After sitting down on the bleachers awaiting the start of the football game, Kathy could sense by her friend’s quietness that something was bothering her. “Janie, you are usually so enthusiastic when we go to these football games but, tonight, you have been so quiet. Is something troubling you?” Kathy…
For some women who choose abortion after learning about a fetal anomaly, their stories of grief can begin before the abortion even took place. The news of an adverse prenatal diagnosis can understandably be quite devastating. When you first learned about the diagnosis, it may have felt as if a…
Relationships can take us on unexpected journeys. They can open us to a wide set of pathways, and each of them may lead you toward a different experience. Some routes are exciting, while others present us with easy roads to travel on with our partner. But some pathways are more…
Grief can come and go as suddenly as a change in the season. The memory of a past abortion and the sense of loss that may accompany it can influence a change in temperature. Perhaps you find yourself waiting for the repetition of winter once the air starts to carry…
Some women experience feelings of loss after an abortion. It’s normal for there to be a sense that something is missing, unable to be found no matter how hard you search for it. The decision to have an abortion may have moved you in a direction you never thought your…
Anger is one of the more powerful emotions that can stem from a past wound or disappointment. Its bitter roots can extend to other negative feelings, such as resentment and rage. When allowed to fester, anger grows like a thorny weed. This weed may have sprouted after an abortion experience.…
An abortion you had years ago is something you might have kept close to your chest, like a deeply guarded secret. Your silence on the subject may have been motivated by a desire to move past the abortion. Or, perhaps you were worried that sharing this part of yourself would…
Sometimes, a significant experience in our lives can alter our sense of self-perception. A past abortion might have unearthed insecurities that were once unknown to you, or perhaps you’ve noticed changes in your behavior. The emergence of emotions such as grief, guilt, or sadness may have left you feeling disconnected…
An abortion experience can make you feel as if you have emotionally departed from your old location. As if you can see the border to a new country in the distance, and all that separates you from it is a desert. But you may be hesitant to complete the journey…
There may be a road inside your head that you’re hesitant to journey down. The path is one you’ve closed off with road signals to guide you toward a different line of thinking any time you stray too close to it, and barricades to protect you from crossing into this…