Abortion and Options Counseling: A Comprehensive Reference

Anne Baker's book is a comprehensive and useful information source. It belongs on the reference shelf of every abortion provider and every person who counsels women considering abortion.

I have worked in an abortion clinic for over twenty years and Anne Baker's work is required reading for all new counselors on our staff. In addition her book is an excellent resource for the seasoned counselor. Her expertise and sensitivity in dealing with a host of patient issues relating to abortion becomes apparent in the first few pages of this manual. She also manages to provide useful guidelines to help clinic staff deal with the special stresses involved in working in an abortion clinic.

Living in a society that incorrectly but routinely equates Christianity with disapproval of all things sexual, a society that too often silences education and honest, thoughtful, dialogue, often in the name of religion - it is especially refreshing to read Anne Baker's comprehensive book. Apparently for years she has humbly listened to countless women and now makes their lives and their struggles - including their spiritual lives and religious struggles- come alive for others. This book is a rich resource for clergy of all faiths who want to respond wisely and compassionately to women's and family's pleas for guidance related to decisions about abortion and childbearing.

Covers all aspects of counseling women who are facing an unplanned pregnancy, written from a perspective that respects the choice of women. Covers everything from "options counseling," which presents all possible options a woman may have to choose from, to providing support for a woman who has chosen to have an abortion, to dealing with specific difficult cases. The author writes with knowledge and the personal experience of working in a clinic for many years. I was very impressed with its detail and thoroughness.