New Life Family Services’ Conquerors program has formed a new partnership with a local organization that works with people struggling with drug and alcohol abuse. Recovery counselors say it’s a fitting partnership for the Conquerors post-abortion restoration program to serve at an addiction recovery center.
“Many times women think having an abortion didn’t affect them, but we’ve seen again and again that there is often a trauma in their past, that is this black hole they can’t seem to get out of; very often there was an abortion in their past,” said Brenda, a counselor at the Minnesota recovery program.*
One woman, Melissa who was going through the recovery program after a decade-long fight with alcohol addiction, realized when she went through the Conquerors program, she found much of her despair stemmed from an abortion she had three years earlier.
Conqueror’s Staff Member Cathy (L) & Melissa (R)
“Back then, I was so lost and so broken. And I thought if I got pregnant that would be something,” said Melissa. But when she did get pregnant with the baby of another recovering-addict, she felt trapped and unprepared to raise the child.
“I was in shock. Immediately I was like ‘this was not really what I wanted to happen,’” said Melissa. She scheduled an appointment for an abortion. Following the abortion Melissa found herself turning to drugs and alcohol to numb the pain and ended up in a drug and alcohol recovery program.
Friends in her program told her about Conquerors, a 12-week group program that is offered onsite three times per year, so she signed up. The first day in the Conquerors group Melissa realized she never admitted that her abortion was a mistake, she had never shed a tear for her baby.
“I just broke and cried like I’ve never cried in my life. I think everyone has a moment in the process of having an abortion where there’s something that stuck out, that just broke their heart,” said Melissa.
Brenda, one of the counselors, believes through the Conquerors counseling sessions, many relapsing addicts are forced to stare down their past, and often God speaks love in those moments.
“A big part of recovery is facing the lies that you believe and coming to a place of transparency before God,” said Brenda. “To see God’s love, healing and forgiveness on the other side is a powerful thing.”
“It’s beyond words the amount of freedom that I have. It’s unbelievable, I have such a confidence in God to be able to bring me through things,” said Melissa. “I would never have been able to get through it on my own, I would have quit.”
During the Conquerors program, Melissa says many light bulbs went off as to the correlation between addiction and abortion, calling them inseparable. And Brenda agrees this is a worth-while partnership for all women facing addiction.
“I see this as absolutely vital to recovery for any female who has gone through abortion and wants to walk free, not just from the addiction, but freedom emotionally and spiritually as well,” said Brenda.
View Melissa’s Full Story:
Conquerors provides support for women and men who have had an abortion and are struggling with the pain of that experience. Through group sessions or one-on-one mentoring, participants work through curriculum based on Biblical principles in a safe and confidential setting. To learn more about Conquerors or bring a Conquerors group to your church or non-profit, visit www.conquerorsafterabortion.org.
*name changed for client confidentiality
