Sample dialogue between patient and provider about decision conflict

Provider:	What was it like for you to make the decision to have an abortion?
Patient:	It was hard.
Provider:	What made it hard?
Patient:	I'm so angry with myself for being in this situation again. I thought my partner and I were on the same page. At first, he said he was supportive, but now he's abandoned me. I feel so stupid. I can't raise a child on my own. I want to give my child everything that it deserves to be safe and supported. That's not possible now.
Provider:	I hear you being really hard on yourself. You held out hope in your relationship, but you were let down. That's disappointing.
Patient:	That's how I feel.
Provider:	What I hear is a person who has thought about her own values around parenting and what she wants to be able to give a child. That sounds like a caring, compassionate decision. You took a look at your life and decided what was realistic and what was important to you. That is hard work, and you did it. You are facing some loss and some disappointment; be kind to yourself during this time.
Patient:	Thank you for saying it that way.

Adapted from: Perrucci A. Decision assessment and counseling in abortion care: Philosophy and practice, Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham 2012.

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