Hope and Healing After an Abortion: Resources

Resources for Women

Healing the Hurt (PDF) By Focus on the Family
Do you feel alone with the memory of an abortion you chose to have? If so, you’re actually not alone! Thirty-three percent of American women have an abortion at some point, but hardly any of them ever talk about it. The reason is simple. Many women who choose abortion go against their own sense of right and wrong, and this makes them feel guilty. That guilt stops them from talking about it or getting the emotional help they deserve…Thousands of women will seek and receive help this year; you can be one of them. There is no need for you to continue grieving silently. Reach out to someone who understands. You are not alone.

Recently had an abortion? 
Phone: 1-800-5WE-CARE (1-800-593-2273)
Email: [email protected]
Here are some specific resources to address your emotional and physical needs.
A resource of the National Office of Post-Abortion Reconciliation & Healing, Inc.

Project Rachel
Nationwide Toll-Free Number: 1-888-456-HOPE (4673) [During Business Hours (EST)]
It’s normal to grieve a pregnancy loss, including the loss of a child by abortion. It can form a hole in one’s heart, a hole so deep that sometimes it seems nothing can fill the emptiness. But there is hope.

(Español) http://esperanzaposaborto.org/
Número Gratuito: 1-888-456-4673
Es normal llorar la pérdida de un embarazo, como también la pérdida de un hijo por un aborto. Puede crear un hueco en el corazón, un hueco tan profundo que a veces parece que nada puede llenar ese vacío.

Project Rachel is a ministry of the Catholic Church to care for those who have been involved in abortion. The ministry provides referrals for sacramental reconciliation, and an integrated network of services including pastoral counseling, support groups, retreats, and referrals to licensed mental health professionals. In addition to the HopeAfterAbortion.com website, Project Rachel has 6 locations in Florida.

OptionLine
Phone: 1-800-712-4357
Text: HELPLINE to 313131
Option Line provides free, confidential support through a toll-free phone number, email or live chat and will answer questions regarding abortion, pregnancy, STIs, adoption, parenting, medical referrals, and more. They also provide information for friends, boyfriends, and families of the female dealing with an unexpected pregnancy.

Focus on the Family Counseling Services and Referrals
Phone: 1-855-771-HELP (4357) (Weekdays 6 AM-8 PM MT)
Focus on the Family offers a one-time complimentary consultation from a Christian perspective. They also provide referrals for licensed Christian counselors in your area.

About Post-Abortion Stress Syndrome (PTSD)
Ramah International
Email: [email protected]
Choosing abortion can be a traumatic experience for everyone involved. Abortion PTSD symptoms have many “faces” depending on the variables surrounding the abortion situation.  This page provides a list of typical reactions some may experience in the months or years following an abortion and how to get help. Rama International also provides a list of pregnancy centers in Florida that are equipped to answer your questions and provide counseling after an abortion.

Post Abortive FAQs
Rama International
When women begin to address a past abortion, many have similar questions. Ramah’s Founder, Sydna Massé, provides answers to many questions of the post-abortive woman.

Post-Abortion Emotional Struggles
Focus on the Family
Is it normal for me to be dealing with troubling emotions as the result of a past abortion? It happened years ago, but I still have a really hard time coping with my feelings.

Finding Emotional Healing After an Abortion
Focus on the Family
How can I deal with the guilt I feel over a past abortion? I thought I’d get over it quickly and move on with my life, but my remorse and regret have only gotten worse over the years. I feel trapped, isolated, and desperate. You’re not alone.

Finding Healing and Hope After an Abortion (Podcast)
Author and speaker Patricia Layton describes how God has helped her find emotional and psychological healing after an abortion she had when she was younger, offering encouragement and hope to women who are struggling with similar pain.

Resources for Abortion Healing, Leaving the Abortion Industry, Pregnancy Options
Unplanned Film

Resources for Men

According to CareNet, 50 million men in the US alone since 1973 have been involved in some way in an abortion decision and procedure.

Video: Pastor Shane Idleman regrets an abortion in his past. He says, “The emotional scars of an abortion can last a lifetime. And it’s not just women who feel the pain, the men often carry tremendous guilt as well.” Click on the video to watch Shane share a part of his personal journey toward forgiveness.

Men Hurt Too: Free Counseling for Men
Life Issues Institute, Inc.
If you would like to speak with someone who won’t judge you, in a safe, confidential environment, Life Issues Institute, Inc., will respond with the name of someone who can help — someone who deeply cares about what you’re going through. The counseling is free!

Men’s Resources | Rachel’s Vineyard
Rachel’s Vineyard welcome’s men who have been involved in any way with abortion. The organization provides information to help you to begin to make sense of your experience and assist you in your journey to healing. Rachel’s Vineyard also provides retreats for both men and women suffering after an abortion, and encourages married couples to attend as well. Upcoming retreats in your area can be found here.

Fatherhood Lost: How Abortion Affects Men
Eric Metaxas (Breakpoint.org)
It’s good that women are finally beginning to share the pain of their past abortions. But the fathers of those lost children need to be heard — and helped — as well…If you or a man you know is suffering from the loss of a child through abortion, help and healing is available.

