Support Sites, Counselors and Groups
Finding Help
We’ve put together a list of support sites, groups, and counselors that have experience helping grieving parents in the healing process of terminating a wanted pregnancy. If you know of other support sites, groups, or counselors in the U.S. or Canada, please reach out to share the information.
General Support Sites, Counselors and Groups
Ending a Wanted Pregnancy private support group
Termination for Medical Reasons at Babycenter
All Options judgment-free support hotline (formerly “Backline”)
Connect and Breathe non-judgmental after-abortion talkline
The TFMR Doula: 1-on-1 support and private support group
National Society of Genetic Counselors
National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.
Still Standing online magazine
Exhale ProVoice (limited support July 1st through October 1st)
Crisis Text Line (general mental health)
Center for Loss and Life Transition
ARC (Antenatal Results and Choices)
Local Counselors and Support Groups: United States
Arizona
Phoenix: Phoenix Perinatal Associates
Nicole Weston, MS, Genetic Counselor at (602) 528-0060 x561
California
Oakland: Beyond Choice, Genetic Support Group
Contact Jeanne Menary, PH.D. (510) 845-4656 or Ann Bourguignon, Genetic Counselor, (510) 752-6755
San Francisco: California Pacific Medical Center
Contact Kerstin Spangner, Genetic Counselor, at (415) 600-2628
Stanford: Surviving Painful Decisions
Genetic Support Group at Stanford Medical Center, Call (415) 723-5198
Colorado
Denver: Difficult Decisions—A Time to Heal.
Email dr.kathleenkennedy@me.com
Connecticut
Farmington: HOPE
University of Connecticut Health Center, Genetics MC-6310, Farmington, CT 06030
Contact Leslie Ciarleglio, MS or Alicia Craffey, MS
Georgia
Atlanta: A Time to Heal
Northside Hospital, 1000 Johnson Ferry Road, Atlanta, GA 30342
Contact Cathy Wing or Barbara Douglas at (404) 851-8177
Illinois
Chicago: Support Group for Prenatal Decisions
Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, 2650 Ridge Avenue, Evanston, IL 60201
To register, Contact Nancy A. Goldin, L.C.S.W., Coordinator for Perinatal Loss, at (708) 570-2883, ngoldin@enh.org
Group meets the 4th Wednesday of each month from 7:30 9:00 PM
Indiana
Indianapolis: Shared Concerns Support Group
Co-sponsored by Indiana University Hospital and Methodist Hospital of Indiana
Contact Jane Heustis at (317) 929-8153 or Lynn Deardorff (317) 274-1639
Iowa
Des Moines: Prenatal Decision Conference
Iowa Methodist Medical Center, 1200 Pleasant, Des Moines, IA 50309
Contact Linda Bets, Department of Chaplaincy at (515) 241-5845
Iowa City: Prenatal Loss Support Group
Duffy and Associates, 1039 Arthur Street, Iowa City, IA 52240
Contact Alison Milburn at (319) 337-9649
Maryland
Bethesda: Licensed Psychologist
Rachel E.K. Freedman, Ph.D.
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 529-6944
Groups meetings are held on some Saturdays and Thursday evenings for individuals and couples who have terminated a pregnancy for medical reasons
Rockville: Julie Bindeman, Psy-D
5818 B Hubbard Drive, Rockville, MD 20852 (301) 801-6775
drbindeman@gmail.com; drjulieb.com
Massachusetts
Boston: G.O.A.L. (Going on After Loss)
Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115
Contact Laura Lubetsky, L.I.C.S.W. at (617) 732-5500 ext. 32214
Boston: Boston Metrowest: Listening, Reflecting, Healing
Individual and group support services
Contact Mary-Frances Garber, MS, CGC at (781) 366-5300
Licensed Genetic Counselor, http://www.listeningreflectinghealing.com
Springfield: Prenatal Decision Support and Information Group
Baystate Medical Center, Women & Infants’ Unit, 759 Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA 01199
Contact Karen Banta, MSW at (413) 784-5402
Michigan
Ann Arbor: SHARING – Support and Healing After Difficult Decisions
Open meeting held every third Wednesday of the month from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan – East Ann Arbor Health Center. RSVP required.
Call (734)-615-0322 or (734) 936-9758
East Lansing: Genetics Support Group
Michigan State University, B-240 Life Sciences Building, East Lansing, MI 48824
Contact Tonya Diehn or Susan Selke at (517) 353-2030
Minnesota
Minneapolis/St. Paul: Perinatal Center
Abbott Northwestern Hospital, 800 E. 28th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55407
Contact Joanne O’Leary, Shari Baldinger or Bonnie Hunt at (612) 863-4502
Rochester: (SE Minnesota and SW Wisconsin area): Mayo Perinatal Loss Support Group
Rochester Methodist Hospital, C/O Jeri Sehl, 3W-20 Eisenberg Building, Rochester MN, 55902, Phone (507) 266-7360
New Jersey
Long Branch: HART-Healing And Recovering after Termination
Monmouth Medical Center, 255 3rd Ave. Long Branch, New Jersey 07740.
