Veronica Ricksen

I had the privilege of attending Catholic schools from kindergarten through college, yet I was never taught about the intricacies of the menstrual cycle. The missed opportunity is incalculable. Young women grow into adults never understanding how sacred their bodies are, which for many, including myself, leads to poor decision-making. I was on hormonal birth control from age 15 to 25, completely disconnected from my fertility, my menstrual cycle, and any sense of respect for my body.

At 25, I heard an inner whisper telling me there was another way to care for myself. I began researching alternatives to birth control and discovered natural family planning. One book led to the next, and I started charting my fertility signs. For the first time, I saw God reflected in my own body.

I’ve come to believe our fertility cycle can serve as an inner compass, attuning us to nature, and ultimately God. The microcosm unfolding in my body each menstrual cycle is no different than the macrocosm God created. The lunar cycle–from new moon to full moon and back to new again (menses to ovulation back to menses)–and the four seasons of nature—winter, spring summer, and fall (menstruation, pre-ovulation, ovulation, pre-menstruation)—are perfect examples of this.

I became an NFP instructor because of my work as an herbalist. When I opened my private practice, nearly every client had menstrual health concerns, yet most couldn’t answer basic questions: Am I ovulating? When? How long is my cycle? I trained as a Sympto-Thermal Method instructor so I could help clients whether they had regular or irregular cycles, PCOS, endometriosis, etc.

Teaching clients to understand their own bodies is empowering, especially given how vulnerable reproductive health challenges can be. A woman who can chart her own cycle can advocate for herself and bring meaningful data to aligned practitioners.

My current focus is serving women who want to start or grow their families and are facing fertility challenges — whether a specific diagnosis or unexplained infertility. Many have spent years on hormonal birth control and are now navigating the consequences of coming off it. Using my skills as both an herbalist and NFP/fertility awareness educator, I love walking alongside women in that season of life.

The biggest challenge in this work is misconception. NFP and fertility awareness methods are still largely absent from schools and doctors’ offices. My advice: find a teacher you resonate with and explore the method that fits your life. There are different NFP/fertility awareness methods, so find the one that calls to you.

Aside from teaching, I’m a wife and mom— hiking in the lovely east Bay Area hills and soaking up everything beautiful about California.

Veronica, why do you support CANFP?

I support the California Association of NFP because I’m a California native, was raised Catholic, and believe every woman deserves this knowledge, ideally from a young age. Starting locally feels like the right way to move the needle on something I care about deeply.