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My guest today is Dr. Natalie King. She’s a palliative care physician. Many of us are in a season where we are caregivers - maybe to a grandparent, a parent, another family member. But others of us are in a season where we can see that role of caregiver on the horizon Maybe you're noticing your parents health starting to decline, or you're seeing them make medical decisions and invite you into that process.
But regardless of the season you find yourself today, for all of us, we either are caregivers, will be, or will receive care at some point in our life. This conversation on suffering, having hard conversations about hard decisions with those we love, and living out the feminine genius as a Catholic woman praying for a good death is for each and every one of us.
So, if you want to think through caregiving issues and align those big decisions for yourself and loved ones with the Catholic faith in a way that safeguards the sacred dignity of human life, sister, this letter is for you.
Dr. King’s story as a Catholic woman
The origin story of Dr. King’s new book, Intensive Caring: A Practical Handbook for Catholics about Serious Illness and End-of-Life Care
What suffering looks like as Catholics and why a Catholic understanding of suffering stands at odds against a secular culture
What palliative care is and how it differs from hospice care
Dr. King’s advice for successful conversations about death and dying with parents who are navigating serious illness and end-of-life care decisions
How Catholics can advocate for themselves and their loved ones to ensure that they’re getting care that is respectful of their dignity
What a good death is and how we can prepare for it
How Dr. King lives out the feminine genius in her daily life as a daughter of God
Pick up a copy of Dr. King’s new book, Intensive Caring: A Practical Handbook for Catholics about Serious Illness and End-of-Life Care
Connect with Dr. King online
Read an article talking about the benefits of palliative care support
Example guide to help conversations with loved ones about health care from The Conversation Project
Five Wishes
Compilation of states with Catholic versions of advance directive forms (even if your state doesn’t have one, you can use other states as examples!)
A beautiful Church document from Saint Pope John Paul II on teaching
A Church document teaching on palliative care
Subscribe to Naptime Notes and get early, ad free access to all the Letters to Women episodes for just $5 a month
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Welcome to the Letters to Daughters season! . I love the line from Saint Pope John Paul II’s original Letter to Women: “Thank you, women who are daughters and women who are sisters! Into the heart of the family, and then of all society, you bring the richness of your sensitivity, your intuitiveness, your generosity and fidelity.”
This season, we’re exploring what living out the feminine genius in this vocation of daughter -- daughters to our Heavenly father as well as daughter within our human families.
My guest today is Heather Kym. For years, I’ve loved learning about the importance of story, identity, and healing from Heather. Whether that’s reading books she’s written or listening to her in conversation with friends over on the Abiding Together podcast, I’m so excited for this conversation to not only start of this new season of Letters to Daughters, but also to start off this liturgical season of Advent.
So, if you’re ready for encounter the Lord in a new way as we prepare for Christmas, sister, this letter is for you.
Topics we cover:
Heather’s story as a Catholic woman and her story of living the paschal mystery of dying and rising
A brand new Advent journal and meditation collection Heather wrote called Encountering Emmanuel
How to recognize areas of self-reliance in our lives and what it looks like practically to open ourselves up to God’s life and power
How Heather’s journey of healing has impacted the way she views God as Father and herself as His beloved daughter
Heather’s advice for listeners who struggle in their relationship with Mary and have a desire to grow in relationship with her this Advent
Why it’s crucial that we don’t miss sitting at the feet of Jesus this Advent and how to practically be with the Lord in this season
How Heather lives out the feminine genius in her ordinary, daily life as a daughter of God
Resources for you:
Heather’s new Advent journal, Encountering Emmanuel
The pause app that John Eldridge created to help you create a habit of coming into God’s presence throughout the day
The Abiding Together podcast
Visit Heather on Instagram
Discussion questions:
Jesus wants to come right now into every moment and situation you find yourself in. Where do you long for him to show up in your life this Advent?
In what ways do you rely on yourself and reject the providence of the Father? Do you trust Him to provide everything you need?
Heather mentioned the importance of becoming little and dependent in our relationship with the Lord. What is your first reaction to that statement? Would you describe yourself as little and dependent in your relationship with the Lord?
What is your relationship with Mary like? Do you have a desire to grow in relationship with her this Advent?
What is one practical way that you can make a plan to simply be with the Lord this Advent?
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In this is the fourth and final episode in the Letters to Wives season, my guest is Melissa Grace Tablada. She’s a Catholic psychotherapist and fertility care practitioner. Throughout this Letters to Wives series, many of my guests have mentioned how marriage therapy radically changed their marriage for the better.
Melissa and I are talking about what you should be looking for in a marriage therapist, the lies that keep you from therapy, and how to love your spouse in challenging seasons.
But we’re also talking about connecting with your spouse while raising a family, how to make date nights intentional, and how to have good, quality conversations with your husband.
Whether you’re looking for a quality marriage therapist to help your marriage thrive or you want some tips for having a quality conversation on your next date night, sister, this letter is for you.
