My Delight with Sarah Bartel
Sarah Bartel 58 episodes Oct 9, 2026
This podcast is for Catholic women who want to understand and enjoy sexuality within marriage. Hosted by moral theologian and Catholic sex and marriage coach Sarah Bartel, it offers a positive view of the body and sexuality in line with Catholic teaching. Episodes include practical knowledge, tips, and scripts for building a healthy, God-designed sex life in marriage. The show also aims to help change cultural expectations by encouraging honest, woman-centered conversations.
Episodes
Catholic Rom-Com Novels with Author Olivia Hope McCarthy
Listen to Sarah and Catholic rom-com author Olivia Hope McCarthy chat about Olivia's novels...What inspired her to start writing clean rom-comsThe importance of finding outside interests when you're a mom and how that blesses your familyHow imagination and clean romance books can properly be used to spice up marriageOlivia's watch recommendationOlivia shares her favorite of her nove
Sex is Not a Need
Have you picked up the idea that sex is a need, especially for men? This idea is false. Sex is not a need. It's a desire. Believing that sex is a need for men in marriage puts a lot of pressure on wives, and it may be one reason that many women don't enjoy sex in their marriage.Speaking as a Catholic moral theologian, Sarah Bartel refutes this claim and counters with the Catholic view on
"It Used to Seem Like So Much Work": Elizabeth's My Delight Success Story
Married twelve years with four kids, Elizabeth and her husband mentor engaged couples for the church and teach sympto-thermal NFP through the Couple-to-Couple League. Raised in purity culture, they both assumed that by abstaining until marriage, sex would naturally just work great and keep getting better through the years.It wasn't getting better on its own, so Elizabeth enrolled in My Deligh
3 Benefits to Learning NFP with Haley Yeager
Haley Yeager is a Creighton Model FertiliCare NFP instructor and the host of the Truth and Fertility Podcast. Sarah asked her what she would say to a young engaged Catholic woman who doesn't think she'll need to learn NFP because she wants to have kids right away.Listen along to learn:1. You might not get pregnant as quickly as you hope, and NFP is great for helping couples conceive. In
3 Perimenopause Tips with Rita Johnson
Sarah sits with Catholic Health and Hormones expert Rita Johnson of Divine Mercy Nutritional Care to discuss how to thrive in perimenopause. Inspired by a conversation with the Lord in Adoration, Rita created "The Perimenopause Toolkit" a week-long workshop with a talk each day featuring the expertise of one of five Catholic women's health experts who gather to share about exercise,
A Positive Vision of Sex for Catholic Wives
Catholic married women, have you ever thought that you might have limiting beliefs about sex in your marriage? Have you ever envisioned that you could experience sex with your husband asnourishingcomfortingrejuvenatingdelightfulplayfultendersweetwildand so much more! What gets in the way of these positive types of experiences? Obstacles can include an obligation sex mindset, lack of emotional conn
15 Real Couples Shared What Their Marriage Needs--Emotional Connection
Recently, Sarah invited her marriage ministry followers to reply to a simple question:"What Does Your Marriage Need Right Now"?She offered to take their marriage prayer intentions before Jesus in Adoration.Over 59 women and men answered.There was a common thread running through most of them. In today's episode, Sarah shares fifteen responses from Catholic wives and husbands. This pr
The Beach Mindset Vacation Your Marriage Actually Needs 🏝️
Maybe you don't need to work on your marriage right now.Maybe you need to rest, play, and relax more together.This creates a lush space for connection to naturally flourish.In this episode, Sarah explores why so many couples feel emotionally exhausted. They're in the daily grind, slowly drifting apart as they handle the real-world responsibilities of work, kids, household, and social com
5 Ways to Encourage Each Other Better in Your Marriage
It helps the bad times feel more bearable. It makes the good times even more joyful.Encouragement is magic for your marriage relationship. In this episode, Sarah shares how Nathan's encouragement transformed her late nights staying up creating her Catholic French language course, French with St. Thérèse. Learn five aspects to becoming a better encourager in your marriage, and learn what NOT t
Highlights from My Women's Pilgrimage to France! 🇫🇷
