Healthy Love started in 1993, in my hometown of Kansas City.  Through talking to various people in the community, I discovered that there was a strong need for good abstinence education.  I had myself practiced abstinence before marriage, and I have a degree in education -- in music -- so I took my own experience, did some research, and attempted to develop a step-by-step program that would be positive and reasonably easy to follow.

I had a hard time finding materials that I felt comfortable using.  I wanted to celebrate life, to teach about the joys of growing to maturity and preparing for a lifetime of happiness with one's mate.  Most of the materials available focused a lot on AIDS, STDs, pictures of people with disgusting sores, and warnings of all the dire things that would happen if a person dared to have sex.

Since I couldn't find materials I was comfortable with, I made my own.  I took it as a challenge to find a positive way to promote abstinence, which began with finding another term for it, since "abstinence" is pretty darn negative, isn't it?  Instead of talking about what we're not doing, (not having sex), let's talk about what we ARE doing -- learning to love in the most healthy way possible!  Health - Love - Healthy Love!

I had intended to begin a full-fledged program and speak in schools and work directly with young people, but four years ago my youngest child was diagnosed with autism, a developmental disability.  My husband and I have had to give up most of our outside interests -- at least for a while -- in order to attend to his needs as well as giving proper attention to our other two children.

My main activity at this point is to maintain my web page as a resource and to produce and sell the materials for others to use.  I try to give as much advice and encouragement as I can to people who are working in the field.

I want to say thanks to my friend Starlene, who put my Question & Answer booklet on her home page a year ago, and has faithfully maintained it there ever since.  (Visit Starlene, but don't forget to come back!!!!)

This is not the fanciest web page in the world, and you may find a few bugs (let me know and I'll fix them), but I hope that you will find useful information here.  Please email me with your comments and suggestions for improvements.