Topics we cover:
Melissa’s story as a Catholic woman
Why you shouldn’t wait for a crisis to consider marriage therapy
How to go about choosing a good therapist for you and your marriage
Some of the reasons that women and couples stay away from marriage therapy
Bringing up your desire for marriage therapy with your spouse
What to do if your spouse is hesitant to go to therapy with you
Melissa’s advice for what to do if you’re feeling disconnected from your spouse while raising a family
How to connect with your spouse on date night and Melissa’s surprising advice about how to get into deeper connection
Why Melissa and her husband go on a marriage retreat every year and Melissa’s advice for going on a retreat with your spouse
How Melissa lives out the feminine genius in her daily life as a wife
Resources for you:
Follow Melissa on Instagram
Check out Melissa’s website
Melissa’s (free!) 25 questions for better connections in your marriage
14 Day Marriage Connection Challenge (use the code LETTERS for 15% off!)
Subscribe to Naptime Notes and get early, ad free access to all the Letters to Women episodes for just $5 a month
Discussion questions:
Have you been to marriage therapy? If yes, how has it impacted your marriage? If not, what are your thoughts on reaching out to a therapist after listening to this conversation with Melissa?
Have you believed the lie that your marriage “isn’t that bad” or the lie that your marriage is “beyond saving”? How do you think the Lord desires to speak truth over your relationship and sacrament?
Does your marriage have a support team? If not, what is the first step that you could take today to creating a community around your marriage to support and encourage you?
What are three questions you can ask your spouse on a date night or as you connect at the end of the day that can facilitate connection?
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In this third episode of the Letters to Wives season, my guest is Kathryn Whitaker. She’s been married to her husband, Scott, for almost thirty years. We’re talking about the advice she wishes she would go back and give herself, how hard seasons have impacted her marriage, and what she’s looking forward to in her marriage as her kids all grow up and leave the house.
She’s also giving her advice on how to disagree with your spouse in a way that still honors them and your marriage, as well as when and how to reach out to a good marriage therapist for help healing your marriage.
So, if you’re looking for advice and encouragement when it comes to building a marriage that not only lasts, but is truly joyful, life-giving, and authentic, sister, this letter is for you.
Topics we cover:
Kathryn’s story as a Catholic woman
The advice Kathryn would give to herself at the beginning of her relationship
How a 44 day NICU stay imploded Kathryn’s marriage and how she and Scott have found healing
How to make time to connect with your spouse so you don’t wake up twenty years from now realizing you don’t know your spouse
Knowing when you need the help of a marriage therapist and what to do if your spouse isn’t interested in therapy together
Three ways to work through disagreements in a way that honors your spouse and your marriage together
What Kathryn is looking forward to in this next season of her marriage as her kids head off to college
How Kathryn lives out the feminine genius in her ordinary, daily life as a wife
Resources for you:
Check out Kathryn’s book, Live Big, Love Bigger
Visit Kathryn’s website
Listen to Kathryn’s radio show and NICU support podcast
Follow Kathryn on Instagram
Subscribe to Naptime Notes and get early, ad free access to all the Letters to Women episodes for just $5 a month
Discussion questions:
As you reflect on your own marriage, what are some things about your spouse, yourself, and your marriage that you’ve learned along the way?
How can you make time to connect with your spouse if you’re in a busy season of life?
When you disagree with your husband, do you handle the conflict in a way that honors your spouse and your marriage? If not, what changes can you make the next time an argument arises?
What are you looking forward to in this current season of your marriage?
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In this second episode of the Letters to Wives season, Rebekah Olson and I are talking about what it looks like to run a business with your spouse—and her business, Ginger and Peach, happens to be a model-free lingerie company that she started out of her one room bedroom apartment.
Now she and her husband run a team of seamstresses all sewing from their homes in the US - and they partner with an ethical manufacturer in Nepal to bring fresh starts and fulfilled lives to women living in the margins.
We’re talking about her company, her advice if you’re listening in and think that there’s no way you could ever be confident in lingerie, and she’s dismantling some of the lies that we believe about our bodies as wives.
So if you’ve a wife looking to ditch the comparison and embrace your true worth as wonderfully made and loved, this letter is for you.
Topics we cover:
Rebekah’s story as a woman and a wife
The origin story of Ginger & Peach Lingerie
How Rebekah honors the dignity and beauty of each woman by running a model-free lingerie company
Why you don’t actually need lingerie to heal your body image or to have a great marriage - and what DOES bring healing in your heart
Body image as one of the very first issues women face after the fall and how Jesus brings relationship and redemption
How Rebekah’s husband, Andrew, spoke the truth over her desire to start a business and inspired her to become a lingerie designer
The lies that we believe as women when it comes to our bodies and shame
Resources for you:
Explore Ginger & Peach collections on their website and use the code LETTERSTOWOMEN for 10% off any purchase
Follow Ginger & Peach on Instagram
Habits for a Sacred Home by Jennifer Pepito
Subscribe to Naptime Notes and get early, ad free access to all the Letters to Women episodes for just $5 a month
Discussion questions:
Rebekah chose to have Ginger & Peach be a model free lingerie company to combat comparison. Do you struggle with comparing your body to other women around you (in real life and online)? What would it look like to live confidently as the woman God created you to be?
