OVERVIEW
Facilitators often ask us for effective strategies to attract participants to abortion healing groups, structure those groups for success, and engage participants in a way that keeps them committed to their healing journey.
We invited one of the facilitators in our coaching program who has had great success in these areas to speak with us today and share what has worked for her.
Jess Layne is the Founder and Director of Advancement for Restored Nation. She offers both secular and religious programs – to meet participants where they are. Her personal journey comes from a place of pain, healing, and faith, and her organization is a faith-based ministry of a church. While her story, ministry, and approach are rooted in her faith beliefs, many of Restored Nation’s processes, structures, and tips will resonate with all facilitators, whether they offer exclusively secular or religious programming, or both.
INTRODUCTION
Nyles introduced Jess, who established Restored Nation in 2010 after her own transformative experience with the Forgiven and Set Free abortion healing program. Restored Nation offers abortion grief care groups using faith-based She’s Restored and He’s Restored and secular Keys to Hope and Healing, as well as other groups for Unraveled Roots, infant loss, and miscarriage grief care, addiction recovery, single moms support, and a retreat intensive.
Jess expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to speak and acknowledged Support After Abortion for its contributions to the field. “When I started all this way back in 2010, I felt so alone. Organizations like Support After Abortion coming on the scene, doing the research they do, supporting us through trainings, new programs, and things like that—it’s just been really beneficial for my team.” She also praised the facilitator coaching she has received from Support After Abortion’s Karin Barbito, describing Karin as “so direct and no-nonsense and so good at what she does.”
Jess’s presentation is shaped by her personal faith and experiences, which are central to her healing journey and ministry. While her perspective is rooted in her Christian beliefs, Support After Abortion recognizes the diverse backgrounds and approaches within abortion healing and values the opportunity to share different voices in this space.
BUILDING A FOUNDATION OF CONSISTENCY
Jess emphasized the importance of consistency in offering abortion healing groups, stating, “Consistency is king. That is where I start. This is honestly my motto in every ministry I’m asked to lead.” She explained that people are drawn to groups and resources they know they can count on. “I won’t waste my time going somewhere that doesn’t have consistent hours, that isn’t where they say they’re going to be. So I never want to be that for someone.”
In the context of healing work, Jess stressed that reliability is essential for long-term impact. She reassured providers that consistency doesn’t mean doing everything all the time—it means setting a plan and following through. Even offering a group once a year can be effective if it’s done consistently, Jess said. She encouraged practical steps such as:
- Scheduling groups for on a regular schedule and on specific days and times
- Starting and ending on time
- Returning calls and responding to inquiries within 24 hours
- Developing clear processes to stay organized
When asked about what helped her maintain consistency, Jess shared that she initially structured her group schedule around her life as a mother. “I took my own life and was like, okay, I’m a mom who has young children, and I can lead groups at these times of the year that are less disruptive.” Based on that, her ministry set firm group start dates—January, April, and September—regardless of attendance. “Whether people came or not, that is what we did, year after year. I never changed it. Ever.”
This approach also benefited referring organizations, her team, and clients. By maintaining a predictable schedule, clinic staff could confidently tell clients when a new group was starting. “We just made it so easy for people to say when we were going to have something available.”
HOW JESS BECAME AN ABORTION HEALING ADVOCATE AND PROVIDER
Jess shared how she first became involved in abortion healing, emphasizing that her journey began from a place of personal struggle. She recalled the moment she “met Jesus” in April 2006, which led her to recognize how deeply her abortion had been affecting her. “I started to recognize that the abortion was eating at me and really affecting my life. I did not understand before that.”
At the time, she was unaware of what pregnancy resource centers (PRC) did, but she felt a strong urge to share her pain in hopes that it might help someone else. “I just thought so innocently, ‘Gosh, if I could just tell somebody how horrible I have felt over all these years, maybe they’ll change their mind.’”
