Your feelings are valid and you have the right to access understanding support.
Following an abortion, many individuals report a feeling of relief. Others experience a sense of guilt, shame, isolation, regret and sadness- all valid emotions and a normal part of grief, loss, and shifting post-pregnancy hormones. No one can predict how any one person will react and it is important to give yourself space to acknowledge and process your experience and emotions.
Your feelings are valid and you have the right to grieve the losses associated with your experience. One struggle with abortion is disenfranchised loss, meaning a loss that society doesn’t always validate. It is important to remember that, though this loss is not the same as other pregnancy losses, it is still valid. You have the right to feel, process, and receive understanding support.
Sadness, that comes as a normal part and process of grief, can sometimes become overwhelming. If after several weeks your emotions are continuing to overwhelm you, you’re struggling to stop thinking about the pregnancy or abortion, or you are unable to return to your normal routine, it may be a good idea to talk to someone. Some of our clients have shared that they repressed their abortion experience and it wasn’t until much later in life that the memories were triggered and they experienced similar overwhelming emotions and reached out for support.
If you self-identify as struggling following an abortion experience recently or in the past, RISE is here for you. Your Client Advocate can help you determine your next steps which may include exploring peer support or professional grief or mental health support in the community.
“When I had my abortion I broke my own heart.”
Hope & Healing
When you reach out for support you will find a welcoming place where you can feel safe to explore your abortion experience, share your thoughts and feelings, and determine your support goals and next steps.
Using the peer support model of care, we provide free, confidential, respectful and compassionate support individually or in a group. With support and guidance, you will use a variety of tools and activities to help connect with your experience and move forward in a healthy way.
Common Goals of Post Abortion Support Include:
- Acknowledge the loss and the circumstances that brought you to your decision to abort
- Identify the impact your abortion has had on your life
- Grieve your loss
- Restore your confidence in yourself
- Heal broken relationships with God* and others
- Honour your child lost to abortion
- Live with hope, find closure and new purpose
* We recognise that not all individuals seeking post abortion support are looking to participate in spiritual support. We respect your beliefs and can offer non-faith-based support or community recommendations that may fit your needs better.
Post Abortion Support Options
Surrendering the Secret: Healing the Heartbreak of Abortion
This powerful 8 week Bible Study helps hurting women find the path to healing and freedom through the hope of Scripture; meaningful hands-on experiences; unique journaling exercises; and a confidential caring community. This program is best done as a group but one on one support is available also.
Next group begins mid-February
Living In Colour
This 8 week recovery and healing program is designed to help you acknowledge and grieve the losses that have occurred through your abortion experience, guide you through that process and on to a healed and restored life. This program utilizes a workbook and is suitable for anyone. This program is currently available one on one.
Spiritual Support
As a Christian organization we understand the need for people of faith to work through their abortion experience on a spiritual level. If you are seeking support in this way, your Client Advocate will help you work toward healing the spiritual wound left from your abortion experience. We also acknowledge that this type of support is not for everyone and respect your choice for your journey.
No program, just a safe place to talk through your experience
Oftentimes, the first step to healing is just having a safe place to talk about your experience before starting any type of formal healing program. Many people have never told anyone that they have had an abortion experience and it can be really difficult to talk about it. If you are feeling like you need to talk to someone about what you experienced and are struggling with, but don’t feel ready for a formal program, we are here for you with a compassionate listening ear and support. You don’t have to carry this burden alone.
**Just a reminder we are not a medical clinic and do not perform, provide or refer for any medical procedure or medication, this includes abortion and medical testing for pregnancy care.
** We are not an adoption agency but can provide some recommendations for a licensed agency.
Abortion & You
If an abortion, recently or in the past, has left you with some unresolved feelings, we provide a safe place to talk about your experience, unpack your feelings and work toward healing.
Abortion & Men
Men are often forgotten in the conversation about abortion grief. They process their abortion experience and grieve differently. If you are struggling, support if available for you too.
Common Questions & Concerns
No one knows I had an abortion, I’m scared to reach out for help.
Reaching out can feel scary, but it is so worth it. We are here for you and understand the courage it takes to ask for help.
I’m a Christian and I had an abortion.
As an organization that operates through a Christian framework of practice we understand the need to explore the spiritual side of an abortion experience. We can help.
I’m not a Christian, can I still receive support?
Yes, we believe all people should have access to post abortion support and we are happy to talk with you about the programs we offer so you can decide if it is right for you. If you feel it’s not the right fit, we will do our best to make community recommendations that may fit better.
I was pressured into an abortion and I’m so angry.
When the choice to have an abortion isn’t really a choice there are a lot of complex emotions and it can feel like there is no where to turn to sort them all out. We are here to help you process and make peace.
It happened a long time ago, can I still be supported?
Of course! The pain from abortion can stay buried inside for a long time before we are able to face it. Regardless of when your experience was, you can find support with us.
My therapist/doctor/other doesn’t understand why my abortion is so upsetting, they keep telling me it was “therapeutic” and I should “get over it”.
It can be really hard for people to grasp the depth of your grief and they may not know how to help you so it is easier to brush it off.
We get it. You need to be with people who understand and don’t minimize your feelings and experience.
My partner/girlfriend had an abortion and I’m really struggling. Can men be supported as well?
Yes, of course! Abortion isn’t just a woman’s issue. Many men, just like you, struggle after losing a child to abortion. Reach out, we are here for you.
I’m scared once I open up about my abortion, I won’t be able to put myself back together.
A lot of women feel just like you. It can be so scary to talk about your experience, which is why it needs to happen safely, surrounded by people who understand and will stay with you as you walk your grief journey.
What if I need a higher level of support?
If you need more support, professional counselling, or medical support your client advocate will talk with you about it. Our goal is that you are able to process and find hope and healing and if we need to invite more support persons into the circle that’s okay! You will always be part of the conversation.
RISE supports before, during & after an unexpected or challenging pregnancy as well as support following reproductive loss from abortion, miscarriage, stillbirth & adoption.
All services & programs are free & confidential.
We do not provide any medical services. We do not provide or assist in arranging abortions, or facilitate adoptions. We are not a substitute for professional care, counseling, or advice. Click to learn more.
Centre Hours:
Tuesday - Friday, 10:00am - 4:00pm
Donation Drop Off Hours:
Tuesday - Friday, 10:00am - 4:00pm
All services by appointment only
2-6070 Hwy #7 East
Markham, Ontario L3P 3A9
(905) 472-4357 |info@risesupportcentre.ca
Business No: 888451861RR0001
Centre Hours:
Tuesday - Friday, 10:00am - 4:00pm
Donation Drop Off Hours:
Tuesday - Friday, 10:00am - 4:00pm
All services by appointment only
2-6070 Hwy #7 East
Markham, Ontario L3P 3A9
(905) 472-4357 | info@risesupportcentre.ca
Business No: 888451861RR0001