You don’t need lingerie to heal your marriage, you need Jesus. What is one area of your marriage that you can invite the Lord into today?
Rebekah shares about how Andrew spoke the truth about her gifts and helped point her towards the mission of Ginger & Peach. In your marriage, when has your husband spoken truth over you and revealed something about who you are to yourself?
Do you believe that you are fearfully and wonderfully made? In what areas of your life have you believed the lies from the devil that say you are not loved, not good, and not created with purpose?
Rebekah shared how she creates because she is made by God who is a creator. What are some ways you enjoy being creative — and if you can’t think of any, what creative pursuits could you make space for in your daily life?
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Ellen Holloway is my guest in this first episode of this Letters to Wives season! She is a Catholic Sexuality and Intimacy Coach and she's helping us learn how to have a great sex life without needing to go to confession.
The Catholic Church is actually incredibly PRO sex and intimacy … but where can you go to learn about the topics you just don’t want to Google?
We’re talking about what to do when sex isn’t pleasurable for you as a wife and what to do if sex is painful. We’re also covering feeling totally touched out by the end of the day and just wanting to skip sex and go straight to sleep. Plus, we’re talking about how to find answers if you rarely (or never!) orgasm and what it’s like for Ellen to be a Catholic in the world of sexology.
If you’ve a Catholic wife looking to improve your sex life, but not interested in the kinds of advice you find online, sister, this letter is for you!
Topics we cover:
Ellen’s story as a Catholic woman
The origin story of Ellen’s podcast, Charting Towards Intimacy, and how she became a Catholic sexuality and intimacy coach
Why it’s important to reflect on who taught you about sex and how to bring Jesus into that space
Why sex should never hurt or be painful and how to find healing for both your body and your soul
Ellen’s lube recommendations (and why you should leave the coconut oil in the kitchen)
What to do if you rarely (or never!) orgasm
Practical tips to start talking with your spouse more about your sex life
The 10 minute unwind and how it can make a difference if you’re feeling too touched out for sex
What it’s like for Ellen to be in the field of sexology as a Catholic
How Ellen lives out the feminine genius in her everyday life as a Catholic wife
Resources for you:
Listen to the Charting Toward Intimacy podcast
Follow Ellen on Instagram
Check out Vines in Full Bloom
Holy Sex by Dr. Gregory Popcack
The Orgasm Course for Catholic Women
Catholic Sex Positions Guide
Subscribe to Naptime Notes and get early, ad free access to all the Letters to Women episodes for just $5 a month
Discussion questions:
Who taught you about sex when you were in second grade? Do you think this education was appropriate? How did what you learn back then impact what you think about sex now as a wife?
When you think about your sex life, do you get overwhelmed? What might be the root of your overwhelm—pain during sex? Lack of pleasure? What is one practical thing you can do after this podcast episode to find healing in your sex life with your spouse?
How often do you talk about sex with your husband? Would having a daily, five minute conversation with your spouse about sex be something you could make a part of your day?
What would you 10 minute unwind look like in an ideal world? Would it include Scripture, reading, journaling, sitting in the silence? Make a plan for what you’ll do the next time you sit down to unwind at the end of the day.
Sex is a form of communication. What are some things that you love about your spouse that you want to communicate to them both in and out of the bedroom?
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Letters to Women is back with a brand new season: Letters to Wives. This season is inspired by the following line from Saint Pope John Paul II’s ‘Letter to Women’:
Thank you, women who are wives! You irrevocably join your future to that of your husbands, in a relationship of mutual giving, at the service of love and life.
This upcoming season is going to feature conversations on topics like sex and intimacy (and we’re getting into the nitty gritty on this), communication in marriage, what marriage looks like in different seasons, how to strengthen your marriage in hard seasons, when marriage therapy could be helpful for your marriage and how to find a therapist you trust, how to go on a marriage retreat, and I’m sitting down with the owner of a model-free lingerie company to talk about intimacy. And more!!
I’m so excited to welcome brand new of the show on this journey to discover what the feminine genius is and how the Lord is asking us to live it out in our day to day reality as wives. Resources for you:
Subscribe to Naptime Notes and get early, ad free access to all the Letters to Women episodes for just $5 a month
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In this final episode of the Letters to Mothers season, we’re talking about one of the most difficult challenges you may face as a mother: having the first “talk” with your kids. You know the one—discussing their changing bodies and sex for the first time.
Where do you start? When do you start? How do you have those conversations in a way that makes sure they have the information they need without leaving them feeling overwhelmed or ashamed?
