Get the Catholic Sex Course for Women right here! In this special episode, Ellen shares the powerful testimony of a woman named Victoria, who experienced profound changes in her marriage and sex life through faith and prayer. Overcoming personal struggles and the challenges posed by her husband's use of pornography, Victoria's story emphasizes the transformative power of God's providence, natural family planning, and intimate connection. This heartfelt narrative demonstrates how persistent devot...
Dec 02, 2024•29 min•Ep. 197
In this episode, Ellen and Kathleen discuss the impact of busyness on intimate relationships. They highlight how constantly busy schedules can strain the connection with spouses and offer practical strategies to maintain intimacy. Additionally, they share personal experiences and the role of faith in navigating stressful, chaotic periods, emphasizing the significance of prioritizing family and marriage over societal pressures and financial worries. Check out the O Course for Catholic Women right...
Nov 25, 2024•37 min•Ep. 196
In this episode, Ellen discusses the common habit of saying no to sex initiated by a spouse. She shares her personal experience of realizing this habit and challenges listeners to reflect on their reasons for frequently declining intimacy. Ellen encourages evaluating whether these reasons are genuine or simply habitual excuses, urging a more mindful approach to fostering a loving and unifying sexual relationship with their husbands. Get the Catholic Sex Course for Women right here! _____________...
Nov 18, 2024•8 min•Ep. 195
Ellen discusses the essential role of forgiveness in maintaining a healthy sexual and marital relationship. She emphasizes that forgiving a spouse, while difficult, is crucial for opening up emotionally and physically within the marriage. Ellen outlines what forgiveness truly means and why it is necessary, dispelling common misconceptions. She also connects unforgiveness with physical tension and reduced sexual pleasure, offering practical steps to forgive through faith in Jesus. Check out the C...
Nov 11, 2024•10 min•Ep. 194
Ellen and her husband Kurt discuss strategies to balance arousal differences between partners during foreplay and sex, particularly when a man's arousal curve is faster than a woman's. They stress the importance of mutual responsibility for each other's pleasure within a Catholic marriage, offering practical tips for men to manage their arousal and focus on their wives. Key elements include effective communication, patience, and intentional practice to ensure both partners enjoy a mutually satis...
Nov 04, 2024•20 min•Ep. 193
In this episode, Ellen discusses the profound impact of the sacraments of the Eucharist and Confession on improving sex life and marital intimacy for Catholic women. Drawing insights from 'The Imitation of Christ,' she highlights the healing and restorative power that these sacraments offer, emphasizing their importance in curing vices, overcoming temptations, and enhancing love and grace in marriage. Ellen encourages regular participation in these sacraments as a way to strengthen marriages, su...
Oct 28, 2024•18 min•Ep. 192
In this episode, Ellen and Kathleen emphasize the importance of discussing sex daily with your spouse as a way to improve communication and eliminate the negativity often associated with these conversations. They suggest setting aside just five minutes each day to ensure regular, comfortable discussions about sex. Topics include how to initiate conversations, preferences, personal hygiene, foreplay, and addressing past experiences. They provide practical tips and conversation starters to make th...
Oct 21, 2024•21 min•Ep. 191
Ellen discusses the moral licitness of using marital aids, commonly known as sex toys, in Catholic marriages. She explains that while replacing sex with such aids is immoral, their use to enhance pleasure and intimacy within the marital act is acceptable. Specific aids like vibrators and penis rings are discussed in detail, emphasizing their role in improving the sexual experience without compromising the moral requirements of intercourse, such as ejaculation inside the woman. Ellen highlights t...
Oct 14, 2024•8 min•Ep. 190
In this episode, Ellen and guest Ginny Noce discuss the critical role of nutrition and lifestyle in enhancing men's sexual health. Ginny, a registered nurse and fertility awareness instructor with a master's degree in nutrition, shares insights on how diet impacts hormone health, libido, and overall well-being. Key topics include the importance of antioxidant-rich foods, managing blood sugar, pairing carbohydrates with proteins, and the benefits of strength training. The conversation also offers...
Oct 07, 2024•32 min•Ep. 189
Ellen addresses the challenge of feeling uncomfortable with any touch from your husband automatically leading to sex. She introduces 'touch time' as a technique to build comfort and safety with non-sexual touch between spouses. Touch time involves structured sessions of touching each other in non-sexual ways to break the association of touch leading to sex, fostering a healthier tactile relationship. Check out the Catholic Sex Course for Women right here! ___________________________________ Did ...
