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 Support Group 
You are not aloneOne
of the most memorable things I had a client say to me about her
experience of struggling emotionally after her abortion was “ I try to
talk to my friends about what I am experiencing but it is like everyone
I tell is deaf and they cannot hear me let alone understand.”
The pervasive loneliness often for women after abortion can be profound
and this compounds and intensifies the pain she feels. I see clients
come in with nightmares and depression and within a few sessions of
counselling I see these things lift as the woman has somewhere safe
where she can share her deepest pain and have this compassionately
heard. What is done within individual counselling sessions is immensely
valuable so isn’t this enough?
For some women it most certainly is and they go on with their lives
fuelled by what they have experienced within the safe environment of
the counselling relationship, yet I have been privileged too to see
something else that greatly complements what is offered in counselling.
I have been witness to what happens when women share their experience
with others who have experienced the similar things in a group
facilitated by a skilled person centred P.A.T.H.S. counsellor.
Support Group
In the support group setting I have seen the therapeutic benefit of one
on one counselling complemented and enhanced through support group in
the following ways:-
- The woman shares her story with others who understand what
she is experiencing. She is no longer alone. There are others that she
can see experience what she is experiencing in a very real way
- The woman in hearing the experiences of others makes sense
of some aspect of her own experience that she had not been fully aware
of before
- The woman gets to hear and see how others react to her
experience is usually about what they are struggling with personally or
in what her story triggers for them.
- Tools for coping are not only discussed but also modelled
and experienced within the group. Women get to share what has worked
well for them and what has not worked so well and learn new strategies
for coping.
- With people present that are at different stages of their
journey each offers the other something. The person further through
offers evidence of a light at the end of the tunnel and the person with
a fresh experience offers the other the experience of using her
struggle to help someone else in theirs
- Women within support group get to be real with others and
still be valued and accepted in a way that they cannot do in their
everyday life
Each group would be a closed group and numbers would be limited to ensure there is space and safety to share.
Meetings could be fortnightly or monthly depending on what the group decides.
Currently Support Group in Christchurch is on hold until there are sufficient numbers.
Enquiries to Chrissie at chrissie@postabortionpaths.org.nz
Support Group in Your Area?
Note there is a support Group in
Wellington called Wildflowers.
Contact Wendy 027 254 9222 or email info@greenstonedoors.co.nz
Living in Colour group programmes are available in some centres.
Visit https://www.facebook.com/livingincolournz/ for more information
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