“At the end of the day, everyone should have autonomy over their own body, including the decision to have an abortion on their own terms. Be it in a clinic, at home with pills, or in the garden with their plants, people deserve accurate information to make fully informed decisions about their abortions, their bodies, and their futures.” - daena of Holistic Abortions
Holistic Abortions is a grassroots project focused on shifting the ways abortions are seen and supported in North America. Engaging in popular education, narrative shift work, and training resources that prioritize accessibility, inclusion and autonomy, Holistic Abortions is promoting decolonized models of community care that honor the lived experiences and traditions of the people having abortions.
Come learn, unlearn, and grow with trusted and experienced trainers.
Let everyone know “Abortion is an Act of Love” by sporting and supporting Holistic Abortions’ wearables. Available here!
This winter we are offering one-on-one appointments where you can ask Daena (she/they) anything you’d like. As an abortion doula, herbalist, and founder of Holistic Abortions with many years of direct experience, Daena, loves sharing what they’ve learned along the way. We can talk about building your clientele, a specific case, developing your online voice, medicine making and more. Sign up on the Learn Page
Got a specific question you want to talk more about?
What is a Holistic Abortion?
Holistic is defined as "emphasizing the importance of the whole and the interdependence of its parts." Just as we experience abortions throughout our body, not just the uterus, our abortion experiences are interwoven with our relationships, culture and identity.
Holistic care is a way to center the clients through their abortion experience, to see them as complete beings and know their abortion is not happening in a vacuum. It recognizes how systems intersect and impact access, options, and safety. Holistic abortion care understands supporting abortions is more than being a hand to squeeze. It starts the moment someone realizes they are pregnant and don't want to be. It extends beyond physical support to logistical, emotional and spiritual.
What is an Abortion Doula?
An abortion doula is someone who provides compassionate and non-judgmental physical, mental and emotional support to someone seeking an abortion. Whether in person or remote, a doula can help someone understand their options, share ways to improve overall comfort through advocacy, logistical support, and aftercare. It might be holding someone’s hand during a procedure, reminding them of medication schedules, monitoring physical symptoms, reinforcing what is normal and what needs medical attention, and helping around the home with tasks like cooking, cleaning, pet and childcare. Some people find healing in creating a ritual to help them process their experience.
How do I find an abortion doula?
Many people are now promoting their abortion doula services, and may even specialize in it. When searching in your area try search terms like “abortion doula in (state or county where you live)” or “full spectrum doulas in (state or county where you live).
When requesting support through Holistic Abortions, we seek to connect you with someone who is 1. in your state and familiar with regional access and laws and 2. holds specific knowledge or experience in the type of abortion you are seeking. We aren’t able to take every client, every time, but we work hard to get you resourced with the best care available. If seeking support, please use this encrypted form.
How do I become an Abortion Doula?
Holistic Abortions has two abortion doula trainings a year where students will learn about supporting people through their abortions, no matter their method or location. These queer and trans-inclusive trainings are two days and centered on client experience, understanding the roles of privilege and positionality between doulas and clients, and tips of improving comfort based off of personal and collectively shared experience.
I’m pregnant and want an abortion, what are my options?
First, take a deep breath. In and out. You aren’t alone. Even if you are in a state with extreme restrictions on reproductive health care or you are in a rural place that is far from any clinic or services, know that there are thousands of organizations, individuals and networks working hard to get you the care you need and deserve.
Finding the local abortion fund in your region can be a crucial resource for understanding options and limitations based on your specific situation and location. While looking up resources on the internet remember to use private browsers (that don’t track your search history) and a VPN so that your IP address isn’t linked to your identity/devise. Once you’ve taken some basic online precautions, the National Network of Abortion Funds is a great place to start to learn clinical options. If you are seeking to self-manage your abortion with medication and are before 13 weeks gestation, Aid Access provides medication abortions. Depending on your state you may also have access to tele-medicine options that can ship you medication. If you have questions or concerns about the legal status of your pursuit of an abortion, the Repro Legal Helpline is staffed by lawyers specializing in abortion and reproductive law.