In this episode of The NFP Podcast, hosts Emily and Amy begin reading through the 1995 encyclical The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality: Guidelines for Education within the Family. Diving into Part I, they share their first impressions, reactions, and reflections on the Church’s wisdom for parents and families. Together, they discuss how these teachings can be lived out in everyday family life—whether through parenting, forming children in the truth of love, or teaching the beauty of human sexuality in a culture that often distorts it.

Join Emily and Amy for an honest, encouraging, and faith-filled conversation as they connect timeless guidance to today’s challenges of raising children and passing on a vision of authentic love.

Resources:

1. Encyclical- https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/family/documents/rc_pc_family_doc_08121995_human-sexuality_en.html

2. Forgiveness Prayer- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lj1FfPTuAK-WdpapmyuSw9AUYY-SxsVq/view?usp=drive_link

In this episode, Emily and Amy discuss the passing of Amy's older sister and her encounter with the Lord through the grieving process, finding peace in the sadness.

Resources:

Divine Mercy Chaplet- https://www.thedivinemercy.org/message/devotions/pray-the-chaplet

This week on The NFP Podcast, Amy and Emily crack open a brand-new series as they begin reading The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality: Guidelines for Education within the Family, a 1995 Church document that offers wisdom for parents and families. In this episode, they read through the introduction and share their first impressions—what stands out, what challenges them, and why it still matters today. Pull up a chair and join the conversation as they explore how this teaching can speak into our lives, marriages, and families right now.

Resources:

The encyclical: https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/family/documents/rc_pc_family_doc_08121995_human-sexuality_en.html.

Pearl & Thistle Programs:

1. The Catholic Mom's Guide to First Period Prep: https://pearlandthistle.podia.com/the-catholic-mom-s-guide-to-first-period-prep/zjhqb

2. Mother-Daughter Prep Package: https://pearlandthistle.podia.com/mother-daughter-prep-package/zjhqb

3. Family Education Package: https://pearlandthistle.podia.com/3e29b565-4564-4370-810d-11cf27b10e84/zjhqb

In this episode of The NFP Podcast, hosts Amy and Emily welcome Dr. Julia Sadusky—licensed clinical psychologist, author, consultant, speaker, and adjunct professor. Dr. Sadusky brings her extensive research and clinical expertise in sexual and gender development, along with her passion for trauma-informed care, to the conversation. With degrees from Ave Maria University and Regent University, she has dedicated her career to helping families navigate complex topics with clarity and compassion. She joins Amy and Emily to discuss her most recent two-book series: Start Talking to Your Kids about Sex: A Practical Guide for Catholics (2023) and Talking with Your Teen about Sex: A Practical Guide for Catholics (2024). Tune in for a thoughtful and faith-filled discussion on how to foster open, age-appropriate, and values-driven conversations about human sexuality in the home.

Resources:

1. Julia's Practice: https://www.juliasadusky.com/

2. Julia's Books: https://www.juliasadusky.com/books

In this inspiring episode of The NFP Podcast, hosts Amy and Emily sit down with Shannon Leach—wife, mother, nurse practitioner, and former IVF patient—who shares her deeply personal journey from pursuing in vitro fertilization to embracing fertility awareness. Shannon opens up about the challenges, lessons, and hope that shaped her path, and why she is now passionately dedicated to educating women and couples about fertility awareness charting. With a heart for empowering others, Shannon is moving full steam ahead to bring this life-changing knowledge to as many people as possible.

Resources:

1. FACTS- https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/what-is-charting/

2. Shannon's Everett Practice- https://www.cascadewh.com

3. Shannon's Seattle Practice- https://www.3wmedical.org/

4. FEMM Health- https://femmhealth.org/

5. Shannon's FACTS Blog- https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/my-journey-through-infertility-to-restorative-reproductive-medicine/

In this inspiring episode of The NFP Podcast, hosts Amy and Emily sit down with Haley Yeager — a patient, Natural Family Planning teacher, and fellow podcaster — to hear her powerful story of hope and healing. Haley opens up about her journey from struggling with PCOS and irregular cycles to experiencing restored reproductive health, regular ovulation, and, ultimately, the joy of achieving pregnancy. Along the way, she shares the science, faith, and perseverance that made her transformation possible, as well as practical insights for women walking a similar path. Whether you’re navigating your own fertility challenges or simply seeking encouragement, Haley’s testimony will uplift and remind you of the body’s God-given capacity for restoration.

Resources:

1. Connect with Haley: https://truthandfertility.com/

2. Truth & Fertility Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1cR3m3Uiss19pDaFiUOiee?si=70bb083de0cd44e0

3. BOOK This is Your Brain on Birth Control by Sarah E Hill PhD https://www.amazon.com/This-Your-Brain-Birth-Control/dp/0525536035

4. BOOK NaProTechnology Revolution https://www.amazon.com/NaPro-Technology-Revolution-Unleashing-Womans-ebook/dp/B08N39QLDY/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.1STUUMtU2hWNXzIUfQb6iS3IdhluiEKlp2oauWWICYE.rj9ha_QrdljjCc6WMCgrnJ6UGLD6ozq3txcjI7lsu60&qid=1753663992&sr=8-1

5. FACTS Blog: https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/fabms-in-pcos-management-a-patients-perspective/

In this episode of The NFP Podcast, hosts Emily and Amy sit down with Dr. Tracey Parnell and Dr. Monica Minjeur to explore the mission and impact of the International Institute for Restorative Reproductive Medicine (IIRRM). Together, they unpack what restorative reproductive medicine (RRM) is, how it differs from conventional approaches to women’s health, and why more women are seeking out this integrative and evidence-based model of care.

