Couple to Couple League Northern Virginia Chapter Learn Natural Family Planning
Home Volunteer Learn NFP �spanol

Learning NFP is for:	Engaged couples to start their marriage on the right foot; Married couples to regain their marriage from contraception; Medical students & professionals to broaden their expertise; Catholics and non-Catholics (many of the world's religions have a history of rejecting contraception).

CCL offers several courses:

The Art of Natural Family Planning (ANFP)-- Basic course for couples new to NFP.  This course underwent a major revision in early 2008.  The method has the same high effectiveness and accuracy  as in earlier courses, but the rules have been simplified and the presentation technology is greatly improved. Available through classroom instruction (recommended) or a home study course.

Upgrade Class--  A one session class covering the simplified rules and new emphasis of the revised ANFP for couple who learned NFP prior to 2008. FREE to current CCL members (donations welcome). (You may renew your membership for $35 on line at www.ccli.org or by calling (800) 745-8252.  Student guides will be available at the classes for $24.95.)

Postpartum Class--A  FREE supplemental class open to any current CCL member.  You will learn to recognize the hormonal changes in the transition from pregnancy back to normal fertility cycles; how various types of baby feeding affect the return of fertility; the benefits of breastfeeding; how to apply NFP during the postpartum time; and how to make informed decisions regarding responsible parenthood and future pregnancies. We strongly recommend that couples who learned NFP prior to 2008 take the Upgrade Class first.

Premenopause Class--A FREE supplemental class open to any current CCL member.  You will learn how to recognize hormonal changes and their effects on your fertility; how to maintain good health; and how to apply NFP during the transition from premenopause to menopause. We strongly recommend that couples who learned NFP prior to 2008 take the Upgrade Class first.

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Two ways to learn NFP:	classroom instruction, home study course.
We recommend classroom instruction due to the immediate and direct interaction with the teaching couple. These courses are offered frequently at convenient locations throughout the Northern Virginia area. CCL developed the home study course for those unable to attend classroom instruction.

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Classroom Instruction

• What is it?   An English course consists of three sessions spaced about a month apart (a Spanish course consists of four). Each session is about two and a half hours long. Couples start charting their fertility after the first class. Personal counseling is available at each meeting, between meetings, and after course completion.
• Who teaches the course?   Courses are taught by CCL couples who have completed a formal training and certification program.



• What materials are there?   Course materials include the manual The Art of Natural Family Planning, a digital basal thermometer, charts to track your fertility, and a packet of additional reading.
• Is there a course fee?   The course fee is $135.
• What about future expenses?   Future expenses are minimal: less than $5 per year for charts and a thermometer battery every few years.
• How do I register?   Find a course that best meets your schedule and travel constraints. Contact the listed teaching couple. They will initially need to know your name and that of your fiancée (spouse) and a phone number or email to contact you at.
• Can I switch between courses?   While not optimum, you can switch between courses; please contact the teaching couples for both of the courses involved and let them know, in advance, of your need to transfer.
• ONE LAST NOTE: Make sure to read this.   Each column is one series, and each series has three or four classes. In series that have only three classes, the third and fourth (which are fairly short) are combined into one class at the end. Each date is not a new series, each date is the time of a class. For example, take this class:

Sep 10, 2006 Oct 15, 2006 Nov 5, 2006

Day of week Time

Name of church Church's city

Teacher Name 703-555-5555 teacher's email address

That entire thing is a series. September 10 is the first class, October 15 is the second class, November 5 is the third, and November 12 is the fourth.

All classes in blue lettering are "upgrade classes".
“Upgrade” classes are designed only for couples who HAVE TAKEN a Couple to Couple League class series or home-study course based on the Kippley (pre-2007) "Art of Natural Family" text. An upgrade class consists of only one session during which we will cover the simplified rules and new emphasis of the revised symptothermal method. There is no fee to take the upgrade class, but donations are appreciated. New student guides will be available for purchase at the class for $25. Couples who have not previously taken an NFP series or home-study course should not sign up for this class.

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Course Offerings

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Home Study Course

While we think it is best to attend a series of classes for the learning couple, we do understand that sometimes it becomes impossible for a couple to get to a series locally.

• What is it?   The home study course uses the same materials and covers the same topics as the instructed course. Assistance, chart review, and counseling is provided by staff at CCL's central office in Cincinnati, Ohio.
• How long does it take?   If the Home Study Course will fulfill your diocesan marriage requirement, you will need to allow about 5 months to complete the course. Some dioceses also require passing an online test. Please order the course sufficiently in advance to meet your requirements.
• What does it cost?   The fee for the home study course is $150. This covers the materials (same as classroom course plus self-test questions), shipping, course counseling/advising from CCL central, and a one-year CCL membership. CCL membership entitles the couple to continued personal assistance, the right to re-take NFP courses or individual classes at no charge, and the League's bimonthly newsletter Family Foundations.
• Where can I get more information?   Contact a teaching couple (see above) or CCL central (see below), or see the CCL catalog.
• How do I order the course?   Contact the central office of the Couple to Couple League International.