When she walked into a local PRC, she was warmly welcomed and, for the first time, shared her abortion story with a Christian. She was invited to join a Bible study for after-abortion healing, which completely changed her perspective. “I could not believe that something existed where I could bring my abortion into the room with Jesus.”
Attending her first healing group opened her eyes, but she acknowledged that she still had a long way to go. It was during this time that she felt called into ministry. The clinic where she had found support invited her to volunteer, then sent her to a facilitator training in Portland.
Looking back, Jess marveled at how unprepared she felt when she started. “I had never facilitated a group before of any kind, let alone one that had to do with God’s word or healing something as traumatic as abortion. But I was so excited for others to experience what I had just experienced, so I just did it.”
From 2010 to 2017, she led groups under the umbrella of a clinic, gaining firsthand experience in that setting. Then, in 2017, she officially founded Restored Nation, which became a ministry of Heritage Church Northwest.
GROWING YOUR TEAM
When asked how she built her team, Jess emphasized that “Jesus literally sent me everyone.” However, she also shared the practical steps she took to invite and equip team members.
Her first co-leader was a passionate woman at the PRC who had not experienced abortion herself, but deeply cared about helping those who have. Jess noted that many volunteers at pregnancy centers have a strong desire to help, even if they haven’t personally experienced abortion. Despite the woman’s initial fear that clients wouldn’t trust her, the co-leader’s personal story of overcoming trauma allowed her to connect deeply with others. “She was conceived in rape, adopted into a difficult situation, and nearly took her own life before she…turned her life around and started following Jesus. Jess described her story as “a powerful testimony” and said she shared it “in a way that women could connect to her and understand that she did understand grief and trauma.”
As the ministry grew, Jess started inviting others to join the work. At the end of each healing group, she would share her calling and extend an invitation: “If you feel called into this ministry, come and talk to me.” She created a training process to ensure leaders were prepared.
She stressed that training for after-abortion healing leadership isn’t a quick process. “It takes six to nine months,” she explained, as potential leaders first need to go through their own healing. Some even go through a support group twice before starting facilitator training, she said.
Jess underscored the importance of this careful preparation: “The work we’re doing is trauma work. We want to make sure those who sit across from women and men seeking healing are as well and as healed as possible.”
OFFERING OPTIONS
Restored Nation provides a range of healing programs to support women and men at different stages of their journey.
- She’s Restored: A nine-session, biblically-based healing program using Forgiven and Set Free. Jess is passionate about this resource, offering it in-person three times a year (January, April, and September).
- Keys to Hope and Healing: “We do the secular version for men and women” during the same months as She’s Restored, making it accessible to a broader audience. “We’re doing that virtually, so we can offer both at the same time. It works out really well.”
- In His Arms: A program developed by Restored Nation to support individuals grieving a miscarriage.
- Unraveled Roots: From Support After Abortion, it helps participants work through deeper issues contributing to their struggles. “It’s one of our most popular groups. We absolutely love it,” Jess said.
- Strong Moms Support Group: A resource created by Restored Nation for single mothers, which Jess said has had a significant impact in the community.
- Post-Abortion Leaders Mentorship: A program designed to train and guide those interested in leading abortion healing groups.
- Four-Day Intensive Retreat: A summer retreat for women, held at a beach house near the Oregon coast. This condensed version of the nine-session program allows participants to complete healing work in four days. While intense, it works well for those with small children or busy schedules.
Jess noted that because the retreat is so immersive, they often schedule three to four follow-up meetings to ensure participants are processing everything well. If someone wants to return to the retreat, they are usually encouraged to join a slower-paced nine-session group or receive one-on-one mentorship.
For leadership candidates, attending multiple healing groups is a requirement. Restored Nation is intentional about balancing openness with discernment, ensuring that those who return are growing in their healing and not staying stuck in unhealthy cycles. “Some personalities may not show growth, and that can be harmful to the group. They can’t just drop in—they have to meet with us first.”