Today I’m speaking with Dr. Julia Sadusky, a clinical psychologist. She’s answering the questions that I have and giving all of us a boost of confidence that we need as we have foundational conversations with our young kids long before they hit puberty.
If you want to be ready to talk with your kids about human sexuality with confidence and clarity, this episode is for you.
Topics we cover:
Julia’s story as a Catholic woman
The origin story of Julia’s new book, Start Talking to Your Kids about Sex: A Practical Guide for Catholics published by Ave Maria Press
Why we can’t wait until puberty to start talking about sexaulity with our kids
The barriers that hold us back from conversations about sexuality
Why it’s important to use accurate medical terms when teaching kids about their genitals (and how it can help prevent abuse and neglect!)
Explaining where babies come from to our little kids
What to do if you’re worried you missed your chance to share about human sexuality with your kids
How Julia lives out the feminine genius in her ordinary daily life (hint: it involves legos!)
Resources for you:
Pick up a copy of Julia’s new book, Start Talking to Your Kids about Sex: A Practical Guide for Catholics
Visit Julia’s website
Follow Julia on Instagram
Subscribe to Naptime Notes and get early, ad free access to all the Letters to Women episodes for just $5 a month
Discussion questions:
Who taught you about human sexaulity as a kid? What were those conversations like for you and how did they shape the way you think about sex and intimacy today?
Have you had a hard time starting conversations about sex with your kids? What barriers might be holding you back from anticipating and initiating conversations about human sexuality with your kids?
Was there anything in this conversation with Julia that struck you as a parent? Is there anything you’ll change in your approach to conversations about sexuality with your kids after listening to her advice about sharing with kids the goodness of their body?
What did you think about Dr. Julia’s advice to use accurate medical terms to teach your kids about their body? Was that modeled for you growing up, or would using medical terms instead of nicknames be a change from your experience as a child?
What is your vision as a parent for conversations with your kids about sex? What would you love those conversations to look like as your children get older, and what can you do today to start laying the foundation for continued conversations with your kids about sex?
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In this seventh episode of the Letters to Mothers season, we’re talking about liturgical living and creating traditions with our families. Is it possible to enter into the rhythms of the church without getting totally overwhelmed? How do you decide which feasts to celebrate, how to create traditions in your domestic church?
Maybe you’ve taken some quick glances through blogs and Pinterest only to be left feeling discouraged or comparing your liturgical living to everyone else out there who seem to have it totally together. But it is possible to discover the joy of the liturgical season and be drawn closer to God in the middle of our daily lives as women and mothers.
If you’re looking for imaginative, effortless, and simple ways to live all of the Church Seasons, this episode with Erica Tighe Campbell is for you.
Topics we cover:
Erica’s story as a Catholic woman
The origin story of Erica’s new book, Living the Seasons
Where to start if you’re feeling overwhelmed when it comes to living the traditions of the church in your home
What liturgical living has looked like for Erica in different seasons of life
How to build a domestic church that helps your children enter into the rhythms of the year
How Erica lives out the feminine genius in her ordinary, daily life as a mother
Resources for you:
Pick up your own copy of Living the Seasons
Explore the Be a Heart store
Follow Be a Heart and Erica on Instagram
Subscribe to Naptime Notes and get early, ad free access to all the Letters to Women episodes for just $5 a month
Discussion questions:
What did living liturgically look like for you growing up? Do you have any favorite family traditions that you continue as an adult?
Does living liturgically intimidate you? If so, what is one small way you can be more aware of the rhythms of the church calendar this year?
What is your favorite season of the church calendar? How do you enter into it in your own home?
What are some ways you can celebrate favorite feast days in your own home?
It’s tempting to compare our liturgical living to some other woman who “has it all together”—even if that woman only exists in our imagination. She remembers all the feast days, hosts the big Michaelmas party, and everything always looks Pinterest-perfect and beautiful. How can you resist the urge to compare when it comes to the way you live liturgically in you homes and what does it look like to confidently celebrate in a way that works in whatever season of life you find yourself in?
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In this sixth episode of the Letters to Mothers season, we’re talking about infertility. What if you long for physical motherhood and spiritual motherhood feels like a consolation prize, like a second-rate motherhood?
What if you’re experiencing infertility, whether it’s a season of infertility with hope of a positive pregnancy test some day or permanent infertility and you wonder if you have any space in conversations about the feminine genius and motherhood?
Infertility is a burden that most women and couples don’t expect to carry. It can impact your marriage, your relationship with friends and family, and your relationship with God. On top of that, infertility often feels like a lonely and long path. But you aren’t alone. We’re talking about dismantling the lies around infertility, the importance of community in this journey, and how to support your spouse as you carry the cross of infertility together.
Wherever you are on the path of infertility, if you’re looking for a place of respite, solidarity, and encouragement, this episode of the Letters to Women podcast with Ann Koshute is for you.
