Client Advocacy

Health Care > Abortion Care > Client Advocacy

Every employee is charged with the responsibility of advocacy.
All Feminist Women's Health Center Cliff Valley Clinic employees are charged with the responsibility of advocacy. In addition, the counselor's role during an abortion appointment is specifically to advocate for the woman, as set forth in the following:

• Support the woman in any choice she makes about her pregnancy;
• Help her plan how to communicate her choice to appropriate people;
• Help the woman choose the medications or anesthesia that will be best for her;
• Correct any erroneous information the woman has about the procedure, her body, or birth control;
• Answer all of the woman's questions with patience and respect;
• Advocate and support the woman during the surgical portion of the visit; and
• Inform each woman she needs to be aware of any last minute change of decision, and encourage her to speak up if she changes her mind or becomes confused.

How does self-help provide women with the tools to take charge of her body?
Since 1977, self-help is part of the mission of the Feminist Women's Health Center. Self-help is the idea that a woman, armed with knowledge of her human sexuality and development, GYN care, and birth control, will take charge of her body, her reproduction, and therefore her life.

Our health care approach and counseling program include answering all questions and empowering the woman with information about her body and her health. For example, in an abortion appointment, the counselor explores, if needed, what the woman wants to use as birth control, inform her of the various methods, their pro's and con's, compatibility with the woman's lifestyle, effectiveness, and relative risks. Another example is during a gynecological exam, the nurse practitioner will not only perform a clinical breast exam but will also assist the woman in performing a self-breast exam, so that she is empowered to take care of her body.