Abortion Counseling

[Healing Reins]

Hey guys,

So I've looked everywhere for abortion counseling and the only place that seems to do it is The PRCOCO - a pro life place. Because I can't find anywhere I'm starting to think that I will go their for abortion counseling..but I'm hesitant to do so. I know it's free, so that's good. But I'm scared they are going to tell me my choice was wrong. EVEN THOUGH I became pregnant because of my rape.


what exactly is the point of abortion counseling? (Not trying to sound rude here...I'm just genuinely curious)
What is covered during the sessions?
How does it work?
Does it help at all?

Okay that's it. ..

Thanks to all who answer

 

[a3a2]

More than likely, you will fund that the woman counseling you has had one or more abortions. Most who go into this have done so to help women who are suffering as you have suffered. They aren't there to judge. They are there to help you on the road to healing.

 

[Friday]

My understanding is that 'abortion counseling' is like 'genetic counseling' or 'career counseling' (and many other XYZ-counseling).. Meaning that it serves a very specific purpose:

- Genetic counseling isn't counseling surrounding hereditary or sex/gender issues, it is specific to informing patients about the risks of an inherited disorder if they already are, or intend to become pregnant. Like finding out your fetus will be born with taysachs (and what that will mean for them), or even before conception when both prospective parents are tested that since both have recessives for taysachs any pregnancy has a 1:4 chance of conceiving a child with taysachs.

- Career counseling isn't talking about how much your current job is affecting you, it's trying to find a field or course of study to pursue.

- Similarly, that abortion counseling isn't counseling for those who have had an abortion already, but is specifically counseling women against getting an abortion in the first place.

 

[Suzetig]

I used to be a pregnancy crisis counsellor and offered pre and post abortion counselling. The point of post abortion counselling is to help you understand the impact the abortion has had and continues to have on you, to come to terms with your decision, grieve the loss of your pregnancy and the sense of being a mother. The aim is also to help you forgive yourself if you feel in need of forgiveness and to help you think about any future pregnancy you might have - its hard but valuable work and worthwhile.

 

[Springer80]

Personally I would be worried about going to a pro-life source for counselling in your circumstances. You have made your decision. You know what you can cope with in your life. Personally, if I were in the same position as you I couldn't raise that child either.

You don't need to be lectured from someone else's moral point of view, you need to be supported based on the decision you've made to get you through this incredibly, difficult and tragic process. It's not like your insensible of what your doing.

If it were me I would go to my GP/Family doctor who should be impartial based on their professional code of conduct and ask what alternatives their are. Also, the clinic you have been referred to to carry out the procedure should be able to help. The only other thing I can think of are Mary Stopes clinics, Women's Centres or Rape Crisis advise lines.

So sorry that you have been put in this awful position and I wish you all the best in your recovery.

 

[InsideAWord]

Where are you located? Maybe I could find a more non-judgmental source for you to contact that isn't associated with pro-life groups.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Please don't go to a pro life center for post abortion counselling. They already disagree with the choice you made, so you'd be off to a bad start with them.

 

[Recovery4Me]

(((Healing Reins)))
I extend empathy for your pain and sincere sadness for your rape, then conception and hard choice.

You put yourself out here on the forum and asked for direction to receive post-abortion help. That was beautifully courageous. It is a solid step towards healing yourself and setting an example for others to consider asking for assistance instead of suffering in silence. :hug:

Peace and light within your journey.

 

[Go Hungry]

I would avoid faith-based counseling. I just wouldn't trust a bunch with that kind of agenda to provide unbiased help. I don't know if anybody has brought this up before, but I found a site called http://www.afterabortion.com/ They might be able to help suggest some alternatives to religious counseling. Also there is just regular counseling. Many practitioners have been trained for this sort of work, or could at least make a referral based on your needs.

 

[Powder]

I am so sad to hear this all happened to you. It's horrible. Only someone who has had to walk through a similar "valley" in life and has come through it will be able to offer you truly insightful and specific wisdom and Understanding.

If you go to a place where a bunch of women whose experience was based on poor judgement and not trauma, do you think they will be able to offer you that?

I doubt it. Their life is about making better choices now, growing up, getting smarter.

Your life is about healing and not allowing evil to destroy you, taking a stand, being a survivor. Unless someone there is a survivor, how can they possibly "go there" with you like you need.

Lately it has occurred to me that even the most caring and imaginative of people who want to help cannot fathom someone else's emotional traumas or real traumas. They will minimize it to protect their own psyche. Even trained people. It is as natural as pulling your hand off a hot object. They can't help it.

Survivors have been burned, sometimes very badly. So we are in a unique position to heal and extend our healing to those who have just been burned.

Rather than go to get help, you are in a position to heal and then be help to women so that someone, someone who is in need as you are now, won't be lost and have no place to go.

You are strong and able to move through this pain and trauma. It will take time, and it will force you to face yourself in sometimes scary ways. But it will be okay. And you will be able to choose if you want to heal others.

You have been tortured in a very personal and hellish way. I feel anger at your tormentor. I wish I could make it go away. But since I can't, all I can say is don't take any guilt crap from anyone, religious or otherwise. They don't know. Forgive them, but don't take it.

Muse

 

[Laura 2]

Lately it has occurred to me that even the most caring and imaginative of people who want to help cannot fathom someone else's emotional traumas or real traumas. They will minimize it to protect their own psyche. Even trained people. It is as natural as pulling your hand off a hot object. They can't help it.

I agree with everything in your post, though what you wrote here is absolutely superlative, it's a keeper quote. Thank you.

You sum up exactly my experience and conclusion. And, I would guess those of many other PTSD sufferers.

 

[Springer80]

You know I just thought I'd say, that if you're really stuck and you felt comfortable you could always post here about what your feeling. Of course there are no guarantees that you wouldn't get some anti-abortionist comments. But I for one would tell 'em where to shove it!