Topics we cover:
Ann’s story as a Catholic woman
The story of Springs in the Desert
The importance of language around the experience of infertility
How infertility impacts marriage and Ann’s advice for processing emotions and grief in the shared experience of infertility
The importance of community in the experience of infertility and the resources that Springs in the Desert offers
How to live in the present moment during the experience of infertility
Simple ways of generosity and how you can be fruitful in your marriage
What spiritual motherhood means in your life
Ann’s advice for couples receiving a diagnosis of male infertility and how wives can support their husbands through that diagnosis
How Ann lives out the feminine genius in her daily life
Resources for you:
Springs in the Desert
Springs in the Desert podcast
Listen to A Letter to the Mother Wondering about Foster Care and Adoption, featuring Kimberly Henkel, co-founder of Springs in the Desert
Today’s episode is sponsored by Rooted for Good - use the code LETTERS20 to save 20% at checkout
Become a paid subscriber to Naptime Notes and get early, ad free access to all the Letters to Women episodes for just $5 a month
Discussion questions:
Has your experience of infertility left you feeling alone, or like you don’t belong? What is one practical resolution you can make today to connect with other women experiencing infertility?
How has infertility impacted your marriage? Have you struggled with objectifying your spouse or reducing sex to a means to an end of conceiving a child together?
In your experience with infertility, have you given in to despair or the belief that God has forgotten you, doesn’t love you, or is punishing you? How can you reject those lies, and who in your life can speak truth over you that you are a beloved daughter of God who is remembered and known?
How do you deal with the stress of experiencing infertility? What are some healthy ways that you can process the emotions around this cross and
Do you find it challenging to take things day by day in your experience with infertility? What are ways that you can surrender the past, trust God with the future, and be present to the now?
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In this fifth episode of the Letters to Mothers season, we’re talking about mothering our babies who we’ve lost in miscarriage, still birth, and infant loss. Losing a child is heartbreaking and devastating. For mothers who lose a child before or shortly after birth, this grief comes with distinct, sudden, and difficult questions about God, the Church, and who they are now as parents to the child they have lost.
If you’re looking for a companion and guide through those har medical, theological, and practical questions, whether you’re a mother who has lost her baby or you’re a friend, family member, or medical professional who supports parents through that loss, this episode of the Letters to Women podcast with Dr. Abigail Jorgensen is for you.
Topics we cover:
Abby’s story as as Catholic woman
The origin story of Abby’s new book, A Catholic Guide to Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Loss: Compassionate Answers to Difficult Questions
A brief overview of miscarriage, still birth, and infant loss, and what the postpartum experiences can look like for mothers in each experience
Abby’s favorite question to ask her clients as a bereavement doula
What the Catholic Church teaches us about our hope for Heaven for children we’ve lost through miscarriage, still birth, or infant loss
How to grieve together and separately as loss parents
How to wrestle with the reality that God is all powerful, all good, and yet our babies still die
Whether or not you can flush during a miscarriage
How Abby lives out the feminine genius in her ordinary life as a mother
Resources for you:
Pick up a copy of Abby’s new book, A Catholic Guide to Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Loss
If you want to learn more about Abby’s work as a sociologist, explore her website here
If you want to learn more about Abby’s work as a Catholic bereavement doula, explore this website
To discuss grief ministry training with Abby, reach out to her through Haven Bereavement Doulas
Today’s episode is sponsored by Monks Bread - use the code LETTERS10 to save 10% at checkout
Become a paid subscriber to Naptime Notes and get early, ad free access to all the Letters to Women episodes for just $5 a month
Discussion questions:
Have you lost a child through miscarriage, still birth, or infant loss? What has your experience of mothering your child or children who have died look like for you'?
How has losing a child through miscarriage, still birth, or infant loss impacted your relationship with the Lord? What are some moments of desolation and consolation you’ve experienced during the grieving process?
Have you felt angry at God during your grieving process? Have you felt guilt for feeling anger? How did hearing Abby share about allowing ourselves to grieve and be angry impact you?
Today, how are you parenting the child or children you’ve lost? What are some ways you can honor the memory of their short life here on earth while looking forward with hope to
What are some ways that you can support friends and family who are grieving the loss of their child? What does it look like as a Church and parish community to support grieving parents?
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In this fourth episode of the Letters to Mothers series, Johanna Seagren joins me to discuss emotional regulation, our interior life, and burnout in our motherhood.
Parenting is hard work, and sometimes it’s louder, messier, more complicated, and packed with tantrums (yours included) than you expected.
So many times, we end up exhausted and feeling like this can’t be the vision that God had for your family. We’re diving into a conversation about what it means to be an emotionally-healthy family without losing your mind.
If you’re ready to understand your own emotional triggers, learn how to connect with your kids instead of reacting to their big feelings, and grow closer to each other and God, this episode is for you.
