Post Abortion Workshop Series
Have you ever had an abortion and wanted a space to reflect on and process your experience?
SHORE Centre is eager to offer a free 6-session online workshop series. The intention of this group is to give participants an opportunity to share and explore their diverse experiences of abortion, and it is open to anyone who has previously had an abortion. Since there can be a lot of silence and stigma around abortion, we wanted to create an anonymous, pro-choice, and non-judgemental space where participants can discuss their experiences freely.
When: Tuesdays between February 21, 2023 and March 28, 2023
Time: 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM EST
Where: Private Virtual Sessions on Zoom
Want to know more?
The group will be participant-led, meaning if there are certain topics or stories participants would like to discuss, there is lots of opportunity to do so. There will be two facilitators from SHORE Centre present, and a maximum group of 12 participants per session. You can also expect some fun and reflective exercises which cover topics such as abortion stigma and exploring feelings around your abortion.
You have the option to sign up for as many or as few of these sessions as you like based on your interests and needs. You are also welcome to turn off your camera/microphone, change your display name, and engage however makes you most comfortable. If you have any specific questions or concerns, please let us know on the registration form.
The themes we will explore together:
| Session | Topic | Description |
| 1 | Introductions and Myths About Abortion | Analyzing popular media portrayals of abortion, and discussing how these scenes may or may not relate to our experiences. |
| 2 | Your Abortion Story | Taking time to reflect on and reclaim your unique abortion story – from finding out about the pregnancy, to making your decision, to the abortion itself. We encourage you to explore and tell your own story using writing exercises. |
| 3 | Exploring Shame and Regret | Discussing how shame and regret may play a role in our abortion experiences, followed by a writing exercise that focuses on emotions which may arise when thinking about past abortion experiences. |
| 4 | Gratitude | Reflecting on how our experiences of abortion can create opportunities for gratitude – what we can gain from this experience? Creating space for new wisdom, insights or opportunity. |
| 5 | Exploring Trauma and Triggers & Self Care | Exploring triggers and how to cope with those triggers using a cognitive behavioural therapy approach. Discussing what self care means in a post abortion context, followed by a grounding activity. |
| 6 | Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights & Connecting Through Music | Considering the ways in which our experiences with abortion can be limited or expanded by sexual health and reproductive options, followed by a letter writing activity to a past member of your abortion experience. Processing abortion experiences through music, followed by an activity to collectively create a musical resource for anyone who has experienced an abortion. |
Want to remain anonymous during our sessions?
- You can keep your video turned off
- You can create new Zoom account for the purpose of attending this group
- You can change your screen name. Here are instructions on how to change your name on Zoom:
- Sign in to the Zoom web portal. Here is the link: https://zoom.us/signin
- In the navigation menu, click Profile.
- Under Profile Information, you may change your Display Name to your preference.