CONDUCTING INTAKE APPOINTMENTS
Jess emphasized the vital role of intake appointments for every potential participant, even if they aren’t ready to join immediately. “Even if on the phone they say, ‘Hey, I’m not available in April,’ that’s okay. Meet with them anyway—get them set up for September.”
Restored Nation treats their healing groups as closed groups, which fosters safety and anonymity. Jess said that, unlike drop-in groups such as AA or Grief Share, Restored Nation groups require an intake appointment to ensure that each participant’s needs align with what the group can provide.
One of their key policies is having two team members present at every intake appointment. Jess shared that early on, she struggled to recognize when someone wasn’t a good fit because of her passion for healing. “If I meet you, I’m going to see all your gold. I’ll see every single amazing thing about you and might miss the bad stuff because I want you in group.” Having a second team member helps bring balance, ensuring that participants are placed in the right setting—whether that’s a group, one-on-one mentorship, or a referral to a trusted counselor.
Intake appointments also help demonstrate the value of the group, especially since participation is free. After-abortion healing groups require trust and a sense of belonging, which begins for Restored Nation with a one-on-one meeting. Jess recommends meeting in a coffee shop—a public but relaxed setting where they can connect over coffee. “It’s disarming. We buy them a drink, look them in the eyes, and let them know they’re not alone.”
She noted that since they conduct Keys to Hope and Healing groups virtually, intake appointments for those groups are also done virtually or over the phone.
During intake appointments, they cover:
- Paperwork & Confidentiality: Participants review the commitment form and confidentiality agreement, ensuring they understand the group structure.
- Basic Information & Abortion History: While brief, this discussion helps understand what’s most significant to the participant. We learn “how many abortions they’ve had, if they can remember, and which one is the most troublesome.” Jess said, “And then we find out where are they at with everything that’s happened. That really helps.”
- Pre-Screening Assessment: Identifies the “top three things they’ve been struggling with,” which she said are most often emotional struggles, typically linked to the abortion, but rarely discussed.
- Confidentiality and Limitations: They explain the expectation for keeping anything shared in group confidential. And they “make sure that people understand …we’re not counselors.” Jess shared that they are connected with counselors and will refer clients to them when needed.
- Commitment Expectations: Jess emphasizes with clients that the group sessions build on each other. “That’s a big one.” I really sell them on committing to being there the whole time. It’s so vital that she tells participants, “If you get a flat tire, run out of gas, you don’t have a babysitter—call me. Let’s figure out how we’re going to get you to group tonight because…we want you there.”
- Participation Agreement: Ensures attendees understand that joining a group doesn’t make them an official representative of Restored Nation.
By the end of the intake, participants leave with clarity, confidence, and a commitment to the healing journey ahead.
PREPARING THEIR HEART FOR HEALING
One of the most meaningful parts of the intake process for Restored Nation is helping participants prepare their hearts for their healing group. This step provides insight into their spiritual background, which allows facilitators to better support them throughout the healing journey.
Providing Resources and Setting Expectations
Participants receive their study book free of charge, removing any financial barrier to participation. Some choose to donate at the end of the group, but that decision is left entirely up to them. Each person also receives a schedule and homework assignments to help them begin engaging with the material before the group starts.
Understanding Their Faith Background
Restored Nation does not require participants to belong to a particular denomination—or even to be Christian—to join a group. However, Jess said that understanding their faith background helps facilitators tailor discussions to meet participants where they are.
To assess this, facilitators ask:
- Do you practice any faith? If so, what faith tradition do you identify with?
- Do you know who Jesus is? If so, how would you describe Him?
- Who is God to you?
- Do you believe the Bible is reliable?
- Do you own a Bible? If not, would you like one?
These responses guide facilitators in structuring Bible study discussions. If an entire group is unfamiliar with Scripture, facilitators adjust their approach to ensure the content is accessible and welcoming.
Keys to Hope and Healing: A Secular Program
For participants going through their secular Keys to Hope and Healing group, the intake process is similar but more concise, focusing on client readiness. Support After Abortion’s intake documents help structure this process for both women’s and men’s groups, ensuring a consistent and effective approach.