Dr. Parnell and Dr. Minjeur share their personal journeys into RRM and how their work through the IIRRM supports both medical professionals and patients in identifying and addressing the root causes of reproductive health concerns—rather than simply masking symptoms. They discuss the importance of cycle tracking, individualized care, and collaborative, multi-disciplinary methods for managing conditions like PCOS, endometriosis, infertility, and more.

Whether you're a woman looking for answers about your health, a medical provider interested in alternative approaches, or simply curious about what “restorative” medicine really means, this episode offers a hopeful and empowering look into a growing field that respects the complexity and dignity of the female body.

Learn more about IIRRM and how to find or become a provider at www.iirrm.org.

This week on The NFP Podcast, hosts Amy and Emily sit down with Jacob and Mikayla, a young Catholic couple and parents to four beautiful little ones. In a culture saturated with hookup culture and distorted messages about sex, Jacob and Mikayla share their powerful love story—how they met, dated, and entered into marriage while choosing to honor each other and their faith by abstaining from sexual intimacy until their wedding day.

With honesty, humor, and grace, they talk about the challenges they faced, the intentional boundaries they set, and the joy that came from putting God at the center of their relationship. This conversation is a hopeful witness to the beauty of chastity, the strength of authentic love, and the freedom found in trusting God’s design for relationships. Whether you're single, dating, or married, this episode will inspire you to seek love that is faithful, sacrificial, and deeply rooted in truth.

Tune in for a heartfelt conversation on countercultural love, marriage, and the grace to live with integrity and joy.

References:

Jason Everet: https://chastity.com/speakers/

Creighton Model FertilityCare System: https://www.fertilitycare.org/creighton-model-system/

n this episode of The NFP Podcast, hosts Amy and Emily sit down with Christina Valenzuela, the owner and creative director of Pearl & Thistle, LLC. Christina brings a powerful combination of theological depth and scientific insight to the conversation as she shares her passion for body literacy rooted in faith.

A certified Boston Cross Check™ instructor since 2013, Christina has spent over a decade equipping Catholics of all ages with the tools to understand their bodies through the lens of both faith and reason. Her new book, The Language of Your Body: Embracing God's Design for Your Cycle, published by Our Sunday Visitor, invites readers to deepen their understanding of the female cycle as something good, meaningful, and divinely designed.

Together, Amy, Emily, and Christina explore what comprehensive NFP education can look like for the whole Church—children, teens, young adults, engaged couples, married couples, and even those in religious life. They also reflect on their personal journeys as educators and women of faith navigating the call to live and teach the Church’s vision of fertility with truth, beauty, and love.

Whether you're a parent, a catechist, a curious Catholic, or someone simply wanting to better understand your body and God’s plan for it, this episode will inspire and encourage you.

Resources:

Website: pearlandthistle.com

Instagram: instagram.com/pearlandthistle/

Book Information: pearlandthistle.com/language-of-your-body/

Monthly general newsletter: https://pearlandthistle.kit.com/6bc9755a22

Weekly "Body Lit Library" newsletter: https://pearlandthistle.kit.com/f58b4e8db0

Book links:

https://pearlandthistle.com/language-of-your-body/

https://pearlandthistle.com/cycle-charting-for-girls/

https://pearlandthistle.com/cycle-charting-for-single-women/

All courses:

https://pearlandthistle.podia.com/a/zjhqb

For NFP instructors and cycle educators:

https://pearlandthistle.com/for-educators/

Just the Charts:

https://pearlandthistle.podia.com/printable-teen-charting-pdfs/zjhqb

Quick Guide: Basic Cycle Changes During Perimenopause:

https://pearlandthistle.podia.com/perimenopause-basics/zjhqb

Mother-Daughter Prep Package:

https://pearlandthistle.podia.com/mother-daughter-prep-package/zjhqb

Cycle Prep: First Period Course for Girls:

https://pearlandthistle.podia.com/cycle-prep-first-period-course-for-girls/zjhqb

In this episode of The NFP Podcast, hosts Amy and Emily sit down with Mikayla Dalton, a certified instructor of the Boston Cross Check Method of Natural Family Planning. Together, they dive into what makes the BCC method unique, how it integrates multiple biomarkers, and why it might be a great fit for women and couples seeking clarity and confidence in their fertility journey.

Mikayla shares her insights on who the Boston Cross Check method is designed for and how it can be tailored to meet a variety of family planning goals. The conversation places special emphasis on the postpartum season—often one of the most confusing and challenging phases for NFP users. Whether you're looking to postpone pregnancy, conceive, or just better understand your body during this transitional time, this episode offers practical guidance and heartfelt encouragement.

If you've ever wondered whether BCC might be the right method for you—or if you're simply curious about how different NFP methods support women through postpartum—this interview is full of helpful wisdom and real-world application. Tune in and learn how the Boston Cross Check method can offer clarity, flexibility, and support when you need it most.

Resources:

Boston Cross Method: https://www.bostoncrosscheck.com/

USCCB NFP Website: https://www.usccb.org/topics/natural-family-planning