This week, Cathy Denny (Dr. Lorio’s mom!) joins us again as she shares about her experience of working as a nurse for 50 years. Having been a nurse anesthetist in labor and delivery, Cathy shares about the various things she saw and experienced while serving women and helping them to bring their babies into the world. It is so easy to forget just how far we have come in the field of women’s health, and Cathy’s lived experience brings light to aspects we rarely consider.

Sharing about the gifts and beautiful aspects of medicine while also recognizing the ways in which medicine needs to improve, this episode presents a beautiful testimony of one woman’s experience, expertise, and wisdom gained through years of accompanying women.

This episode keeps it real and raw. Please know that while focusing mainly on the joys and triumphs of labor and delivery, it also gleans into a few of the harder and more sorrowful moments that women can experience during this season of life.

We are grateful for the witness to women and to medicine that Cathy Denny provides for us, especially in this episode and through her lived experiences.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Online Course:

* “The Gift of Her Body (Part 1): Talking With Your Daughters About Their Bodies”

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A dream of mine has been to interview the woman who raised me and who taught me so much: empathy, resilience, and selfless generosity. Today, I share with you the gift of my mother’s story. A woman of so much life experience, my mom was born in the 50’s, lived through the changes of the Second Vatican Council, saw an older brother go off to fight in the Vietnam War and how that affected him, became a nurse anesthetist in labor and delivery (before all the technology we have now!), and also got married and raised three children.

The details of women’s stories are precious gold, and to have my mother share with us at my kitchen table is both a great honor and also a priceless gift for me to treasure as time passes.

So pull up a chair or lace up your running shoes, and allow us to accompany you in your plans for the day. I hope her story and wisdom can bless you as much as it has blessed me.

We have been given so much. May we always remember and be grateful for the battles the women before us have fought that have paved the way for us to have the opportunities we have today.

What Women Are is a listener-supported work. While it is free to receive, it is not free to create. If you enjoy this content and want to support the creation of more like this, please consider becoming a paid subscriber.

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Today, I am overjoyed to share with you the news that my husband and I are pregnant! This miracle, however, is so hard for me to fathom because it comes after two long and heartbreaking years of infertility. One miscarriage and thousands of tears later, I was asked to give a talk at a CCRNO Women’s Retreat this past January 2026. While I felt called to speak on our call and identity as women—that we are “Overshadowed, Not Barren”—January was a very dark and difficult month for me emotionally. I started yet another period and could not shake the sadness or the pain.

It was in this place of honesty and raw vulnerability that I had to offer this talk, what I now offer to you as today’s podcast episode. In it, I share the invitation we each have—myself included—to allow the LORD to come into the graveyard of our broken dreams and to breathe new life into us. I share today’s episode both as an encouragement that the Spirit desires to break through for us and also as a testimony to the power of God to move when we least expect it.

Only six days after I gave this talk, my husband and I found out that we are pregnant. It is hard to put emotions into words, but we are thrilled, humbled, grateful, and in awe.

It has also been an amazing opportunity to continue surrendering as so much about the miracle of life is outside of our control as women.

Please pray for us as we journey through this pregnancy, and please share this talk with any woman who might need the encouragement that she, too, is a woman full of life and overshadowed by the Holy Spirit. Our Father wants to breathe life into us, in more ways than just the physical struggle with fertility. And no matter whether or not a woman is able to physically conceive, she is always called to be fruitful. And the Spirit of God is here to move. For us. In us. And through us.

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As a bioethicist focusing in women’s health and integrated sex education, I am especially passionate about equipping parents to have hard—but necessary—conversations with their children. One of the most important topics to consider? S*x, pornography, and the ways that our children might be exposed to things that they are not yet prepared to understand.

As the primary educators and greatest experts of their children, parents are the best resource in helping young men and women to understand that the human body has a great purpose and is most closely connected to the most important of values: human love.

S*x does not need to be considered apart from love, unless we choose to do so. Using data on devices, accurate biological information and terms, and the sturdy foundation that Christian anthropology provides for us, I offer this presentation as a way to encourage and equip parents in how they can best show up for their children and protect their little ones’ freedom to love, both now and in the future.

(“Talking to Your Children About S*x” was originally delivered and recorded on March 25, 2026 to parents at a grammar school in New Orleans, LA.)

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Online Course:

* “The Gift of Her Body (Part 1): Talking With Your Daughters About Their Bodies”

Helpful Recent Episodes:

* “The Importance of Teaching Our Girls Abour Their Bodies” with Tara Berner, MD

* “Educating Young Men on the Gift of Their Sexuality: Courage, Responsibility, and Hope” with Alex Lorio

Recommended Books:

* Good Pictures, Bad Pictures by Kristen Jensen, MA

* The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt

* The Amazing Generation by Jonathan Haidt and Catherine Price

* This is the kid’s version of The Anxious Generation.

Dr. Lorio’s Article on Restorative Reproductive Medicine:

* “Restorative Reproductive Medicine”

What Women Are Resources:

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Podcast, Podcast Interviews, etc.

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Merchandise

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In honor of the Feast Day of one of Sarah’s favorite saints, today’s episode continues Sarah and Alex’s conversation from last week! As Alex shares about the gift of St. Joseph, we hear are about how his example and witness exist as the perfect foil to phony masculinity and the lies of the manosphere. May this week’s episode encourage you as it highlights the gift of St. Joseph, a man who exhibits courage, strength, and humility in the ordinary demands of daily life.