"I felt like I was embraced by St. Thérèse."🌹What happened on the May 2026 women's pilgrimage to France? So many gifts, graces, encounters, and special moments!Even though Sarah got Covid on the way home, she would do it again in a heartbeat. In this episode she shares many of the highlights of the experience, along with the following links for you to explore further:1. The Story of
Your Marriage Needs More AWE: Affection, Warmth, and Encouragement 💖
If you want a good foundation in your marriage for those problem-solving, conflict-solving, tension-resolving conversations, you need to build rapport and connection first with AWE:AffectionWarmth EncouragementThis concept is developed in Jim Burns' book Creating and Intimate Marriage: Rekindle Romance through Affection, Warmth, and Encouragement.In this episode, you'll learn examples fo
What about Wives Withholding Sex When They're Upset? 🤔
Is it sinful for a wife to withhold sex when she's upset at her husband? Is it unfair if they've planned to make love, but then he does something to upset her, so she doesn't want to anymore?The truth is, emotional connection is the foundation for good lovemaking in marriage. If a wife is upset, she is not in a good place to make love. She shouldn't try to force her body to com
10 Truths Every Catholic Bride (and Wife!) Should Know to Have Good Sex in Marriage
Here's the episode with all the things married women wish someone had told them when they first got married.Maybe you've been married a while, and no one ever told you. It's not too late to learn!Maybe you're a newlywed, or about to get married. You're in a great place to learn good habits early, before you settle into practices in your marriage that work against good love
Making Space in Your Brain for Lovemaking 🧠
Your brain is your most important sexual organ.As you go through your days, weeks, months, and years, you need to make space in your brain for relaxation, creativity, fun, and pleasure... if you want to have those in lovemaking.You have to learn to periodically value other things more than productivity.-Connection-Rest-Play-DelightA woman in a chronic stress state is not going to be able to enjoy
"Like Heaven on Earth": Megan Gephart's My Delight Success Story✨
When Megan Gephart first signed up for the My Delight course, her husband was deployed. She and her husband were both active duty military, and they wouldn't be together for months, but she was decided to use the time while he was away to start work on herself before.Years later, Megan is still seeing the fruits unfold in her marriage. She shares her story of the tremendous changes she made.🍍
A Husband's Perspective on Desire Differences... with Nathan Bartel
Most marriages have one spouse who is more interested in sex, and another who is less interested. This is desire difference. While this is normal--most marriages have a desire difference one way or another--it causes a lot of tension in marriages.Sarah brings on her husband, Nathan, to talk about understanding desire difference from a husband's point of view at a deeper level. Beyond just phy
The Five Spiritual Attacks to Expect While Fasting... with Denise Jelinek
When we fast, we can expect a pattern of five spiritual attacks--whether the fast is from food, behaviors like scrolling, people-pleasing, or other comforts.The enemy works in our false attachments: to things, to false gods, and to false comforts. He likes to get us to put something above God in our life, and that creates disorder.Fasting restores order.It puts God back as the center of our life.O
3 Tips from the Song of Songs for Your Love Life 🌺
It's almost Lent! Listen to the voice of the Lord speak:"I will lead her into the desert, and there I will speak to her heart." Hos 2:14So many good Catholic married women feel like there's a desert of some kind in their love life. Maybe it's a libido desert, or a postpartum desert, or a menopause desert. Maybe it's the ache of not feeling as desired by your husband a
What is Sexual Coercion? with Jenny DuBay
Making you feel guilty for saying "no."Wearing you down with asking over and over.You just want to get some sleep... the babies will be up at 5 am, so you just give in to get it over with....These are all examples of sexual coercion, which is a form of emotional abuse. Sarah is joined by Jenny DuBay, a certified trauma-informed Catholic coach, certified deconstructing gaslighting special
Nutrition, Libido, and Perimenopause with Rita Johnson
How does nutrition impact our hormones for libido and perimenopause thriving? Sarah is joined by Catholic nutritionist Rita Johnson of the Health and Hormones podcast to chat about how what you eat can impact your libido and perimenopause hormones. Along the way they chat about the power of dreaming, mindset shifts, and four high-protein breakfast ideas to anchor your blood sugar and set you up fo
🇫🇷 7 Reasons I Love France and Want to Take You There!
