A few important logistical things:
- Instructional sessions are completely personal, never in a group. This ensures comfort, privacy, and the ability to tailor protocols, recommendations, and follow-up to your specific needs.
- Sessions are scheduled from 9AM- 2PM (ET) on Fridays, or at 8 PM (ET) on weeknights, via Zoom.
- Payments are handled through electronic invoice. Some HSA payments are accepted. You can view pricing information for the different courses here.
- Current clients can expect email responses to questions or chart inquiries typically within 24 hours.
Not sure what Boston Cross Check is or wondering about client perks? Click here to read all about it!
MEET OUR INSTRUCTORS
CHRISTINA VALENZUELA
Owner
Christina is the owner of Pearl & Thistle and has been a certified instructor in the Boston Cross Check method of NFP since 2013. She is currently supervising a new batch of BCC instructors through their practicum phase!
In order to round out instruction needs for the trainees, sessions booked through Pearl & Thistle may be conducted with an instructor-in-training, under Christina's supervision. Practicum trainees may also begin to see clients privately after completing a certain number of sessions and demonstrating competencies through the supervised practicum phase.
Please note: Christina is currently booking clients approximately 4-5 months in advance. She has reserved time to complete practicum clients for the trainees listed below and will accommodate those schedules as needed.
ANDREA CARROLL
2023 Practicum Trainee
Andrea is a wife and mom of three, including her Heaven baby. Since a young age, she has been intrigued by math and the sciences, and ultimately received her degrees in aerospace engineering (yes, it is rocket science!). She has been passionate about women’s fertility ever since learning natural family planning methods during her engagement. She loves to talk all things fertility and will do so if you let her! She is so excited and feels blessed to be able to take a break from her engineering career to focus on teaching NFP to members of the Church and beyond!
NICHOLE IACOVIELLO
2023 Practicum Trainee
Nichole moved to Boston from Indiana to receive her Masters of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School after her bachelor’s in Biology. She now lives in the Boston suburbs with her husband. Nichole originally learned BCC before she was even engaged to aid in her journey dealing with chronic illness and its relation to her cycles. Now she wants to combine her previous studies of biology and religion to help women, whether single, engaged, or married, grow to better understand and appreciate their cycles through BCC.
FORMER PRACTICUM TRAINEES
These instructors were former practicum trainees of mine that are now taking clients! Click the button below their bio to book with them directly.
KAILEEN BURNETT
Kaileen is a stay at home mom of two young children and has been married to her husband for five years now. She began learning NFP during marriage prep and became so fascinated with how our bodies work that she decided to become an instructor! She chose to learn, and now teach, BCC because of the flexibility of it and how it can transform to work for any woman wanting to learn how to chart her cycles.
SHIRELLE EDGHILL
Shirelle and her husband took their first course in natural family planning in 2002 during their engagement. Shirelle learned so much about her body, and began to understand how she could use that knowledge to plan her family and avoid using contraception. Shirelle became a Creighton Model FertilityCare Practitioner in 2014 and is now expanding services to include BCC. She believes the use of natural methods has taught her and her husband how to communicate and share the family planning responsibility in our marriage.
LAUREN ONAK
A native Floridian, Lauren moved to New York City to study at Barnard College and later received a Masters in Teaching from Hunter College, City University of New York. In 2020 she moved to the Boston suburbs where she and her husband are raising two young daughters. She is excited to teach Boston Cross Check because she truly believes in the beauty of God's plan for our fertility and knows firsthand the importance of clear, accurate instruction in gaining confidence in Natural Family Planning.
ready?
Let's get started! 🎉
Fill out the form below to inquire about learning Boston Cross Check with me or one of my practicum trainees, and I'll get back to you with more information shortly!