The Western Isles Pregnancy Crisis Support team (WIPCS) strive to provide the best support service we possibly can. We are here for anyone on the Western Isles going through any type of pregnancy-related distress, whether it’s a current crisis or longer term grief following a loss or difficult situation from the past.
The reasons people contact us are many and varied, yet they share one thing in common. They need help and support from an objective, confidential, and genuinely caring source. It is our privilege to come alongside men and women, of all different ages and stages, at a very personal, and often vulnerable, time in their lives.
We don’t take that privilege lightly. We train regularly, to keep our skills up to date and relevant. We hold one another accountable, to ensure we don’t stray from the charity’s aims and objectives, clearly laid out in our constitution. We are answerable to our Board of Directors who meets quarterly to review the charity’s financial position as well as our practice.
We seek to adhere to the high standards of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy to protect our clients and ourselves from malpractice.
We base our practice on the Egan 3 Stage Model, which is a client-centred approach commonly used by many counsellors in various settings. We like it because it works well in crisis pregnancy situations as well as in bereavement support. Each stage requires a specific set of skills to help the client move forwards.
Stage 1 -The focus, first and foremost, is on listening and clarifying the client’s situation so as to help them explore and understand their thoughts and feelings. Empathy is required, that is, putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. To do this you have to set aside your own opinions, views and beliefs and be completely open and unbiased. It’s the attitude of a servant. Esteeming another better than yourself. No room for judgment, hypocrisy, dishonesty, or manipulation. The client’s perspective is carefully explored, providing a context for the rest of the process.
Stage 2 – Further insight, exploring information, new perspectives and options. Helping the client to develop further understanding of their preferred scenario. It is not our role to direct or advise the client on what we think they should do. Rather, we are there to help empower them in making an informed choice – one they can live with. We will continue our support, whatever they choose.
Stage 3 – Action steps. Helping the client identify and explore possible strategies for action, and decide what steps they need to take. These need to be specific and within an agreed timeframe. Again, they must be the client’s goals and not ours. They need to be realistic and achievable.
Why are we saying all this? Mainly in response to the Panorama program which aired on Monday 27th February, which investigated crisis pregnancy centres throughout the UK and Northern Ireland. Their undercover investigation revealed that the majority of centres operated according to their mandate, and gave impartial advice to women considering abortion.
Yet over a third were reported as giving poor or inaccurate advice. Three of these centres were then secretly filmed by a pregnant woman posing as a client. The way she was treated was appalling. In the clips that were shown, they were obviously trying to steer the client away from having an abortion. She was told lies and given a leaflet with graphic images aimed to shock.
That wasn’t the only bias in the program. The experts went on to basically tar every centre with the same brush. The final blow came with the conclusion that while women need as much support as possible, crisis pregnancy centres are not the support that they need.
Wow. That really hurt. Never mind all the volunteers who have dedicated their time and effort into tirelessly creating a supportive, caring service for those who are distressed and suffering.
Never mind all the women, and men, who have been helped over the years because they contacted a pregnancy crisis centre. The many who recorded their gratitude and shared kind words of encouragement because they appreciated the support they received. Some of whom went on to train and help others in return.
But most of all, we hurt for any women who were mistreated and manipulated by those they trusted to help in their time of need. There are no words. Only tears. We wish your experience had been different. That your trust had not been broken. That instead of adding to your pain, you had received the gentle, loving, compassionate care you deserved.
Please don’t judge us all on the basis of what you’ve seen and heard. As we’ve said in a previous blog, there are two sides to every story. And every story deserves a fair hearing.
Meanwhile, we’ll carry on delivering the service we describe on our website and in our advertising. We clearly state that we are not a medical centre and we don’t give medical advice. If you’re looking for accurate medical information, we can explore the recommended websites with you or refer you to other agencies if required.
We want to stress that we are a support service. We won’t advise you on what to do. We want to enable you to see through the fog of confusion, and empower you to make your own decisions. That way you can develop the courage to grow, even in the most difficult circumstances.