Ladies, this is your invitation from Sarah to join her on a "Daughters of Grace" Women's pilgrimage to France in May 2026!It's this May 4-13th, in the footsteps of St. Thérèse, her mama St. Zélie, St. Joan of Arc ("I was born to do this!"), and of course, all guided, inspired, and devoted to Our Lady. You'll pray at Notre Dame cathedral, the Chapel of the Miracul
What Should You Wear to Bed? 💕
What should you wear as you climb into bed with your husband for a lovemaking night?Sarah invites you to consider:Wearing something that makes you feel good. 1. It might feel good in terms of comfort. It might feel cozy and comforting on your skin and keep you warm. 2. It might make you feel good because it looks good on you. It's your color. The cut and fit suit you and flatter you. That&apo
Do You Need a Sex Sabbatical?🚫
What is a sex sabbatical? How do you know if you need one? What do you do during it, and how do you change up your dynamic afterwards?In this episode, Sarah shares how a sex sabbatical can be a helpful way to reset your love life in marriage. If you're in a cycle of obligation sex, forcing yourself to have painful sex, or just feeling burnt out, used, or resentful about sex in your marriage,
Our Lady and Your Love Life
What does the Blessed Virgin Mary have to do with your love life as a Catholic wife? Is it even appropriate to turn to her for help in this area, seeing as she is a virgin--the Virgin of virgins, in fact?Yes! She is the passionate spouse of the Holy Spirit, and you do not need to be shy of asking her help with this intimate sanctuary of your marriage. -Mary is the perfect model of active receptivi
Touched Out! 4 Tips
So many moms feel touched out by the end of the day and don't want their husband to touch them, especially not in lovemaking. How do you handle this?In this episode, Sarah shares 4 tips for handling that touched-out feeling that affects moms with young kids as well as other hands-on caregivers.1. Set boundaries with your kids to save yourself from some of the unwanted touches throughout the d
A Sex Book for Catholic Women? with Mary Bruno
Mary Bruno wrote Missing Pieces: Female Perspectives on Sex for Catholic Women in response to a lack of women's voices among the popular speakers and authors who are most well-known for bringing messages about theology of the body and Catholic teachings on sex and marriage.The theology and teachings are beautiful and true, but they implicitly assume that sex will be pleasurable. What if it&ap
Making Time For It When You're a Busy Mom
How do you find time for sex when you'e a busy mom with young kids?First, Sarah shares three mindset shifts, plus a bonus note on attitudes about motherhood:1. You NEED to make time for your marriage. You don't find it, you make it. You need to make time for emotional connection with your husband, and also for sex. Ideally, you want both of them together, but if you only have time for on
What Is There for Husbands? ... with Nathan Bartel
In this episode, Sarah welcomes special guest Nathan Bartel... her husband! Sarah asks Nathan about what led him to create his Holy Desires course for husbands. Along the way, they chat about:Philosophy (Nathan's Master's degree from CUA and his love of Aristotle)VirtueStruggles Husbands Face (mismatched libidos in marriage, not knowing how their wives' sexuality works, and finding
What Can You Do in NFP Abstinence Time?
If you're using NFP to avoid pregnancy (TTA), how can you thrive in your marriage with the abstinence period in your fertile window? How do you stay close? What sort of physical affection and touch is appropriate? (No genital stimulation for intentional arousal.) How can you harness the extra boost from the ovulation hormones to set yourself up for better lovemaking once you get the green lig
5 Reasons It's Worth Working on It
Maybe you're a Catholic wife with sex struggles in your marriage, but you think, "Oh well, that's just how it is." In this episode, Sarah lays out five reasons why it's worth your bother to figure out how to make things better for you. 1. You're worth it. 2. Sex is the body language of the wedding vows, so learning how to communicate the messages of love in those vows
What about Period Sex?
