Today, I'm chatting with Jane Voelker who works on the regional level at FOCUS. Jane supervises over 20 people and has amazing leadership skills, so it was great to speak with her about how Catholic women can lead in the workplace, what resources they should utilize, and how that one verse in Timothy we all love to hate actually aligns with this idea just fine. For more details, check out www.thecatholicfeministpodcast.com/shownotes/jane. 

Megan Gilbert from Catholic Relief Services joins us to talk about why the refugee crisis exists, what it's like to be a refugee, and how Catholics in the US can help. She also breaks down why caring for refugees is a key component of the Christian faith. If the political climate has got you feelin' down, you don't want to miss this episode! Check out thecatholicfeministpodcast.com/shownotes/megan for more info.

Tori Vissat from FOCUS Missions joins us to talk about avoiding voluntourism when serving abroad. She also discusses the importance of international missions, how to approach them in a prayerful + respectful manner, and different groups that offer international mission trips. For more information on this episode, head over to TheCatholicFeministPodcast.com/shownotes/tori. 

Jenny Uebbing, the blogger behind Mama Needs Coffee, joins us to talk about why she decided to stop posting about politics on social media. She recently wrote: "I’ve been assiduously avoiding engaging in any overtly political discourse with strangers or friends via social media. It is not helpful. It does not bring me joy. It does not cultivate depth or growth between myself and those digital friends with whom I am in true relationship. I am watching the news with one eye, checking headlines every day or so, but not consuming piece after piece dictating to me what I should think about what is going on in the world and in our country right now." Jenny gives some valuable insight on how Catholics should engage in political discourse both online and off in a loving, charitable way. Check out thecatholicfeministpodcast.com/shownotes/mamaneedscoffee for more info.

Although mental illness affects millions of people around the world, some Christians continue to insist on "praying it away" or just "offering it up". In this episode, CEO + Founder of Crafting the Woods, Jenny Parulski, describes her journey with PTSD and how she handled it in a God honoring way by seeking therapy. We also discuss the ups and downs of starting a business and resources for any Catholic feeling the call to entrepreneurship. To get 10% off of one of Jenny's signs, head to CraftingTheWoods.com and enter the word "podcast" at checkout! For more notes about this episode, head to TheCatholicFeministPodcast.com/shownotes/jenny.