A “Natural” Fit in a Pregnancy Resource Center

Having been raised as an Evangelical Christian, I was never exposed to the concept of Natural Family Planning. It wasn’t until I became the Director of a Pregnancy Resource Center (Silent Voices) in 1984 that I started to hear about NFP and the dangers of birth control. I was horrified to learn that the Pill and IUD could cause an early abortion, and over time I realized that if I really believed that life begins at the moment of fertilization, I could not, in good conscience, support the use of either. It was several years later before I came to the same conclusion about condoms. I knew I needed to point couples to an option that I felt would be consistent with my faith—and pro-life beliefs—so I found an NFP teacher that I used as a referral for many years.

The time came for that teacher to retire, and I was given the opportunity to become an instructor myself. I knew that reaching my peers would be a challenge, as most Evangelicals have never heard anything about NFP. My biggest challenge has been getting the word out that they have a better option. I’ve turned to social media as a way to promote the NFP message.  Facebook is a great venue for creating curiosity and I have found that using great graphics draws people in and gets them thinking. We heavily promote NFP on our website, as well as on the website for a very large Evangelical church in the area, and we’re always getting referrals from those sites. We also include Natural Family Planning in every presentation we make about Silent Voices. We talk about why we see it as a natural extension of our fight to protect the unborn. Of course we always talk about NFP with the young girls who are coming in for services at our Center. While we rarely have any of them choose to use NFP, we’re planting seeds, and our hope is that at some point in their future they’ll remember what we shared, and make better/healthier choices, We’re also on the referral list for the Diocese of San Diego, and a good number of my students are Catholic.

I teach individuals and couples. I prefer not to do group classes, and I’ve found that the couples are more willing to ask the questions they need to ask when they have a more private setting. I am able to teach from my office at Silent Voices, as well as from my home, which widens the geographical area served. On occasion I’ve taught at my student’s home, usually because there are small children in the home and childcare is difficult.  

I encourage my students to use an online charting service (or app), as it makes chart reviews easier for all involved. I also check in by phone—there are some things that just can’t be worked out online or by email! I teach the Billings Ovulation Method, and the curriculum is set up for two classes, which are usually spaced 8-12 weeks apart (depending on the student). I let my students know that WOOMB has a YouTube video that they can watch, as the first class can feel overwhelming. The online video is a great way to remind them about what we talked about in class!

Teaching Natural Family Planning is one of my passions. I hope to be teaching for many years to come!