Topics we cover:
Johanna’s story as a Catholic woman
Why Johanna created the Interior Kingdom as an emotional regulation program for her family and what Catholic families will find inside the program
What the Catholic Church teaches about emotions and what it looks like to grow in our awareness of our emotions as adults
The things that set Interior Kingdom apart from the calm kits and calm down spaces you’ve seen on Instagram
How to become curious about the triggers (unmet needs!) in your parenting
The reason that Interior Kingdom is for every family, regardless of your kids’ ages, abilities, and temperaments
How Johanna lives out the feminine genius in her daily life as a Catholic mother
Resources for you:
Explore the Interior Kingdom program (and use the code LTW25 for $25 off the program now through April 10, 2024!)
Today’s episode sponsor is Rooted for Good! Use the code Letters20 for 20% off your order at checkout
Check out my monthly newsletter, Naptime Notes
Questions for discussion:
What have been some moments of disregulation in your motherhood? And on the flip side, what have been some moments of peace, regulation, and rest in your parenting journey?
When you were a child, what did your parents teach you about emotions? Do you feel confident in your understanding of emotions or is there room for growth?
What are some of your triggers (unmet needs) in your motherhood and how can you begin to meet those needs and invite the Lord into those unmet needs?
Have you ever felt guilty for anger in your motherhood? How did Johanna’s explanation of anger impact your understanding of emotions you may have labeled as “bad” before?
How can learning more about your emotions as a mother impact the way that you parent and live out the feminine genius in your daily life?
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In this third episode of the Letters to Mothers series, Kimberly Henkel of Springs of Love joins me to discuss foster care and adoption.
We’re talking about how Kimberly and her husband Greg discerned the call to foster care. We’re also busting myths around adoption that might be holding you back from discerning that call as a family, and both of us are sharing our experiences as adoptive mothers.
Whether you’re exploring the possibility of adoption or foster care, you’re already an adoptive or foster mother, or you’re wondering how to better support adoptive and foster families in your community, this letter is for you.
Topics we cover:
Kimberly’s story as a Catholic woman
How Kimberly and Greg discerned the Lord’s call to foster care and adoption
The origin story of Springs of Love, Kimberly and Greg’s ministry that encourages, educates, and equips Catholics to discern and live out the call to foster and adopt
The differences between foster care and adoption
Spiritual maternity and the adoption triad
Kimberly’s advice to couples hesitant to discern foster care or adoption because of the cost
Why open adoptions can be healthy for everyone involved in the adoption triad
Resources for you:
Find Springs of Love online
Watch the Springs of Love video series
Ten Myths about Adoption from the Springs of Love website
Check out my monthly newsletter, Naptime Notes
Discussion questions:
Have you felt called by the Lord to discern growing your family through adoption or fostering children? What has that discernment looked like for you both as an individual and in your marriage?
What myth surrounding adoption that Kimberly mentioned in the show is something you’ve believed to be true before?
Romans 8:15 says that “You did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we call ‘Abba, Father!’” How does reflecting on this theological reality of adoption in all of our lives as children of God through baptism impact the way you think about adoption and foster care?
What are ways that you can accompany birth mothers and families in the adoption triad?
Does your parish community support adoptive and foster families well? What are things you can do to encourage a culture of life for families who are called to foster or adopt?
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In this second episode of the Letters to Mothers series, Grace Stark from Natural Womanhood joins me to discuss fertility awareness and motherhood.
This is a conversation about authentic womens’ healthcare, how to grow in an appreciation of your fertility as a gift, and discerning the size of family that the Lord wants to build with and for you—and what to do if you’re not on the same page as your spouse in that discernment.
We also talk about what it means to be mothers to daughters, and how the conversations we have from a very young age shape the way our daughters see their bodies.
If you’re ready to get to know and appreciate your cycle and fertility this letter is for you.
Topics we cover:
Grace’s story as a Catholic woman
The origin story of Natural Womanhood and their mission to help women work with their body, not against it
What authentic women’s healthcare looks like and how we can grow as women in accepting our fertility as a gift
What the Catholic Church teaches about using Natural Family Planning and family size
Grace’s advice for couples in seasons of discerning adding another child to their family
What to do when you’re not on the same page as your spouse about having more children
How Natural Womanhood is helping mothers of pre-teen girls learn about ther bodies, cycles, and fertility
How Shelby lives out the feminine genius as a mother
Resources for you:
Discover Natural Womanhood online
Natural Womanhood podcast
Charting Towards Intimacy podcast hosted by Ellen Holloway
Check out the sponsor for today’s episode, Interior Kingdom! Use the code LTW15 for 15% off the full Interior Kingdom program.
Check out my monthly newsletter, Naptime Notes
Discussion questions:
Have you ever felt angry or ashamed of your cycle as a woman? What were some messages that you received about your body as a girl, especially around your fertility and cycles?
Do you feel pressure to have a certain number of kids as a Catholic woman? Or for your family to look a certain way? What are some ways you can grow in confidence about how the Lord is calling you specifically to mother?
Are you and your spouse of one heart and mind when it comes to having children? What advice that Grace shared in this episode about discerning a family with your spouse struck you?
