Abortion can be one of the most traumatic experiences in a person’s life.

Feelings of sadness, anxiety, guilt, anger and grief are common, not only for the woman who undergoes an abortion, but also for the man involved, for relatives, friends, counselors and even medical personnel.

Is abortion a painful part of your past? Are you still struggling to find peace months or years after the choice? If so, you are not alone... and you don’t have to carry this burden by yourself any longer.

Our Program
After the Choice (also known as Project Rachel) is an outreach program sponsored by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland. We are entrusted with a special mission to share the compassionate love of Jesus for anyone struggling after abortion.

Those who work with After the Choice understand the physical, emotional and spiritual effects of pregnancy loss. We are trained therapists, clergy and peer companions, including individuals who have personally experienced abortion. We understand the pressures that can lead to abortion and the pain that can follow. We are here to help women and men, both Catholics and those of other backgrounds, with the difficult but rewarding journey toward post-abortion healing. This journey is guided by God’s unconditional love and mercy.

Women and men who experience abortion are often led to believe that abortion is merely a physical procedure that carries no significant emotional aftereffects. Indeed, some individuals experience initial relief following an abortion. Others feel immediate and intense sadness. The pain of loss may initially be buried, sometimes for years, but can manifest itself in relationship difficulties, depression, or other psychological or spiritual struggles. At After the Choice, we recognize that post-abortion pain comes in part from a denied opportunity to grieve the life that was lost. We seek to help individuals make peace with themselves, with their children, and with God.

Guided by a spirit of compassion, we are here to serve as companions on the hope-filled journey of healing. If abortion, or any other pregnancy loss, has been a painful chapter in your life story, we hope to be of service to you soon.