Unraveled Roots | for women and men
Do you ever wonder why the same painful patterns keep showing up in your life—no matter how much you want things to change?
Often, there’s more to your story. Wounds from the past—like abandonment, addiction, abuse, or unhealthy relationship dynamics—can quietly shape how you see yourself and how you respond to the world. These roots don’t define you, but they may be influencing your choices, your relationships, and your inner voice more than you realize.
Unraveled Roots offers a starting point—for women and men. You’ll find insights and pathways to growth that will point you toward deeper healing and understanding.
Through honest reflections, practical insights, and real stories from people who’ve been there, Unraveled Roots helps you uncover what’s beneath the surface—so you can understand where certain patterns came from and begin writing a new story.
Unraveled Roots will help you:
• Identify root causes that may be impacting your life
• Recognize and replace the harmful lies you believe about yourself that are keeping you stuck
• Take small, steady steps toward healing, hope, and healthier patterns
There is hope. Change is possible. Life really can be different.
Choose your healing path
Unraveled Roots includes women’s and men’s books in English, a women’s book in Spanish; journals and self-guided video series for women and men in English; and facilitator training video courses and facilitator guides in English for those leading healing groups using the Unraveled Roots materials.
UNRAVELED ROOTS WOMEN
for individuals
Read the book
Watch self-guided videos
Get the journal
Read the book
Watch self-guided videos
Get the journal
for counselors and facilitators
Facilitator training videos
Facilitator guide
Facilitator training videos
Facilitator guide
UNRAVELED ROOTS MEN
for individuals
Read the book
Watch self-guided videos
Get the journal
Read the book
Watch self-guided videos
Get the journal
for counselors and facilitators
Facilitator training videos
Facilitator guide
Facilitator training videos
Facilitator guide
The idea behind unraveled roots
Most of us have tried to fix behavior at the surface: the relationship pattern, the coping habit, the thing we swore we’d never do again. But behavior rarely starts where it shows up. It usually starts earlier — in the relationships and experiences that shaped how we see ourselves and what we believe we deserve.
Unraveled Roots walks you through four common root causes behind damaging patterns:
• Abandonment — the lasting impact of physical or emotional absence
• Addiction — learned or modeled coping through substances, sex, food, or other behaviors
• Abuse — physical, emotional, sexual, or religious wounds that shape identity and trust
• Codependency — losing yourself in the effort to earn love, approval, or safety
You’re not asked to diagnose your family or assign blame. You’re invited to understand — because understanding is what makes different choices possible.
What changes when you work through unraveled roots
✓ You can name the root, not just the symptom — understand the “why” behind repeated patterns
✓ You are able to recognize the lies you’ve believed about yourself that keep you stuck
✓ You begin to replace old patterns with concrete, healthier choices — one decision at a time
✓ You start to move toward forgiveness — for others and for yourself — without excusing harm
✓ You can build a plan for change that doesn’t rely on willpower alone
When you understand how your past has affected you, you can begin to move forward with more clarity and peace.
What readers are saying
The Unraveled Roots group gave me the opportunity to voice thoughts that were stuck in my head for years. I felt heard and understood, which has helped me to process and move through a defining time in my younger years. - CLIENT, UNRAVELED ROOTS VIRTUAL GROUP
Recently in my Unraveled Roots group I had an awakening, so to speak. I have been so focused on healing from the aftermath of my abortion that I neglected the trauma that came before it – the abandonment I felt, the abuse I endured, and the dysfunction I grew up in. Unraveled Roots helped to put the pieces together as to why I even got to the point where I was facing the abortion decision in the first place. My trauma was so much deeper than I imagined. - CLIENT, UNRAVELED ROOTS VIRTUAL GROUP
Going through Unraveled Roots has been very eye opening, especially the chapter on codependency. I became hyper-aware of my roots and how they’ve negatively impacted many of my relationships. Now that I’m aware, my life is so much more clear. I can be free of unhealthy relationships and make my own decisions. I am worth it. - VIRTUAL GROUP PARTICIPANT
Frequently asked questions
What is Unraveled Roots?
Unraveled Roots is a healing resource that helps people identify the deeper root causes behind destructive patterns and choices — including childhood pain, trauma, and the beliefs about themselves that developed as a result. It's designed to help you understand why certain cycles keep repeating in your life, and how to begin breaking free from them.
How is this different from Keys to Hope and Healing?
Keys to Hope and Healing focuses specifically on emotions and grief connected to abortion experiences. Unraveled Roots goes deeper, exploring the underlying childhood wounds, traumas, and belief systems that often contribute to circumstances surrounding abortion. Many people find it meaningful to engage with both resources, either in sequence or together.
Who is Unraveled Roots for?
It's for women and men who feel stuck in painful emotional or behavioral cycles and want to understand where those patterns come from. If you find yourself making the same choices, struggling with the same relationships, or carrying pain that feels bigger than any one event, this resource was created with you in mind.
Is this resource religious or faith-based?
Unraveled Roots for Women was written with faith in mind and incorporates faith-based principles to support your healing. Unraveled Roots for Men is a secular resource.
What will I actually do in this program?
The resource guides you through identifying the root causes behind your patterns, uncovering harmful beliefs you may not even realize you're carrying, and building healthier habits one step at a time. It includes a book, journal, facilitator's guide, and six training and client videos.
Can I work through it on my own, or do I need to join a group?
Self-guided versions are available for both women and men. You can also go through it one-on-one with a mentor, or as part of a virtual or in-person support group.
Is this resource available in Spanish?
Yes. Raíces Desenredadas — the Spanish-language edition for women — is available on Amazon.
Is there a cost?
The digital books, journals, and facilitator guides are no-cost on our website. Printed books are available individually through Amazon, or in bulk through our estore.
I'm a counselor or group facilitator. Can I use this with clients?
Absolutely. Separate facilitator guides are available for women's and men's groups, along with provider training courses for both. The program is built to work well in group settings and pairs clinical depth with accessibility.
What if I want to talk to someone first?
You're welcome to reach out to the Support After Abortion After Abortion Line at 844-289-HOPE (4673). Someone is available to listen, answer questions, and help you figure out the best next step — whether that's Unraveled Roots, another resource, or simply having a conversation.
How do I get started?
You can download the self-guided digital journal for free right away, order printed copies of the book, or contact Support After Abortion to be connected with a group or facilitator. If you're not sure where to begin, reaching out to the After Abortion Line is a great first step — someone can help you find the right fit.
Start unraveled roots today
The Unraveled Roots series from Support After Abortion helps individuals explore the hidden causes of damaging behaviors and offers a path toward growth, healing, and change. Originally written to help those impacted by abortion make sense of their deeper struggles, these resources now support women and men of all backgrounds and experiences in addressing the emotional and behavioral impacts from abandonment, addiction, abuse, and codependency.