An unfortunate consequence of the politicized rhetoric surrounding abortion is that the emotional realities of people going through the procedure often get lost in the shuffle. SPIRAL MN, a doula collective that includes abortion doulas, would like to change that. “In everyday interactions we often want to quell our emotions,” says Nafeesa, an abortion doula and member of the SPIRAL Leadership Circle. “But abortion care doesn’t work like that.”
SPIRAL offers a range of services, including transportation, grief counseling, and birth doulas, but it’s the support their doulas provide during abortion procedures that Nafeesa is most passionate about. “If you’re at the head of the bed, if you’re with the patient in those tender twenty minutes, that’s what I call an abortion doula,” she says. She likens the work to that of a coach, noting that while the doula is not directly experiencing the procedure, they are there to support the patient and act as a compassionate witness to their experience. Nafeesa says, “Having that witness is really important for people, because there isn’t anyone else right there with them in that moment.”
Along with providing direct patient support, SPIRAL also hopes to combat common stereotypes about abortions. Media coverage can lack nuance, and the organization is committed to recognizing that people experience a huge range of different and equally valid reactions to abortion. SPIRAL trains their doulas to mirror the language of their patients, which could touch on themes of relief, hope, grief, or loss—or all of these at once.
Nafeesa is vocal about the importance of acknowledging that abortion is a loss for many people, even if they simultaneously feel relief and comfort with their choice. She remembers one patient who had just received a long-awaited promotion at work; the patient was excited for her future and happy after her abortion. So in the spirit of meeting her right where she was, Nafeesa cued up Rihanna on her phone, and she and the patient danced together right there in the exam room.
SPIRAL would like to see abortion doulas become an established fixture of abortion care—and for that to happen, more individuals must be trained to serve as abortion doulas. SPIRAL is looking for passionate and dedicated volunteers who can commit to 1-2 shifts at Planned Parenthood each month. Prerequisites include reliability, excellent people skills, a passion for reproductive justice, and a strong commitment to the work of abortion doulas.
Interested in learning more about SPIRAL? Visit their website or follow them on Facebook.
SPIRAL (Supporting People in Reproduction, Abortion, and Loss) is a radical collective which provides free, compassionate, non-judgmental support to the full-spectrum of people across all pregnancy outcomes and reproductive experiences with the intention of empowering bodily autonomy. We value accessibility, inclusivity, and centering the experiences of marginalized communities in order to promote reproductive justice.
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