Telling Loved Ones

Telling your loved ones about a past abortion can be a very personal discussion. For some women, sharing their untold abortion story can be an important step towards healing, allowing for their grief and sadness to be heard. An abortion can impact women in a variety of ways, but before you tell your loved ones about it, you may want to ask yourself a few questions first.

Ask yourself why it is you want to tell someone about your abortion. Are you looking for someone to relieve you of negative feelings related to your abortion experience? Or, have you undergone a healing experience and feel ready to talk about your past abortion? Is this a good time to talk with a loved one about your abortion? Or, are they distracted with something else and temporarily unable to give you their full attention for a serious discussion? But perhaps more importantly, are you doing this because it’s the right time to talk about an abortion, or because you feel you have to?

Opening up about a past abortion can be hard, and the way post-abortive women work towards healing may differ. Some may be called to one on one counsel, while others may feel compelled to share their stories through a group built on mutual support. Before you share an abortion experience with your loved ones, it may be helpful to begin a restorative journey. That way, you may be able to find a sense of inner peace within yourself before you reconcile your abortion decision with another. The healing you seek may even help you find the right words to communicate your abortion decision, granting this important person in your life the ability to truly see you and understand your grief.

Reach Out Today

If you or someone you know is not coping well with feelings of grief after one or multiple abortions, please contact the Restore After Abortion program. We offer free, nonjudgmental, and compassionate post abortion care for teens and adults. Please call or text us at 630-599-0043 to begin your journey towards healing.