​Transparency at work

Options is doing our part in ensuring women know they have choices. We help them assess the pros and cons of each choice with accurate information. Our existence is not to take away the choice of legal abortion. Our existence is to provide a safe space for vulnerable women and their families to know what each option means for them now and in the future while helping them find tools to relieve external and internal pressures. Although we are non-political, we apprciated what Corey Purdy-Smith said, a pro-choice activist from Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada, in regards to believing in a women's choice while also in believing in reducing the number of abortions women endure. “As a pro-choice activist I am always surprised to hear others talk about how much I love abortions. I’d never thought of myself as actually liking abortions, but to hear the comments of nearly every single pro-life writer, politician and activist, you’d think that I and all my cohorts just go all gooey inside every time a woman walks into a clinic. For some reason ‘Pro-Choice’ has come to mean ‘Pro-Abortion’ in the minds of our opponents and even in the minds of the mainstream public. This is unfortunate because if there is anything that both sides of the debate can agree on it is that the fewer abortions there are, the better. For the pro-choice folks this is because any woman, given the choice, would prefer to either bring life into the world or avoid pregnancy altogether rather than endure an abortion. Women only choose abortion when their other choices have failed them or have been denied them. This means that as pro-choice activists our duties go far beyond fighting for the legalization of abortion. Here in Canada, that happened 20 years ago. If legalizing abortion was all pro-choice was about, we could have packed up and moved on long ago. But pro-choice means a great deal more. In fact, pro-choice is as much about ensuring a woman’s right to not abort as it is about her right to abort” (2008). We know abortion is not as simple as what some may say. We believe it is a complex, hard, and life-altering decision for everyone involved. You can read more of her letter here: https://www.arcc-cdac.ca/pro-choice-is-not-pro-abortion/

Options is committed to providing clients with accurate information about all of their pregnancy options: abortion, adoption, and parenting. Each meeting is client-led and focuses on the information that they are seeking and the questions that they have. The information provided to our clients is medically accurate and has been reviewed by 80 specialized healthcare professionals. Before a client receives services, we ensure that each client is aware that our centre does not provide or assist in arranging abortions. Similarly, we do not assit or arrange adoptions. We respect a woman’s right to make her own decision to pursue an abortion and will not mislead or obstruct this decision. Regardless of their pregnancy decision, we want each woman to know that we care about her and are available to support her – whether with her ongoing pregnancy, parenting, adoption, or post abortion support. Options is a necessary resource in the Eastern Townships. Community agencies and healthcare professionals trust in our care and value the support given, particularly when there is uncertainty about a pregnancy decision or if someone needs support after an abortion. We ensure that we update our information according to the Quebec government, medical profesionals, local abortion clinic information, or mental health expecrts.

Options provides information on all legal pregnancy options in Canada: abortion, adoption, and parenting. We recognize that women have legal access to abortion in Canada and strive to provide information that will manage the clients expectations when choosing to have an abortion. Studies have shown that women with low coping expectations are predictably at higher risk of suffering negative reactions after an abortion. The information we provide in our options resource is vetted and approved by 80 specialized healthcare professionals to ensure accuracy. We are a Christian nonprofit and are very clear with clients who seek services at our centre that we do not provide or facilitate abortions. This is also clearly stated on our website. We add equally that we are also not an adoption agency. Many women facing unexpected pregnancies lack reliable information, turning instead to social media or popular culture, which often downplay the gravity of abortion. We believe it is a significant, life-impacting decision for everyone involved; just as the choices of parenting and adoption are as well. We strive to help women navigate if an abortion is the right choice for her in accordance with her maternal desires, moral consciousness and circumstances. Studies have shown, like that from the National Library of Medicine titled ‘Effects of Pressure to Abort on Women’s Emotional Responses and Mental Health’, that “Abortion providers should screen for perceived pressures to abort and be prepared to offer counseling and services that will help women to avoid unwanted abortions” (Jan, 2023). We seek to relieve external pressure while discussing each option with medical accuracy. We explore each legal choice available and give them the tools to be prepared to live with the potential outcomes of each. By knowing the benefits and risks, without pressure, our clients will be better prepared to make confident choices. We also extend support to women experiencing after abortion emotions, some of whom feel burdened by their past decision due to a lack of information and external pressures from the partner, family members, friends, others, or finances. We offer a safe space to debrief their experience and find peer-counselling support.

If a woman has already made the decision that an abortion is the right choice for her, we direct her to 8-1-1 to receive the appropriate information and referrals. We will also offer to talk about the abortion options so that she is prepared in her expectations to navigate the experience. We will only speak of her alternative options should she be interested in discussing them. We will also offer a safe space to debrief abortion experience thereafter.

No, we believe that we are to love and serve everyone; regardless of their faith, ideology, gender, or culture background. All of our sessions are client-led. We will only talk about our faith if the client is comfortable and interested.

Every non profit and organization is operating on a bias. We are transparent with all our clients, supporters and communications on what we believe and our goals with serving our community. We acknowledge that Christians do not all share the same belief on the morality or legality of abortion. At our centre, we train our staff and volunteers to avoid political or moral debates on controversial topics related to the choices of our clients. God teaches us to care for the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of all people and therefore we have chosen to adopt a pastoral role when working with our clients. We demonstrate the love of Jesus by relieving external & internal pressure of people in crisis. We also offer a space to talk through their own faith journey and how it impacts them; at their pace and timing. This is how we create a safe space for those considering if abortion is or was the right choice for them. Some women don’t know they have options. We are uniquely positioned to offer services to women and families in the Eastern Townships facing unplanned pregnancies, and are passionate about meeting their needs.

At Options Pregnancy Centre Lennoxville, we empower women to make confident and informed decisions by ensuring that every session is client-led, respecting their autonomy and personal journey. Our approach focuses on identifying and leveraging the client's strengths, helping them see how these can be utilized in their decision-making process. We work with them to analyze any potential pressures they may be experiencing, fostering an environment where they can openly explore their feelings. By walking through each option, we guide them with thoughtful questions to uncover their hopes and concerns for each path, considering both present circumstances and future implications. This supportive and non-directive process allows women to make decisions that truly reflect their values and desires, free from external pressures.

The pro-life movement is fighting for the rights of the unborn and the pro-choice movement is fighting for the rights of pregnant women; we value the life of both. Ultimately, we take a women-focused approach that is rooted in the understanding that our role is to address the client’s need, recognizing that she is the one who must make the choices. We amplify voices so that women know they have more than one choice and that they are not alone. We do not engage in the moral or political debates of the pro-life or pro-choice movements so that we can offer a safe space without pressure for our clients.