SUPPORTS
We provide free and confidential services in a compassionate, no pressure environment. Our programs are focused on supporting clients, not influencing their decision.
Pregnancy Test
Taking a pregnancy test can feel overwhelming, especially when the pregnancy is unexpected. You might have concerns about privacy or what the next steps should be if you are pregnant. We provide a free pregnancy test in a confidential supportive environment. You don’t have to face this situation alone. We are here for you.
Contact us for an appointment.
Trained Support Workers
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In a perfect world, when facing an unintended pregnancy, family and friends would be a support. But that doesn't always happen. Many women feel alone and are afraid of being judged for their situation. At First Step Options, our trained support workers offer compassionate non-judgmental space for you to be heard, cared for, and supported. Our support workers do not have degrees in counselling, nor are they licensed by the province; Therefore, the support provided is not intended to substitute for counselling.
Support Workers do not limit a woman's right to choose but seek to provide a safe place where you can work through the pressures you're facing and be empowered to make an informed choice.
You choose. It's part of the "choice platform" here at the Centre that should exist to ensure no woman is pressured into a pregnancy decision she does not want.
Contact us for an appointment
If you are facing an unintended pregnancy situation, you might be aware of your options parenting, abortion or adoption but you might not be able to picture how each option might look in your own life.
Some questions you may want to ask yourself:
• How will my choice affect my physical health, emotional health, mental health and future?
• Who in my life genuinely cares about me and wants the best for me?
• How will I feel about my decision in 1 month, 1 year, and 5 years?
Unintended pregnancy brings many challenges and no two situations are the same. It’s important you have a safe place to share how you’re feeling and understand your options. That’s what you’ll find at First Step Options a place where you can sort through your emotions, ask questions, and receive accurate information without any pressure or expectation. Regardless of your situation or what you decide, we are here for you and can provide the help and support you need.
Contact us to make an appointment.
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Options Exploration
First Step Options is dedicated to helping women and their partners explore all pregnancy options; giving access to accurate information and the space and time needed to make a well-informed decision. First Step Options does not provide or assist in arranging for abortions.
Ongoing Support
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Taking a pregnancy test is just the beginning of a journey. Deciding which course of action to take can be a difficult process for many people. It is helpful to have a supportive and confidential place to talk about your feelings and your unique situation. We provide ongoing emotional support to you as you take the time to consider your options. We are also happy to talk with and listen to the significant people in your life who may be helping you as you face this decision.
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We continue to provide support, no matter which option you choose. If you choose to parent, our team provides education and support opportunities through BrightCourse covering topics from pregnancy to parenting and beyond, as well as emotional support throughout the journey. Parenting isn’t always easy, but with positive support, you can thrive!
If you make an adoption plan, our Centre provides support to prepare for birth, for the adoption process and support to process the feelings you may face post-adoption.
If you choose to have an abortion, we offer a safe and confidential place to talk about your experience and emotions. We also offer abortion reversal referral. If you have taken the first pill for a chemical abortion and change your mind, and wish to continue the pregnancy, we can refer you to a physician who can talk with you about a reversal protocol.
REMEMBER - You are not alone. We are here for you!
Contact us to make an appointment.
Bumps to Babes
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We have teamed up with Community Services Killaloe to offer the Canada prenatal nutrition program called Bumps to Babes .
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For bumps, 0-6 months, and parents.
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Drop in Wednesdays from 11am -1pm
Location: Due to our limited space this weekly group will happen at Wesley hall 210 Renfrew St Pembroke
It's a fun and interactive group allowing you the opportunity to learn new recipes, share great food with new friends, and discuss all things parenting and pregnancy.​​
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Contact us to register today.
BrightCourse
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BrightCourse is a video-streaming platform designed to help women and men learn more about topics such as prenatal care, parenting, relationships, life skills and so much more. There are over 250 lessons to choose from and they are available free of charge.
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Each lesson makes use of interviews to engage and inform the viewer. The lessons provide factual information based on scientific studies and analysis together with supporting statements of values. To inspire you through pregnancy to parenting and beyond.
We are here for you.
Contact us to register today.
WE DELIVER
WORLDWIDE
CONNECTED is designed to equip women to establish and maintain healthy relationships.