We hope you enjoy today’s episode, and of course—HAPPY FEAST DAY!!!

In today’s episode, Sarah answers various questions about women posed to her by her husband, Alex: women and men in sports, Jesus’ understanding of women in the world, a few of the (many!) issues found within the manosphere, women working outside the home, and the need for woman’s presence in the world.

Tune in for some unfiltered, real talk with Sarah about how she sees these issues that affect everyday women.

March 8 has been one of my favorite days of the year since I was a little girl, and that is true for one main reason—it’s my birthday! But at some point in college, after I had already realized that I had a passion for women and a desire to serve women with the teachings of John Paul II, Edith Stein, etc., I also discovered that it is International Women’s Day! Coincidence? I think not.

There is so much I could say about this, and I hope to share more with you this month about the vocation of woman and about her unique role in this world. But for today, I thought it the perfect time to share with you a talk I gave last year to a room full of women. While speak most often to women, it is rare to speak at an event where the intentional purpose is to gather women together from every age group and life season.

There is so much we can learn from each other as women—no matter our age—and I was honored to be able to share that day on the theme of “Generations of Love.”

I hope you enjoy this talk, which really invites each of us to understand more deeply our call as women and the ways that we can bring life into this world, simply by being who we are.

(“Generations of Love” was originally delivered and recorded on May 3, 2025 at a women’s brunch in Canyon Lake, TX.)

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Join Dr. Sarah Lorio for another episode of the What Women Are Podcast as she shares another conversation with her dear friend, Dr. Angela Parise, MD, a pro-life OB-GYN with a deep passion for women's health.

In this week’s episode, Dr. Parise beautifully shares her personal journey within her OB-GYN practice and the hard decision she faced when she ultimately decided to stop prescribing birth control. As she reflects on the humility she needed to dive deeper in her understanding of a woman’s cycle and to learn more about the various biomarkers women observe within their fertility, she emphasizes her consistent desire to serve women through the holistic approach of Restorative Reproductive Medicine and its understanding of women’s health through fertility awareness. This personal and professional transition for Dr. Parisi accompanied an ever-present commitment to listen to her patients and to recognize the spiritual and emotional dimensions of healthcare. You don’t want to miss this beautiful conversation!

This conversation delves into the importance of humility in medicine, the need for open dialogue among healthcare professionals, and the significance of community support. Dr. Parise recounts her experiences with patients and the transformative moments that led her to reevaluate her medical practice. The episode emphasizes the necessity of compassion and understanding in healthcare, particularly for women navigating the complexities of motherhood and reproductive health. Ultimately, Sarah and Dr. Parise highlight the importance of being a bridge for women, advocating for their health, and fostering a supportive environment in the medical community.

Dr. Parise is a Catholic Pro-life OBGYN who started the Catholic Medical Association Guild in New Orleans. She is also involved in medical student and medical resident mentorship. Dr. Angela Marie Parise is a fellow in the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN). She earned her medical degree from SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn in 2001 and completed her residency at Ochsner Health in 2005 where she served as the Chief Administrative Resident. She received the Special Excellence Award in Endoscopic Procedures during her last year of training. Additionally, Dr. Parise works closely with women seeking natural planning pregnancy methods, especially those with reasons of faith.

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In this episode of the What Women Are podcast, Sarah interviews Dr. Angela Parise, an OB/GYN with a deep passion for women's health. They discuss Angela's journey from her childhood in Staten Island, NY, to her medical career: highlighting the influence of family, faith, and mentorship. Angela shares some of her experiences in the medical field, the challenges of balancing personal and professional life, and the importance of patient-centered care. The conversation delves into the complexities of the medical profession, and the duality of joy and sorrow in medicine. Angela emphasizes the gift of healing that women possess and the profound impact of faith in her practice.Other highlights from this episode: 

*Angela's childhood experiences shaped her desire to heal.

*Faith played a crucial role in Angela's journey to medicine.

*The importance of treating patients as whole individuals, not just their ailments.

*Mentorship can significantly influence career paths in medicine.

*The chaos of surgery can provide a sense of control amidst personal turmoil.

*Patient-centered care is essential for building trust in the physician-patient relationship.

*The integration of midwifery and OB care can enhance patient experiences.

*Women often face societal pressures that affect their healthcare choices.

*The emotional weight of being a physician can lead to burnout if not managed.

*Hope and healing are central themes in Angela's practice and patient interactions.

Dr. Parise is a Catholic Pro-life OB/GYN who started the Catholic Medical Association Guild in New Orleans. She is also involved in medical student and medical resident mentorship. Dr. Angela Marie Parise is a fellow in the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN). She earned her medical degree from SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn in 2001 and completed her residency at Ochsner Health in 2005 where she served as the Chief Administrative Resident. She received the Special Excellence Award in Endoscopic Procedures during her last year of training. Additionally, Dr. Parise works closely with women seeking natural planning pregnancy methods, especially those with reasons of faith. Get full access to What Women Are at drsarahdennylorio.substack.com/subscribe

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In this episode, Sarah shares a talk that she recently gave to young women in college about her journey and insights on the importance of community, the theology of the body, and the unique vocation of women. She emphasizes the power of prayer and love, encouraging listeners to take Jesus into their daily lives, recognize God's voice, and utilize scripture as a tool for empowerment and spiritual growth. The conversation culminates in a prayer for hope and encouragement, reminding everyone that "Love is victorious because it prays."

Get full access to What Women Are at drsarahdennylorio.substack.com/subscribe

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