Sep 30, 2024•13 min•Ep. 188
In this episode, Ellen and Kathleen discuss the common struggle of saying 'should' in your sex life and how it can negatively affect your intimacy. They explore the importance of understanding the underlying reasons for these feelings. The hosts emphasize the need to shift from a scarcity mindset and provide practical advice on embracing a healthier, more fulfilling intimate life. They also touch on the spiritual aspects of sex and remind listeners to seek both physical and spiritual solutions. ...
Sep 23, 2024•32 min•Ep. 187
In this episode, Ellen addresses a listener's question about male sexual dysfunction, particularly erectile dysfunction and inability to finish, related to performance anxiety and natural family planning (NFP). She offers insights from a Catholic perspective on alleviating mental pressure, increasing intimacy frequency, and open communication between spouses. Ellen also discusses the importance of reframing thoughts around sex to reduce anxiety and highlights the significance of maintaining inte...
Sep 16, 2024•14 min•Ep. 187
In this episode, Ellen and Kathleen discuss the importance of pursuing your spouse outside of the bedroom, offering practical advice and theological insights. They stress the significance of intentional love actions and how they reflect our relationship with God. The hosts share personal experiences and practical tips. They also highlight the challenges humans face in initiating love and emphasize the need for constant prayer to combat negative influences that prevent us from loving our spouses ...
Sep 09, 2024•34 min•Ep. 186
Ellen dives into the frequently misunderstood Ephesians chapter 5, elucidating its true meaning and emphasizing the profound responsibilities it places on both husbands and wives. She explores how Ephesians chapter 4's call to holiness frames the subordination described in chapter 5, clarifying that husbands are to embody Christ-like virtues, making marriages beautiful through mutual love and sacrifice. Get the Catholic Sex Positions Guide right here! ___________________________________ Did we m...
Sep 02, 2024•17 min•Ep. 185
Ellen welcomes Dr. Sarah Bartell, a moral theologian specializing in marriage and sexuality, to discuss how to handle situations where a husband does not agree with Catholic teachings on sex, intimacy, natural family planning, and contraception. They explore the church's teachings, practical advice for maintaining intimacy during abstinent periods, and how to approach conversations with a non-compliant spouse. Sarah shares insights on prayer, the importance of emotional intimacy, and examples of...
Aug 26, 2024•41 min•Ep. 184
Ellen and Kathleen discuss the crucial role of empathy in relationships, particularly in the context of a married sexual relationship. They emphasize the importance of understanding and sharing the feelings of one's spouse, navigating differences in sexual desire, and the necessity of communication and compromise. The episode highlights that empathy is essential for both partners and stresses that both the spouse with higher and lower desire need to exercise empathy to foster intimacy and unders...
Aug 19, 2024•29 min•Ep. 183
In this episode, Ellen explores the complex concept of shame in the context of sex and intimacy for Catholic women. Drawing insights from St. John Paul II's "Love and Responsibility," she discusses the dual nature of shame—its protective aspect to prevent objectification, and its role in seeking true love. Ellen delves into how positive shame safeguards intimacy, while emphasizing the need to eliminate negative shame influenced by purity culture and Manichaeism. She explains how love can absorb ...
Aug 12, 2024•16 min•Ep. 182
In this episode Ellen and Kathleen delve into the highly requested topic of knowing when it's the right time to stop avoiding pregnancy and start trying to conceive. They explore the differences between the two approaches and discuss the beautiful openness couples can experience. Emphasizing a faith-based perspective, they talk about discerning God's will, the significance of prayer, and the importance of aligning one's will with God's. Through personal anecdotes and insights, Ellen and Kathleen...
Aug 05, 2024•29 min•Ep. 181
In this episode Ellen delves into the common marital issue of differing sex drives between spouses. Ellen emphasizes that every couple faces this problem at some point and highlights the importance of understanding the difference between spontaneous and responsive desire. She offers actionable advice on dealing with these differences, including improving communication, managing stress, ensuring adequate sleep, and proper nutrition. Ellen encourages spouses to stop blaming the disparity itself an...
Jul 29, 2024•19 min•Ep. 180
In this episode I (Ellen) am joined by my husband Kurt to discuss the challenges we faced during the first year of our marriage, primarily focusing on our struggles with sex due to acute vaginismus and poor communication. We delve into how these issues affected our relationship, what we learned about the physical and mental aspects of sex, and how we ultimately overcame these challenges. We also introduce a new course on painful sex and the importance of a dual approach in addressing both the ph...