Participants will be given the opportunity to work through the curriculum with a support
worker either in a group setting or individually. The material is intended to be self-paced,
and participant led. All will have space to learn about healthy relationships, write down their
thoughts, answer some questions, and even come up with questions of their own. The material
is broken down into five chapters:
· Your Identity
· Your Past
· Your Relationships
· Your Boundaries
· Your Future
By examining their identity, their past, their relationships, their boundaries, and thinking about their
futures, CONNECTED will help participants let go of, or change relationships that are unhealthy and
begin to develop healthy relationships with themselves and the people in their life
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Material Support
Maternity and baby clothes can be so expensive! We provide clean, gently used maternity and baby clothing as well as small baby items. for clients who complete an intake.
We are here for you.
Contact us for an appointment.
Breastfeeding Support
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We are pleased to offer you breastfeeding support. One of our Support Workers trained and worked for 10 years with the La Leche League of Canada as well she is a mother of five and has experienced breastfeeding herself. She will help to provide evidence-based information on breastfeeding and human milk for pregnant women, and new moms to help you reach your goals.
We are here for you.
Contact us for an appointment.
Community Resources
There are many community resources that can provide you with support. Knowing where to get help can make a real difference. We help you get connected with agencies that provide medical, financial, educational, and social support. We are here for you.
Contact us for an appointment.
Programs
We are here to help you find positive ways in which you can move forward.
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POST ABORTION RECOVERY:
Are you hurting from an abortion experience, even years later? You are not alone!
First Step Options offers a post-abortion recovery and healing program called Living in Colour, written and designed by Jenny McDermid who has experienced two abortions. This recovery program is designed for women dealing with post-abortion stress. It can be facilitated in a group setting or in one-on-one individual sessions. As you journey through the healing steps you have the opportunity to acknowledge and grieve your losses, develop healthy coping strategies, and find closure and hope for the future.
Contact us to start your post-abortion healing today.
INFANT LOSS SUPPORT:
The loss of a child to miscarriage, still birth or infant death, produces a depth of grief like no other. This kind of traumatic loss can be isolating, confusing and deeply emotional, There is no time limit on grief, and for this reason, you can access our services at any time for as long as you need. One of our trained support workers would be happy to meet with you and offer a safe and confidential place to talk about your loss and provide you with emotional support and encouragement.
Contact us to book an appointment.
HOPE BOXES:
HOPE Boxes are for any individual or family that has lost a baby through any type of infant loss. One in four pregnancies end in miscarriage and in Canada, every 6 in 1,000 pregnancies end in stillbirth. Many times, this kind of loss is very isolating, confusing and deeply emotional for the parents. There is often a lack of resources to help with the grieving process. With a lack of support, many families, women in particular, struggle with feeling alone. Some of you may have experienced this loss first-hand and realize that acknowledging the life of a child, as short as it may have been, is tremendously helpful in the healing process and finding hope!
HOPE Boxes are decorative boxes filled with items of hope – a lovely devotional book called “Grieving the Child I Never Knew” on infant loss that walks through the grieving process, a journal, pen, note cards, brochure on miscarriage/infant loss, resource list (includes resources for dads and how to talk about the loss of a sibling), local resources, websites and online groups, a small package of perennial “forget-me-not” seeds with a small pot to plant in honor of the child that has passed on, etc. We want the families who receive the box to feel loved, cared for and encouraged. We also include information about Pregnancy and Infant Loss Network which offers online and phone support in Ontario as well.
Contact us for more information.
THREADS OF HOPE, PIECES OF JOY:
A Bible study of the wisdom and compassion found in God's word that can help those who have experienced pregnancy loss through miscarriage, stillbirth or any form of early infant death.
Contact us for more information or to register today.
We are here for you.
MORE INFORMATION:
All services are free and confidential. First Step Options has staff and volunteers who have received training in client support and advocacy. We are not a medical facility and do not provide medical services, including, but not limited to, abortion referral or procedures and abortifacients, prenatal/ postnatal medical care, medical testing, or imaging. Our services are meant to complement, not replace, professional medical care. We provide lab quality urine pregnancy tests and advise all pregnancies should be confirmed by a doctor.
Although we provide support to women considering adoption, we are not an adoption agency.