What about having sex during your period (as a married Catholic woman)? What are some things to think about? There are no moral prohibitions to this in the Catholic faith. Different NFP methods may have guidance around avoiding period sex if you're trying to avoid pregnancy. Some women may just avoid it because they assume it's yucky, but in this episode, Sarah challenges this thought. I
What about Quickies?
Are quick lovemaking sessions (less than 20-30 min or so) a good idea in your Catholic marriage, or not? In this episode, Sarah offers some cautionary and probing questions meant to identify if quickies are helping build your unity and connection or if they're reinforcing bad habits in your love life. She draws on quotes from Church documents to identify some principles to help you discern wh
Why Discovering Your Libido Brakes and Accelerators Is Important
What gets you in the mood? That's an accelerator. What are you libido-killers? Those are your breaks. In this episode, Sarah describes common brakes and accelerators for women. She shares some ideas for how to learn what your own personal brakes and accelerators are, and suggests how you can use this knowledge in order to optimize your love life in your marriage.Resources mentioned in this e
What Counts as Just Cause for Using NFP?
How grave do your reasons need to be to use NFP to avoid pregancy? The precise language the Church uses in Humanae Vitae discussing the kinds of reasons legitimating using NFP actually refers to "just reasons," "serious reasons," or "well-grounded reasons." The phrase "grave reason" is a mistranslation which gives the misleading impression that you have to b
NFP with a Contraceptive Mentality? It's Not a Thing.
Can you use NFP with a contraceptive mentality? Is this something to beware of? No.Sarah debunks the false worry that NFP users need to watch out for using NFP with a contraceptive mentality.She looks at the origin of the phrase in magisterial Catholic documents in its context to discover what the "contraceptive mentality" actually refers to, and points to additional references.Reference
Marital Debt is Not Church Teaching
What is this idea of marital debt? Where is it in the Catechism, or in other official magisterial Church documents? (Hint: It's not actually there!) What does a belief in marital debt do to a married Catholic or Christian woman?In this episode, Sarah tackles marital debt head-on, debunking the idea that obligation sex for wives is the teaching of the Church. She shares quotes from official ch
How to Say No (Nicely!)
How do you lovingly decline your husband's initiation of sex in a way that is still connecting and that doesn't feel like such a harsh personal rejection to him? In this episode, you'll learn how to put your "no" inside a Positivity Sandwich that affirms him and your desire to be connected in your relationship. *I address women declining husbands' initiations in this
Don't Put Your Marriage on the Back Burner! 3 Reasons to Keep Growing
The Abundant Catholic marriage course is on sale for 50% off (coupon code: JOY) until Thurs, June 10th in honor of the upcoming feast of Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin!🌹 Learn more at canafeast.com/abundantYes, life is busy... but that doesn't mean you can let your marriage stagnate on the back burner. Here are three reasons why you NEED to keep growing in your marriage and relationship skills,
3 Keys to Emotional Intimacy from Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin
In this episode, I’m joined by my husband Nathan as we share three keys to building emotional intimacy in marriage, inspired by Saints Louis and Zélie Martin.You will hear about how this saintly couple put faith at the center of their relationship, and how they stayed connected and united to each other while honoring each other’s differences. We also share practical examples from our own marriage
3 Reasons Why You Don't Like Sex (Catholic wives)
Are you not enjoying sex in your Catholic marriage? I bet I know why. It's likely at least one of these top 3 reasons that come up with women all the time in my coaching.1. Obligation sex. 2. Not enough foreplay3. Not enough emotional connectionWomen, your enjoyment of sex matters just as much as your husband's pleasure! You are created equal. Know your worth as a woman.Resources mention
Talking with Your Kids about Sex with Dr. Julia Sudusky