If you’re a mother to a daughter, how have you approached conversations with her about fertility and puberty? Are there things you want to change about how you talk about those subjects after listening to this episode?
What dreams do you have for your family and your motherhood? How can embracing your fertility as a gift impact those dreams?
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In this first episode of the Letters to Mothers season we’re talking about a topic that so many of us are familiar with—body image. It’s a topic we’ve talked about on the show, but I wanted to revisit it with a specific focus on that experience as mothers.
Joining me on the show today is Shelby Hirschman. She’s a nutrition therapist who specializes in intuitive eating, body acceptance, and recovery from chronic dieting and disordered eating.
We’re talking about postpartum discomfort, the societal pressure to “bounce back” and why that isn’t helpful for us as women, and some actual practical behaviors and tools to put into place that I think can be a huge help.
If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and felt frustrated, uncomfortable, disappointed, or unattractive, this letter is for you.
Topics we cover:
Why so many of us feel at war with our bodies as mothers
Defining the postpartum season
The pressure women feel to “get their body back” or “bounce back” after giving birth
What body checking is and why (and how!) to reduce that habit in your life
Compassionate closets
What is happening on a biological level to our bodies during the postpartum season
How to prioritize consistent and adequate nutrition
Habits to form in our lives as women during seasons of change to remind ourselves that our body is good
How Shelby lives out the feminine genius as a mother
Resources for you:
Tune into Shelby and I’s first conversation on the Letters to Women podcast, A Letter to the Woman Struggling to Believe Her Body Is Unconditionally Good
Visit Shelby’s website to learn about her work as a nutrition therapist
Subscribe to Shelby’s substack, Good Body Notes
Shop Good Body Nutrition on Etsy
Learn more about Catholics Online, the sponsor for today’s episode
Check out my monthly newsletter, Naptime Notes
Discussion questions:
Have you ever felt at war with your body? What are some moments you’ve noticed postpartum discomfort in your own story as a woman?
In what ways has motherhood impacted the way that you view your body? Do you feel a tension between being in awe of what your body is capable of and discomfort or frustration with your postpartum body?
As a mother, have you felt pressured to “bounce back” after giving birth? Where have you received those messages from and how have they impacted the way you view your body today?
Do the clothes in your closet honor the reality of your season of life? What would getting dressed in the morning look like if your closet had pieces in it that honored your postpartum experience as a mother?
What are some practical ways you can begin to be more gentle and compassionate when it comes to the way you view and talk about your body as a mother? Make one resolution today to help you remember that your body is good.
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Letters to Women returns February 13th with a season dedicated to motherhood. Plus, Chloe shares her favorite part of Saint Pope John Paul II’s original Letter to Women and reveals a few other surprises.
Stay in touch and learn about upcoming episodes by signing up for the email list at naptimenotes.substack.com
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A quick update about why there hasn't been a new episode of Letters to Women in your podcast feed lately ... and an announcement about the future of the podcast.
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Should we care about what we wear? The short answer is “yes”—but don’t pull out your headphones just yet. There’s more to the conversation than that.
What about style? What do you think of when you hear that word? Maybe the pages of fashion magazines or reruns of Project Runway flash through your mind. Or maybe you wonder if style should even be something you think about—how many of us have felt guilty after splurging on a gorgeous dress, wondering how a piece of fabric can capture our imagination and desire.
We scold ourselves and say “I should bought something practical.” Or maybe you’ve even wondered if you’re vain if you care about how you look.
But what if that pull towards certain items of clothing is actually a sign of being made in the image and likeness of God? What if instead of finding a new “cool,” “fancy,” or “stylish” wardrobe, or becoming a “new” version of ourselves, we focused on how we can grow in an understanding of how we were made?
In this episode, I’m sitting down with Lillian Fallon. She's a Catholic writer with a passion for helping women express their unrepeatability through style.
Lillian and I are talking about living life as an affirmed woman and daughter of God, how wisdom from St. Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body relates to clothing, and how to dress in a way that expresses who we are.
If you’ve ever wondered if your love of style is incongruent with your Catholic faith, sister, this letter is for you.
Topics we talked about in this episode:
Lillian’s story as a Catholic woman
The origin story behind Lillian’s new book, Theology of Style: Expressing the Unique and Unrepeatable You
How an epiphany moment in a Theology of the Body class gave Lillian the freedom to pursue her passion for style
What Theology of Style is and how it can transform the way we see ourselves and God
What an understanding of modesty informed by Theology of the Body looks like—and why it is so much more than the length of a skirt
Living life as an affirmed person who is confident in her identity, gifts, and passions
How Lillian lives out the feminine genius in her daily life
Resources you should check out after listening to this episode:
Pick up your copy of Theology of Style: Expressing the Unique and Unrepeatable You
Saint Pope John Paul II’s Letter to Artists
Check out Lillian’s website and connect with her on Instagram
Check out the sponsor for today’s episode, CORDA, and use the code LETTERS to get 10% off your purchase at checkout
Pick up a copy of the Letters to Women book (and use the code LETTERS at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase!)
