Don’t Tell Me What To Do

January 1, 1970

Does this scene look familiar?

You have the weight of the world on your shoulders and a well-meaning friend or relative leans in to tell you exactly what you should or shouldn’t do with your life. Really? That’s the last thing in the world you need right now. You sit there, quietly listening, but inside you want to scream: Don’t tell me what to do!

Telling you what to do about your pregnancy decision is something that will never happen at Options. We believe that no woman should be pressured into doing something that she doesn’t want to do. Our standard practice is to meet each woman with compassion and understanding with respect for her unique situation. We will never presume that we know more about you than yourself.

Here’s what we will do, though.

We’ll provide you with both hard and soft tools to help you make your best decision.

Our hard tools include free medical and ultrasound exams and referrals for follow-up care based on your needs.

Any solid pregnancy decision begins with an accurate medical consultation. How pregnant am I is often the first question women ask when they miss their period. Irregular periods or faulty birth control can make it hard to target the exact stage of pregnancy. A free ultrasound can help answer that question, and perhaps will be the most important tool in your belt when considering if you will carry or abort.

Our soft tools begin with compassionate listening. We listen in an accepting and non-judgmental way to all you are going through. Psychologists say that when we feel we aren’t being heard, we suffer. So much suffering is caused by our lack of understanding for each other, when we are more concerned with what we think and not for the other person. By listening with our hearts, with empathy and caring, our desire at Options is for you to be heard. Hearing leads to understanding and understanding leads to acceptance and action. We can help you to identify your needs and share your strengths, and to face whatever is holding you back from making your decision.

It may be hard to accept your pregnancy right now. Even though right now won’t last forever, we understand that it’s just the place that you need to be. There’s no pressure to figure everything out. We don’t offer an easy fix. Instead, of pushing back against your “right now concerns,”Options offers a comfortable place to be and rest with your feelings, fears, and even your unmentionable thoughts about your pregnancy. Consider Options as your personal comfort station en route to whatever happens after right now.

Pregnancy is a life-changing experience that can paralyze you in the beginning, especially if the pregnancy isn’t planned. Feeling alone and unsupported can make everything seem worse. We offer connections to real sources of support that can help you realize that you are not alone. We’ve been vested in the community for over 35 years and we’re always adding to our growing list of support services. If we can’t get it for you, we’ll find someone who can! Help is here if you want it. All you have to do is ask.

As with all of our services, you’re always invited but never required to accept. That’s our promise to you.

At Options, we don’t claim to have all the answers but we can help you ask the right questions that may open up a world of creative solutions you may have never considered. We are firm believers that no one should ever tell you what you can’t do. But oh, what you can do! The possibilities are endless. You can discover them here.