Resources for Couples

Healing Within Marriage From An Abortion
US Conference of Catholic Bishops
With an estimate of over 56 million abortions in our country since the infamous Roe vs. Wade decision of 1973, there’s little doubt that countless marriages are suffering from one or both spouses’ involvement in an abortion…Through the help of a post-abortion healing ministry, couples can successfully work through abortion-related challenges, and God’s grace can bring true healing in their relationships.

Con un estimado de más de 56 millones de abortos en nuestro país desde la infame sentencia Roe vs. Wade del año 1973, no cabe duda de que incontables matrimonios sufren por la participación de uno o de los dos esposos en un aborto…Por medio de la ayuda de un ministerio de sanación posaborto, las parejas pueden superar sus desafíos relacionados con el aborto, y la gracia de Dios puede darles una verdadera sanación en sus relaciones. (Español)

Resources for Family & Friends

How To Talk To A Friend Who’s Had An Abortion
US Conference of Catholic Bishops
Almost everyone knows someone who’s had an abortion. Many people know someone personally who is suffering because of an abortion. If a friend confided in you tomorrow that she had an abortion, would you be able to respond in a way that brings her closer to healing? 

Casi todos conocen a alguien que se ha hecho un aborto. Muchas personas conocen a alguien personalmente que sufre a causa de un aborto. Si una amiga mañana te confía que tuvo un aborto, ¿podrías responder de manera tal que la acerque a la sanación? (Español) 

Understanding a Post-Abortal Friend
Focus on the Family
Why won’t my friend talk about her abortion? It’s obvious that she’s in bad shape emotionally, and I’d like to help her. But every time I try to broach the subject, she clams up. Do you have any insights into what she might be thinking? 

Resources for Churches & Counselors

And Then There Were None
And Then There Were None (ATTWN) exists to help abortion clinic workers leave the abortion industry. Founded by Abby Johnson, former Planned Parenthood clinic director turned pro-life advocate.

Forgiven and Set Free: A Post-Abortion Bible Study for Women 
Linda Cochrane
No matter what drives a woman to end a pregnancy, there are physical, psychological, and spiritual side effects most don’t anticipate. But there is hope. Author Linda Cochrane has been there. With understanding and gentleness, she guides hurting women to bring their emotional scars into God’s holy light where healing can take place. This 8-session Bible study can be done individually or as a guided group study. A group discussion guide follows each chapter.

Healing a Father’s Heart: A Post-Abortion Bible Study for Men
Linda Cochrane, Kathy Jones
Too often, the focus on the tragedy of abortion ignores another victim: the father. In this insightful Bible study the focal point shifts to the post-abortion father, who may feel the same guilt, shame and grief as the mother. Designed for use in a personal or group setting, Healing a Father’s Heart provides comfort and encouragement along the way to freedom from the emotions that impact their relationships with others – and with God. Includes list of post-abortion ministries.

Ministering to Women with Post-Abortion Trauma 
Dr. Deb Douglas
Women with post-abortion trauma may already be in your church, or they could be seeking help in your community, and maybe yours is the church to which they turn. If God is leading you toward reaching out to these women in particular, here are some tips to guide you in this ministry.

Men and Abortion: Media Resources
Life Issues Institute
More and more, crisis pregnancy centers are seeing men who suffer psychologically from the effects of abortion. In addition, many pro-life men want to assist these centers but don’t feel comfortable counseling women. Now tools are available for men to actively counsel men in crisis as a result of abortion.

The Impact on Men: Losing a Child by Abortion
Life Issues Institute
In many ways men and women respond very differently to the loss of a child from abortion. To empathize with a man’s reaction to this profound loss, it is important to first understand what motivates the human male species. 

Helping Men Who Have Been Hurt by Abortion 
Silent No More
Men are often not acknowledged as having experienced a loss after abortion. This may leave them confused about their emotional reactions to abortion and make them disinclined to seek the help they need to resolve their grief. However, without appropriate help, these men are likely to repress or deny their feelings and suffer in silence.

Building a Men’s Ministry: A Guide for Pregnancy Resource Centers
C.T. Coyle, PhD and Vincent Rue
As an increasing number of men are accompanying their female partners to crisis pregnancy centers, it has become apparent that centers need to minister to men as well as to women. While this need presents many challenges, it also offers tremendous opportunities for both individual and organizational growth.

Books and Movies

Unplanned (Movie)
Pure Flix Entertainment
Unplanned brings us an eye-opening look inside the abortion industry from a woman who was once its most passionate advocate.

Sarah’s Choice (Movie)
Pure Flix Entertainment
Sarah’s Choice is a thought-provoking film that deals with the complexities of abortion from a faith perspective. After finding out about her pregnancy Sarah Collins must make a final decision. She is presented with three visions causing her to think about the impact on her future.

Planned from the Start: A Healing Devotional (Book)
Lorraine Varela
This interactive devotional offers healing and hope to women (and men) who suffer from the devastating pain of post-abortion trauma.

unPlanned by Abby Johnson (Book)
After the director of a Planned Parenthood clinic in Texas participated in her first abortion procedure, she quit her job and walked across the road to join the Coalition for Life. In this heart-stopping personal drama, you’ll discover how Abby Johnson’s spiritual transformation instills hope and compassion into the political controversy surrounding this issue. Focus on the Family Recommended.

Tilly (Book)
Frank Perreti
A deeply moving story of forgiveness for a woman who struggles to reconcile herself with the memory of a child she aborted nine years previously.

Shares
Share This