By Lindsay Caldwell, MS, Resident in Counseling
As part of National Women’s Month, Counseling Connect has been highlighting women’s issues on our blog. This article is part one of a mini-series that will focus on the topics of women’s health and bodily autonomy. Our practice is dedicated to advocating for human rights and social justice, and our counseling approach is aligned with Feminist Therapy and Liberation Psychology (https://libpsy.org/welcome/defining-liberation-psychology/).
When Roe v. Wade was overturned on June 24, 2022, women all over the world became fearful of what that would mean for their health and safety. According to the World Health Organization, 73 million induced abortions take place worldwide each year. Now, abortions can take place for any number of reasons. It could compromise the life of an individual to the point where death otherwise could be the end result or the fetus might have any number of health issues that could also endanger the mother’s life. There are insurmountable reasons why this may occur. In the state of Virginia, the current legislation states that up to 26 weeks and 5 days is the legal timeframe in which one can obtain an abortion.
Restricting access to abortions does not reduce the number of abortion procedures, it only increases the likelihood of an unsafe procedure which contributes to an increase in maternal deaths. Unsafe procedures can lead to many physical and mental health complications such as infections or the weight of having to carry a child to term.
The most important thing to have at this time is knowledge. Knowledge of your own body and what resources are available to keep women’s health, YOUR health, a priority and a choice. The New River Valley has several clinics and funds to help those in need. The most notable is the NRV abortion access fund (NRAAF), which provides a confidential helpline that provides both financial and practical support. Below are contacts and more local resources that can help in putting your health first.
· NRAAF: Helpline (833) 672-2310
· Valley Women’s Clinic & Pregnancy Resource Center: 1016 Fairfax Street Radford, VA
Clinic: (540) 838-2138
Center: (540) 402-4306
· Roanoke Medical Center: (540) 981-1246
If you or someone you know needs help with issues related to maternity or abortion, we are here to provide objective support and counseling. Call a therapist at Counseling Connect (540) 315-1445 or contact Lindsay Caldwell directly at lindsay@counseling-connect.com.