What can parents do to help prevent sexual abuse of their kids AND raise them to have a balanced, shame-free attitude towards their bodies? What should you do if your child keeps touching themselves? Dr. Julia Sadusky, a licensed clinical psychologist, and author, shares how Catholic parents can talk to their children and teens about sex in a healthy, helpful way. Dr. Sadusky shares practical advi
How Often Should You Be Doing It in Your Catholic Marriage? 🤔
How frequently should you be making love in your marriage?This episode is all about frequency! In it, I share about:-Quality vs. quanity-Desire differences between spouses-Spontaneous vs. responsive libido-What the Church teaches about frequency (you might be surprised!)-How to communicate about it as a couple-One Christian author's observation about frequency to consider 🔥 Free Guide to 9 Sk
Perimenopause, Hormones, and Libido with Christina Valenzuela
What is perimenopause? How long does it last? What are the signs that you are in it? How can it affect your fertility and libido? Sarah talks with Christina Valenzuela, creator of the Perimenopause Prep Course, about thriving in the years before and after menopause. Understanding perimenopause, learning how to support your body through it, and communicating with your husband about your love life t
Sex and the Single (or Dating) Catholic Woman with Maria Spears Mumaugh
What challenges do single Catholic women face as they strive to live chastely while waiting to be married? How far is it okay to go when you are dating? How does a single woman develop of positive view of sex while not actually having sex? Maria Spears Mumaugh, a musician and mindset coach, is the co-founder of The Intentional Single, which helps single Catholic women thrive in the years of dating
The Steps to Healing Past Sexual Trauma, with Catholic Therapist Dr. Mario Sacasa
"It's a marvel how resilient we are." This episode cannot take the place of individual therapy, but it CAN educate and encourage you about the possibilities for healing from past sexual trauma in order to enjoy lovemaking in marriage in this conversation rooted in hope and resilience. Suppose a wife cringes when her husband touches her shoulder in a certain way and suggests they go
Pope Francis' Teachings on Sex in Marriage
As we mourn the death of Pope Francis and reflect on his gifts to the church during his papacy, this is a great moment to recall his (surprisingly traditional!) teachings on sex in marriage from Amoris Laetitia, The Joy of Love. In this post-synodol apostolic exhortation from 2015 that capped the Synod on the Family, Pope Francis makes four main points about married sex:1. The church teaches that
Healing from Past Sexual Wounds, Regrets, and Harmful Messages
Opening with "birthday cake" analogy, this episode focuses on different ways to heal from sexual wounds, abuse, regrets, and harmful messages that a woman may have suffered. These harms can bind her up and keep her from experiencing the fullness of freedom, connection, joy, and delight the the Lord intends for her in marital intimacy. During Holy Week is the perfect time to bring all the
Pelvic Floor Issues in Married Life with Veronica Stephens
Catholic pelvic floor specialist Veronica Stephens returns to discuss how pelvic floor issues can show up in married life. So many challenges can be addressed through pelvic floor work, including painful intercourse, incontinence, constipation, and possibly even erectile dysfunction (ED). (Yes, men can get pelvic floor help as well!) A healthy functioning pelvic floor also prepares a mother for be
10 Resources for Getting the Porn Out, Healing Betrayal Trauma, and Rebuilding Authentic Intimacy
Before you can effectively to anything else to improve your love life in marriage, you have to get the porn out. Sarah shares 10 resources, programs, and tips to help husbands get free, to help wives heal from betrayal trauma, and to help married couples rebuild their intimate life.If you wanted to redecorate your living room, but there was a fire in it, you'd have to put out the fire before
Pelvic Floor Health for Engaged Women and Newlyweds, with Veronica Stephens
