Catholic Medical Quartery Vol 76 (1) February 2026

Teaching Natural Family Planning on-line in Australia

Jess Dzierbicki

The development of Natural Family Planning in Australia has evolved from being confined to religious communities to now a broader, more accepted method of fertility charting and family planning.

In recent years, there has been an increase in NFP interest among Australians. A study by Family Planning NSW discovered a 4.5% decline in the use of contraceptive pills among Australian women between 2008 and 2015, suggesting a shift towards alternative methods such as NFP.

I discovered NFP in 2016, and before becoming certified, I began sharing it with all of my friends and family. What I quickly discovered was that either they had never heard of NFP, or they knew someone who ended up accidentally pregnant trying to use NFP. What I then discovered was that they weren’t following NFP rules and were instead using the outdated Rhythm Method.

This is where my determination came from to become certified and start teaching. I have always been passionate about holistic health, and this passion was especially personal because I have struggled with Polycystic Ovary for years. I found relief and balance through Chinese medicine, which played a role in helping me manage my symptoms. This sparked an interest that led me to pursue a Bachelor of Health Science in Chinese Medicine. I was drawn to its wisdom, its deep respect for the body, and its natural approach to healing.

But as much as I loved Chinese medicine, my other passion kept calling to me - NFP. I realised that many women, like me, were looking for alternatives to hormonal birth control and were increasingly curious about how they could take control of their reproductive health through natural methods. This was when I decided to become certified with NFPTA, balancing it alongside my degree in Chinese Medicine.

In April 2019, I received my NFPTA Part 1 certificate. I remember feeling a rush of excitement and accomplishment. It was a pivotal moment, but I knew that my journey was far from over. The following months, I taught my practicum clients whilst studying full-time. During this time, I also created an Instagram page dedicated to NFP and began sharing my knowl­edge, experiences, and tips. Slowly but surely, my page started to gain traction.

As I posted more content, I noticed people were genuinely curious about NFP. Many were tired of the side effects and complications of being on hormonal birth control and were seeking an alternative. Some were just beginning their journey to learn about their fertility, while others had been struggling with hormonal issues, like PCOS, and were looking for answers. My following started to grow, and so did the number of inquiries. Every couple of months, I received messages from people who wanted to learn more or book a consultation. It was an exciting experience teach­ing NFP, and earning a small income while still studying full time. It felt like a dream come true.

But as with all good things, my journey took an unexpected turn. In March 2020, the world came to a halt as COVID-19 spread across the world. Where I live (Melbourne, Australia) went into lockdown. What started as a temporary measure turned into the city enduring six separate lock-downs between March 2020 and October 2021 ­ a total of 262 days in lockdown. It was an incredibly challenging time for everyone. Universities closed, and in-person classes were cancelled. I was at a point in my Chinese Medicine degree where I needed to complete hands-on practicum hours for my studies. But with everything shut down, it became difficult to continue my studies.

I made the decision to defer my studies and pivot my focus entirely to teaching NFP online. It was a bold move, but it felt right. During lockdown, people were spending more time than ever online, and I saw an opportunity to grow my reach and share my knowledge with a wider audience. I had already built a small but engaged community on Instagram, and now I had the time to invest fully in growing my online presence.

Over the following years, my Instagram page exploded in growth as more people searched for topics such as natural birth control, menstrual health, and NFP became even more relevant as women sought alternatives to hormonal contraception.

I offered online consultations and then went on to create a group course that I run a few times a year. I would still love to create in-person work­shops now that we are well beyond COVID-19.

Looking back, I’m grateful to see how everything fell into place. The combination of my NFP cer­tification, my background in Chinese medicine, and the global shift to online learning created a happy accident for my business to take off.

While it seemed daunting at first to put myself out there, to teach clients, and to figure out all the logistics, one thing I’ve learned is that success doesn’t happen overnight. It’s the small, consistent actions that make all the difference.

The key is to keep showing up, even when it feels like you’re not getting immediate results. Growth takes time.

So, if you’re sitting on the fence, wondering whether you can start online teaching, let this be your sign that you have what it takes. The world needs you, and it needs NFP!

This article was first published by the National Association of Natural Family Planning Teachers.