Check out my monthly newsletter, Naptime Notes
Subscribe and Review Letters to Women in iTunes
Are you subscribed to Letters to Women? If not, you should subscribe today! You don’t want to miss any of the upcoming episodes. Click here to subscribe in iTunes.
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It’s time we get honest with ourselves as women today—we’re being lied to. Today’s cultural beauty standards are messed up. We all know it, and we all think we can resist the pull to look a certain way. But most of us—and our sisters, daughters, and nieces, too—are still striving for a broken kind of beauty while feeling like we’re not good enough.
In this episode, I’m sitting down with Melissa Johnson, a marriage and family therapist. The lie of today’s beauty standards eventually led her to battling an eating disorder. Through that experience, she saw that chasing broken beauty breaks us as women in so many ways. And she also realized that true, soul-deep beauty is not impossible—it abounds in us and all around us.
Melissa and I are talking about how to uncover the hidden damage cultural lies about beauty have on your mind and soul, how to reconnect with God, in whose image you are made, and how to walk away from shame and striving.
If you find yourself wishing that you were thinner or smaller, have a list of things you wish you could change about your appearance, or compare your body to other women’s bodies, and you’re longing for a more self-compassionate relationship with your body, sister, this letter is for you.
Topics we talked about in this episode:
Melissa’s story as a Christian woman
The origin story of Melissa’s new book, Soul Deep Beauty: Fighting for Our True Worth in a World Demanding Flawless and what you’ll find when you open the cover
The unhelpful (but normalized) beliefs we are buying as women when it comes to beauty
What happens when we embrace our bodies as miracles and what it looks like to practice gratitude for our aging bodies
What living in loving community with other women looks like
How Melissa defines true beauty
The ways that Melissa lives out the feminine genius in her own daily life
Resources you should check out after listening to this episode:
Pick up a copy of Soul Deep Beauty: Fighting for Our True Worth in a World Demanding Flawless
Visit Melissa’s website, Impossible Beauty and listen to the Impossible Beauty podcast
Follow Melissa on Instagram
Check out the sponsor for today’s episode, CORDA, and use the code LETTERS to get 10% off your purchase at checkout
Pick up a copy of the Letters to Women book (and use the code LETTERS at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase!)
Check out my monthly newsletter, Naptime Notes
Subscribe and Review Letters to Women in iTunes
Are you subscribed to Letters to Women? If not, you should subscribe today! You don’t want to miss any of the upcoming episodes. Click here to subscribe in iTunes.
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We’re living in a world of filters and photoshop. Thanks to the constant pull from the smartphone in your pocket, you might be experiencing internet overwhelm and social media fatigue. Is there any relatable women’s media out there that gives an accurate representation of what it means to be a women, reminds you of your belovedness, and encourages you to be authentic?
The world needs more of who women ARE. Not a long list of expectations of what we should be doing and what our bodies look like while we’re doing it.
That, and more, is what we’re diving into today in this episode of the Letters to Women podcast.
In this episode, I’m sitting down with Mary Rose Somarriba,. Mary Rose is the editor of Verily Magazine. True to their name, Verily sifts through the noise of the world to elevate what is honest, real, and beautiful for the modern woman—facilitating her connection with the things that matter the most to her through our production of original media, curation of quality content across the web, and in-person events.
Mary Rose and I are talking about the mission of Verily, what it’s like for them to totally reject photoshop, and why they’re returning to a print magazine in our digital world.
If you’re exhausted from a constant barrage of media that tells you what the “ideal” body type, image, or status is and you're ready to be empowered to be more of who YOU ARE, sister, this letter is for you.
Topics we talked about in this episode:
Mary Rose’s story as a Catholic woman
The origin story of Verily Magazine and what sets it apart from other fashion and lifestyle magazines
What has changed and what has stayed the same since the first issue of Verily was published in 2012
Why being a non-profit fits the mission of Verily
The false expectations that we’re sorting through as women today and how Verily encourages women to live authentically
How editing Verily has impacted Mary Rose as a mother
The ways the Mary Rose lives out the feminine genius in her daily life
Resources you should check out after listening to this episode:
Learn more about Verily Magazine
Subscribe to Verily’s print magazine
Rethinking Sex by Christine Emba
Mary Rose’s article at National Review on how the internet has ruined women’s magazines
Defend Young Minds and how they can help you chat with your kids about pornography ahead of time
Check out the sponsor for today’s episode, Sacred Heart Tea, and use the code LETTERS to get 10% off your purchase at checkout
Pick up a copy of the Letters to Women book (and use the code LETTERS at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase!)
Check out my monthly newsletter, Naptime Notes
Subscribe and Review Letters to Women in iTunes
Are you subscribed to Letters to Women? If not, you should subscribe today! You don’t want to miss any of the upcoming episodes. Click here to subscribe in iTunes.
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