Bringing the "A" -Word Out of the Closet

Glamour Magazine courageously displayed an article early this year(February '09) that will be the catalyst, I believe, for revolutionizing the way women process their choice decisions. You can read the article titled, "Abortion: The Serious Health Decision Women Aren't Talking About Until Now" here: Abortion: The Serious Health Decision Women Aren’t Talking About Until Nowhttp://www.glamour.com/sex-love-life/2009/02/the-serious-health-decision-women-arent-talking-about-until-now

The "A"- word incites an incredible amount of political and religious rheteroic. In the meantime, women of choice sit silently with no venue to grieve. Women don't talk about their choice decisions for fear of risking rejection, condemnation, misunderstanding or invalidation of the pain they might feel.

There is a natural and unavoidable grief process for choice decisions, yet there is no venue for talking about, crying or expressing any emotion about the loss. As a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I am using "vpt" ~ "voluntary pregnancy termination" instead of the "A-word" when helping my clients grieve their pregnancy losses incurred because of past choice decisions.

"Vpt" brings processing and resolving the grief connected to the loss out of the political realm into the true heart issue women face...that of grief and loss. We’ve taken the issue of “choice” off the streets and out of the back-alley. Women who’ve made the choice shouldn’t have to risk rejection or misunderstanding just because at a later point in time they are searching for closure. Women haven't been talking. Until now...