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Forbidden Grief: The Unspoken Pain of Abortion
Theresa Burke with David C. Reardon

Forbidden Grief is a compelling, haunting review of Dr. Theresa Burke's experience in counselling hundreds of women for abortion-related emotional problems. Dr. Burke exposes the obstacles in the way of post-abortion healing, reviews the full range and depth of post-abortion adjustment problems, and illustrates how we can create a more understanding and healing society where women will no longer be required to hide their pain.

It's time to listen and help.

Learn the secrets that women who have had abortions tell only to their therapists, but want everyone to understand.
Understand how traumatic abortion experiences can be re-enacted through repeat pregnancies, multiple abortions, substance abuse, eating disorders, and broken relationships.
Discover how to help loved ones—or yourself—take the steps needed to find healing and joy.

Learn to Look Deeper.

Abortion causes conflict. It fragments political parties, churches, schools, and neighbourhoods. It divides families. Husband against wife. Mother against daughter. Sister against sister.

These conflicts reflect the discord that also occurs within individuals. After abortion, many women face a daily internal battle between condemning and defending themselves.

Psychotherapist Theresa Burke, Ph.D., has specialized in treating women struggling with post-abortion issues through individual counselling and group therapy sessions since 1986. Many of the women she treated had been rebuffed by other therapists who would not believe their abortions had caused such trauma. Others came to her because their family and friends refused to acknowledge the reality of their grief.

In Forbidden Grief, Dr. Burke explores the cultural and psychological obstacles to post-abortion healing. She examines why friends and families erect walls of silence around a loved one's grief and reveals how we can and should listen to those who are struggling with past abortions.

Drawing on the experience and insights of hundreds of her clients, Dr. Burke shows how repressed feelings may be acted out through self-destructive behavior, broken relationships, obsessions, eating disorders, parenting difficulties, and other emotional or behavioural problems.

Forbidden Grief also explains how to help loved ones, or yourself, simply by better understanding the nature and origin of unresolved abortion issues—and what steps will help you find healing. You'll also learn about the most up-to-date research on abortion problems, and the inside story of the fight within the psychiatric community over recognizing post-abortion trauma.

Read the introduction here. Theresa Burke is the founder of Rachel's Vineyard, an international organization that facilitates retreat weekends for post-abortive women. Check the Calendar of Events for the next Rachel's Vineyard retreat in Edmonton.

This book can be borrowed from the Edmonton Prolife office or through The Alberta Library Online.

Or you can buy it from the publisher. Ordering information here.

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