Jul 22, 2024•33 min•Ep. 179
Get our FREE Download of 5 tips for less painful sex! In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway is joined by Christina Walsh, co-owner of Tighten Your Tinkler, to explore various types of pain experienced during sex and the role of pelvic floor health. Christina, a licensed physical therapist, shares insights from personal and professional experiences, discussing causes such as hypertonic pelvic floors and the impact of trauma. Together, they emphasize holistic approaches, prac...
Jul 15, 2024•36 min•Ep. 178
In this episode Ellen and Kathleen dive into the complexities of maintaining a healthy sex life during family vacations. They discuss practical tips for navigating shared living spaces, the importance of sustaining intimacy without sex, and creative ways to find private moments with your spouse. The conversation also covers how to handle charting for Natural Family Planning (NFP) while out of routine, including the use of phone reminders, habit stacking, and consulting with your NFP instructor. ...
Jul 08, 2024•29 min•Ep. 177
In this episode host Ellen Holloway delves into the topic of oral stimulation. Ellen explains the church's teachings on what is permissible and how oral stimulation fits into moral boundaries as foreplay leading to intercourse. Highlighting the importance of both male and female sexual pleasure, she clarifies that while female orgasm can occur during oral stimulation, male ejaculation must happen during intercourse to uphold the procreative purpose of sex. Get the Catholic Sex Positions Guide TO...
Jul 01, 2024•12 min•Ep. 176
Trying new positions can be a lot! Maybe you're not sure how to approach the conversation or you don't even know any other positions to try. This week, Ellen and Kathleen talk all things trying new positions in the bedroom! NOW AVAILABLE The Catholic Sex Positions Guide 48% off for a limited time! Over 70 pages, 50 + positions with illustrations, instructions, tips, and troubleshooting ___________________________________ Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommende...
Jun 24, 2024•31 min•Ep. 175
In this episode Ellen delves into why there isn't a checklist for sexual pleasure in marriage and why that's a good thing. She discusses the theological perspectives on the human body and sexual pleasure, emphasizing the opportunity for couples to learn and grow through the newness of each intimate encounter. Ellen encourages couples to embrace the mystery and discovery in their sexual relationship, likening it to the ever-evolving experience of prayer and communion with God. Interested in the O...
Jun 17, 2024•13 min•Ep. 174
In this episode Ellen and Kathleen discuss the nuances of grooming and shaving the genital area from a Catholic perspective. They address common questions around the morality of grooming, reasons people choose to groom, and the purpose of genital hair. The episode also covers the importance of communication between spouses about grooming preferences, realistic expectations versus those influenced by pornography, and helpful tips for safe grooming practices. Get the Orgasm Course for Catholic Wom...
Jun 10, 2024•35 min•Ep. 173
Today Ellen is answering a question from Instagram: My husband really resists oral, but sex has been painful for me. He's really rough. I spoke up and there's been no change. As you can see there are a lot of facets to this question and we cover it all in this episode! ___________________________________ Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommended books! Reach out at instagram.com/chartingtowardintimacy/ or email us at ellen@vinesinfullbloom.com Ready to improve ...
Jun 03, 2024•25 min•Ep. 172
In this week's episode Kathleen and Ellen talk about some common elements of lingerie. They discuss both personal preferences as well as how certain elements can fit well for certain body types or seasons of life (like postpartum or pregnant bodies!) We talk through some pieces specifically on the Mentionables website . While we reference specific pieces the conversation is tailored to style elements that you might notice in any lingerie! You can use the code CHARTING for 10% off your purchase a...
May 27, 2024•34 min•Ep. 171
Ellen addresses the struggle many women face in transitioning from their busy day to intimate moments with their spouse. Highlighting the inherent multitasking nature of women's brains, Ellen introduces the '10-minute unwind' as a method to help focus and prepare for intimacy. Check out the O Course for Catholic Women here! ___________________________________ Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommended books! Reach out at instagram.com/chartingtowardintimacy/ or ...
May 21, 2024•16 min•Ep. 170
In this episode, Ellen and Kathleen delve into the distinction between Natural Family Planning (NFP) and contraception, addressing common questions and concerns from a Catholic perspective. They explore the theological significance of sex, the church's stance on NFP versus contraception, and how these practices reflect one's relationship with God's will. The discussion covers the physical and spiritual aspects of marital intimacy, the importance of responsible parenthood, and the role of prayer ...
May 13, 2024•33 min•Ep. 169