What do newlywed and engaged women need to know about their pelvic floor as they enter into marital intimacy? Sarah is joined by Catholic pelvic floor specialist Veronica Stephens of RenewedResilience.net. They cover the basics of what a healthy, functioning pelvic floor should be able to do, as well as a few of the problems that can arise when the pelvic floor doesn't function properly--prob
7 First Time Tips for After the Wedding with Ellen Holloway
Sarah and her amazing friend Ellen Holloway of the Charting Towards Intimacy podcast share 7 tips for engaged women preparing for their first time after the wedding. They chat about setting expectations for yourself and with your husband-to-be, what essential items you are going to want to have on hand, butterflies in the stomach, the supreme importance of FOREPLAY, being like a flower, lingerie,
Taking it from Good to Great while Raising Eight Kids...with Kristen
Sarah speaks with My Delight alum Kristen, mother of eight, who shares her story of her and her husband's conversion, as well as how she grew through the My Delight course. Kristen felt pretty good about their love life before, but experienced insights, growth, learning, and increased connection with her husband. She shares what new evening routine they've developed that's been a ga
Self-care and Body Image with Denise Jelinek of Weight Loss with the Holy Spirit
Sarah and Denise talk about self-care and body image. Denise a Catholic weight loss coach who helps women turn to God instead of food through her Weight Loss with the Holy Spirit program, 63 Surrendered program, and Restored Lent Challenge. Restored helps women surrender to God, not the scale.Denise shares about how authentic self-care is not about expense and luxury--it's a sacred activity
What I Learned in the My Delight Course with NaPro Providor Jessica Whelan, ND
What is it like to go through My Delight as a happily married newlywed with a good love life? Is there still more to learn? Sarah chats with Dr. Jessica Whelan, a naturopath specializing in hormone health who is also a certified Creighton model FertiliCare NFP instructor and NaPro providor. They discuss being the higher-desire spouse, enjoying lovemaking while struggling with infertility and tryin
How to Talk About Sex with Your Spouse with Monica Ortega
Do you ever feel embarrassed when it comes to talking with your husband about lovemaking? Do you know how to ask for what you need... or communicate if something feels "meh" ... or even worse, hurts? Monica Ortega, co-host with her husband Renzo of the Two Become Family podcast, chats with Sarah about the book she and Renzo wrote: Lovemaking: How to Talk About Sex with Your Spouse. As a
Advice for Newlyweds: What Every Catholic Woman Should Know About Sex with Bridget Busacker, Part 2
Intimacy Insights for Brides-to-Be and Newlyweds: Expert Advice from Bridget Busacker, part 2 of 2.In this episode, I continue my interview with my lovely friend Bridget Busacker, founder of Managing Your Fertility. We chat about what we would tell newlywed or engaged women about sex and marriage. Join us as we imagine taking a bride-to-be out for coffee and consider what we would tell her about i
Advice for Newlyweds: What Every Catholic Woman Should Know About Sex with Bridget Busacker, Part 1
Intimacy Insights for Brides-to-Be and Newlyweds: Expert Advice from Bridget BusackerIn this episode, I interview my lovely friend Bridget Busacker, founder of Managing Your Fertility, to chat about what we would tell newlywed or engaged women about sex and marriage. Join us as we imagine taking a bride-to-be out for coffee and consider what we would tell her about the importance of communication,
How I Got Started Helping Catholic Wives with Sex, with Ellen Holloway
Ellen Holloway interviews host Sarah Bartel about how she got started helping Catholic married women improve their sex lives. She also interviews Sarah about her My Delight course for Catholic women. They talk about what happens inside the course and who the course is for. 👉 DOWNLOAD THE FREE GUIDE:Enhancing Marital Intimacy: 9 Skills for Mind, Body, and SpiritOr you can get your name on the My De
Recommended
Solved Murders - True Crime Stories
Old Time Radio - Gunsmoke
ESPN SportsCenter Update
Back to the 80s Radio
Heaven’s Gate Academy
Deadline: White House
The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio| Daily Mystery Dramas
TED Business
Ranger Bill | Old Time Radio Adventure & Family Drama
زن بودن
Christmas Old Time Radio
The Adventures of Superman | Old Time Radio