Jess shared how her own perspective on offering secular healing options evolved over time. Initially, she felt that healing resources must explicitly include Jesus. She said, “I love Jesus so much. I was radically changed by Jesus. And so for a really long time, I felt like I cannot offer anything that does not have Jesus. I was so adamant about that.“ However, after being introduced to Support After Abortion and their Keys to Hope and Healing resource, she experienced a shift in perspective.
She recalled how, early in her own journey, she hesitated to acknowledge God and “didn’t even want to say the word God.” She explained that Keys to Hope and Healing meets people where they are. The curriculum seems simple, but it’s powerful. “I really love Keys to Hope and Healing.”
Jess shared that in her experience, many women hurting after abortion “do have faith, but struggle to reconcile their faith with their abortion experience. She explained that often they feel unable to bring their abortion to God or bring God into their healing process.
She said, “They need help” processing their emotions and struggles and that Keys to Hope and Healing helps them understand their grief and begin addressing their pain in a compassionate, structured way.
Jess encourages facilitators to offer secular Keys to Hope and Healing, no matter how small their group may be. “Even with just two participants,” the impact is profound.
PARTNERING WITH CHURCHES
Jess highlighted the value of collaborating with local churches to expand outreach for abortion healing services. One strategy that has been effective for her groups is to place flyers in church bathrooms. Jess explained that providing all necessary materials—such as the flyer and paper holder—makes it easier for churches to participate. She advised that the flyers should use simple language, a clear graphic, and a QR code to your website. Jess suggested offering business cards as an alternative, noting, “Sometimes taking a flyer is just too much, right? They don’t even want anyone to know they’re doing that.”
INVITING “PRAYER PARTNERS” AND “SAFE HOSTS”
Jess introduced the concept of Prayer Partners or Safe Hosts— a unique approach to enriching group dynamics by involving trusted women in the church community who have not experienced abortion themselves, but are willing to sit in on healing groups. They might include pastors, women’s ministry leaders, or church staff who regularly pray for and support women.
She emphasized the closed nature of the group and the requirement that they be fully committed. “They have to sign the commitment form. They have to be there every single time. They have to be early and on time and all the things. They can’t just drop in.” These volunteers must be fully engaged.
Jess shared that “Prayer Partners” or “Safe Hosts” support the group by opening and closing with prayer, as well as offering additional assistance, such as listening prayer. She explained that their most impactful contribution is sharing their personal testimony—whatever has brought them hope and healing when they needed it. “They share that in the very beginning when everybody else is sharing their testimonies,” Jess noted.
By joining the group, Jess said that these women gain a deeper understanding of after-abortion ministry and its uniqueness. She shared the transformation of a pastor who initially expressed full support for the ministry, but had no idea of the complexities involved. After participating as a Prayer Partner, Jess recalled, “She was radically changed. She was like, I literally had no idea. I had no idea how I had to support women in churches, especially. It opened her eyes”
This approach not only strengthens the church’s involvement, but also underscores the importance of understanding the complex needs of those seeking abortion healing. “We know one in three women in our churches have had abortions,” Jess pointed out, emphasizing the widespread need for support and compassion in these settings.
[Note: This 1 in 3 statistic is from a 2015 CareNet study in which 36% of women reported having attended religious services at a Christian church one a month or more at the time of their first abortion. Additionally, Guttmacher data shows that 1 in 4 women in the U.S. will experience abortion by age 45 and 54% of women who have experienced abortion report a Christian affiliation.]
By witnessing the healing process firsthand, Prayer Partners and Safe Hosts become stronger advocates within their churches, helping to build deeper connections between faith communities and post-abortion ministries.
For those who have experienced abortion who are interested, Jess guides them to go through the group themselves instead of being Prayer Partners or Safe Hosts.