Contact Judy Rokeach or Ivy Leight (732) 923-6527
Summit: FATE Feelings After the Termination Experience
Center for Human & Molecular Genetics, 90 Bergen Street, Suite 5400, Newark, NJ 07101
Contact Gisela Rodriguez at (973) 972-3302, rodriggi@umdnj.edu
New York
Albany: St. Peter’s Hospital
Contact Maureen Cavanagh, (518) 525-1388
Long Island: Winthrop University Hospital
259 First St. (516) 663-2288 or (516) 742-2934 Anna Orologio, A.C.S.W. We provide support groups for AHC and individual counseling
New York City: Mount Sinai Medical Center
1 Gustave Levy Place, New York, New York 10029
Contact Laurie Chameides at (212) 241-4685
New York City: Painful Choices in Pregnancy Support Groups
30 E. 60th Street, Suite 802, New York
Contact Joann Paley Galst at (212) 759-2783
Suffern: Good Samaritan Hospital
Rt. 59, Suffern, NY 10901
Contact Pamela Magi, RN at (845) 368-5297. Serves Rockland, Westchester, Orange, Ulster and Putnam counties in New York state and Bergen and Passaic counties in New Jersey
Watertown: Samaritan Medical
830 Washington Street, Watertown, NY 13601
Contact Sheila Marie at (315) 785-4184 or (315) 785-4182
Williamsville: Precious Lives (Caring Arms Support Circle)
Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, 1540 Maple Road, Williamsville, New York
Contact Kathleen Skipper, R.N.C. at (716) 568-6653
North Carolina
Fayetteville: SHARE
Fayetteville Diagnostic Center, 1767 Metromedical Drive, Fayetteville, NC 28304.
Contact (910) 323-2209 on Tue/ Thur or (910) 487-2986 (Mon/ Wed/Fri). FAX (910) 323-9860
Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill: HOPE (Helping Other Parents Endure)
Contact Carla Boor Smith or DJ Pappas at (919) 966-2229
Ohio
Cincinnati: SHARED (Shared Help After Reproductive Decisions)
Children’s Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039.
Contact Martha Walker at (513) 559-4798
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia: A Time for Healing
Sunday evenings, 2nd or 3rd of the month, 7-9 pm, 191 Presidential Boulevard, Suite 133-135, North Building, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, (215) 955-0605
Greater Philadelphia Area: Erica Goldblatt Hyatt, DSW, LCSW: Mobile In-Home Therapy (serving Northeast Philadelphia/Montgomery/Bucks County) or Skype Sessions (Throughout PA only): doctor.Erica@icloud.com
Society Hill, Philadelphia Office: The Center for Growth, therapyinphiladelphia.com or (215) 922-5683
Judith McCoyd, LCSW, is 9 Union Avenue, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 610-284-2287
Pittsburgh: Unexpected Choices
Contact Bev Tenenholtz, MS at (412) 578-7346
Pittsburgh: Unexpected Choices
320 E. North Avenue, Department of Human Genetics, 11th Floor, South Tower, Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA 15212
Contact Darcy L. Thull at (412) 359-6388
Rhode Island
Providence: SHaRe (Support, Healing and Reflection)
Contact: Jacky Halliday, Women and Infants Hospital, (401) 453-7510
Texas
Austin: HOPE (Helping Ourselves through this Pregnancy Experience)
Applied Genetics, Inc., Contact Melanie Casal at (512) 443-4363
Houston & The Woodlands/Spring: The Center for Postpartum Family Health
CPFH Central: 3418 Mercer St. Suite 100, Houston, TX 77027
CPFH North: 26411 Oak Ridge Drive, The Woodlands, TX 77380
Contact Tracy L. Morris, MS, LMFT-Associate at (325) 261-3566 or (713) 561-3884
Washington
Seattle: Start Where You Are
UWMC Maternal Health Programs, Seattle WA.
Contact Teresa W., teresaw@u.washington.edu or 206-598-7561
Local Counselors and Support Groups: Canada
British Columbia
Vancouver: Empty Cradle
52548 RPO Coquitlam Centre, Coquitlam, BC V3B 7J4 Canada.
Contact Patty Lou Bryant at (604) 469-1272
Ontario
Mississauga: Wednesday’s Child
RR #2, Erin, ON N0B 1T0.
Contact C. Lynn Wilson at (519) 833-2442
North York: North York General Hospital
Department of Clinical Genetics, 4001 Leslie Street, North York, ON M2K 1E1 CANADA.
Contact Andrea Shugar at (416) 756-6345