The Kintsugi of Collage

February 23, 2016
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Kintsugi is the ancient Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics with lacquer and gold dust. Kintsugi literally means golden joinery. It comes from the idea that broken pieces shouldn’t be simply tossed out. It recognizes that there’s still value in the brokenness and with great care, the shattered pieces can be put back together to create something even more valuable. Something that’s more beautiful for having been broken.


It’s a practice and perspective at the heart of the Collage team. We know that life rarely goes as expected. That each of us has areas in life where we’ve been broken, where our plans seem shattered and beyond repair. Sometimes that comes as a result of an unexpected pregnancy, or a sexual health issue. At other times, it’s the brokenness felt over a past abortion decision.


Because each of us at Collage has faced brokenness, we know it’s possible to pick up those pieces. We know it’s worth putting those shattered pieces back together and celebrating the beauty.


The story goes that the practice of Kintsugi came about when a Japanese shogun broke his favorite tea bowl. He sent it away for repair and it came back with metal staples holding the ceramic pieces together. Was it together? Well technically. But this wasn’t acceptable for the shogun, who requested that it be repaired again. This time great care was taken and it was repaired with lacquer and gold. This process didn’t disguise the damage but made something beautiful out of it.


Just trying to put the pieces back together wasn’t enough. It takes someone who understands not only the beauty of the original piece but someone who can look at the brokenness and see the beauty yet to be discovered.


At Collage, we recognize the beauty and value of each and every one of us, even in our brokenness. We love to help our clients see that beauty and begin to put the pieces back together with hope and confidence. We specialize in our own version of Kintsugi – of creating beauty from the unexpected.



If you need someone to talk to or want to schedule an appointment for a pregnancy or STD test, please give us a call, we’d love to help.

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Seeing another positive pregnancy test after having had a past abortion may bring up memories or emotions from that experience. If you already know you don’t want another abortion, you may be wondering what other choices you have and whether either feels realistic for your life right now. You have time to learn about your options and the available support. Collage is here to give you a place to discuss your circumstances so you can decide what’s right for you. Schedule a no-cost appointment today to learn more about your pregnancy and what your next steps could look like. And read on to learn more about your pregnancy options besides abortion. Consider What Parenting Would Require You may want to parent but have concerns about whether you can make it work. Finances, housing, childcare, your relationship, work, or school can all influence how possible this option feels right now. Before deciding that those challenges make parenting unrealistic, it can help to identify your biggest concerns individually. Some of those concerns may have solutions you haven’t considered yet. Think about the support you already have, along with what you would need during pregnancy and after your baby arrives. Knowing where the gaps are can make it easier to find resources rather than trying to solve everything at once. Learn More About Adoption If you don’t want another abortion but aren’t ready to parent, adoption is another option. Today, a woman making an adoption plan can have a significant role in deciding what that plan looks like. Depending on the type of adoption, you may be able to choose an adoptive family and decide what level of contact you would like after placement. Open, semi-open, and closed adoption offer different levels of communication and privacy. Speaking with a licensed adoption professional can help you understand these differences, your rights, and what the process would involve before you make any commitments. Discuss Your Options in a Confidential Space Having had an abortion before does not mean you have to make the same pregnancy decision again. Your feelings, circumstances, priorities, or perspective may be different this time. If you know you don’t want another abortion, start by learning what parenting and adoption could realistically look like in your current situation. Collage provides a place to talk about your pregnancy and the concerns influencing your decision. We can also connect you with adoption agencies and community organizations that provide the support you’re seeking. Reaching out doesn’t lock you into a specific decision. Schedule a no-cost appointment with Collage today to get your questions answered and explore the options available to you. Collage does not provide or refer for abortions; however, we do offer pre-abortion screening through our no-cost services.
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