TIPS FOR FILLING GROUPS
Jess shared several strategies for filling abortion healing groups. One of the most effective ways she consistently filled her after-abortion healing groups was by speaking at PRC fundraising events. “I shared my testimony at clinic banquets, the teas, the fundraisers. It was the perfect opportunity, the perfect environment to do that,” she explained. Over the course of seven years, this method repeatedly led to full groups. “I would speak at a fundraiser, my group would be full. Fundraiser, my group would be full. Hands down, every single time it worked.”
She contrasted this with the common assumption that PRC clients would be the primary source of group participants. “If I had to say what’s the worst way to fill a group, it’s through clients that come to the clinic,” she said. “Never happens. Never happens.” Jess acknowledged the success of others, saying, “Karin [Barbito] has some of my favorite stories that she talks about” how when she worked in a PRC, she moved people to understand their need for support after experiencing abortion. “She’s an expert on that.”
Instead, Jess said that PRC volunteers often become the most consistent sources for filling groups. Jess praised PRCs that require volunteers who have experienced abortion to go through a healing program themselves. “I think it’s really important,” she stated, adding that healing should come before serving. “Any other trauma that you can think of, we would never advocate for that person to volunteer without personally healing, right?”
In addition to these efforts, Jess encouraged abortion healing providers to raise awareness within women’s ministry groups, stressing that every women’s event should address after-abortive healing. “Because there’s always that one in three* women in every single women’s event,” Jess emphasized the importance of letting women know that healing is available. She also pointed out that, while forgiveness is crucial to discuss, the true healing work occurs in group settings, where individuals can process their grief. “Why our groups are vital,” Jess explained, “is that that’s where we get to grief, right? The trauma is so weighty for us. So we need that place for women and men to come and heal.”
CONNECTING PEOPLE TO RESOURCES
Jess emphasized the importance of knowing where to direct people who may not be ready for a healing group but are still in need of support. She recommended collecting books, podcasts, websites, and organizations to have on hand for referrals. “Be that resource person for them,” she said, noting that some individuals she spoke with—and shared resources with—returned and joined a group two years later.
She described this process as planting seeds and watering them, trusting that healing takes time. To facilitate this, she advised making it as easy as possible for people to reconnect when they are ready. “Have the same phone number, have the same email. Don’t change it.” Jess shared that she has kept her same phone number for years and gives it out freely to those who may need it.
ADD UNRAVELED ROOTS
Jess also suggested adding Unraveled Roots to your range of available programs. She credited Karin for the suggestion, recalling, “Karin said, ‘Jess, why don’t you just add this to your menu and see if that can help you fill your other groups?’” Jess followed Karin’s advice, and since then, she noticed an immediate uptick in group sign-ups. “Ever since we started doing Unraveled Roots, they fill up immediately,” Jess said. While the results take time to fully manifest, she believes Unraveled Roots is an essential part of her strategy and is already helping more people take steps toward healing. “I would highly recommend adding that to your menu, if you can. You will not regret it,” Jess concluded.
INCORPORATE AN AFTER CARE PLAN
In addition to adding resources, Jess underscored the significance of offering aftercare to participants. She shared that, at the end of each group, they provide an aftercare plan tailored to each individual’s needs. For instance, if someone mentions abortion, they are encouraged to join one of the after-abortion groups. She also emphasized the importance of having a clear referral process and network of trusted providers for other forms of trauma. She gave an example saying, “If they mentioned sexual abuse, we’re going to recommend they go to the woman who we trust who deals with that.” By tailoring aftercare to individual needs, facilitators can guide participants toward the next step in their healing journey.
RESOURCES
Support After Abortion’s Intake Documents
Jess’s Restored Nation Handouts
Includes: bathroom signs for churches and public space, intake form, participation agreement, pre-screen assessment, preparing your heart form, support group benefits flyer, group commitment form for leaders and participants, group schedule template, and aftercare plan form.
NEXT STEPS
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Click here to access Support After Abortion’s Resource Library.
Click here to explore Support After Abortion’s services, resources, and training for Abortion Healing Providers.
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