A friend of mine recently shared with me that she had an abortion when she was a teenager. Aside from her husband, she’s never spoken of it with anyone else. She was obviously uncomfortable talking about and quickly tried to change the subject. I want to help her, but I’m afraid she’ll shut down. What should I say?

Sharing this secret was likely very difficult and painful for her, but it may be her first step in seeking healing. AFL produces an excellent brochure, Help for Hurting Hearts that provides talking points and information about helping women and men who have experienced abortion find healing. It will give you some ideas for continuing the conversation, helping her understand how deeply her abortion impacted her life, and finding healing programs.