In North Carolina, more people are training to support patients through an abortion

Lauren Overman poses for a portrait at a park close to her home near Greensboro, N.C., on Nov. 21, 2022. Overman will sometimes work virtually from this picnic table as an abortion doula, which she has been doing for over four years. She offers her services virtually and in-person, to people across the U.S., including in states that have banned or severely restricted abortion access. (Max Posner/ NPR)

Lauren Overman has a suggested shopping list for her clients preparing to get an abortion. The list includes: a heating pad, a journal, aromatherapy oils – things that could bring them some physical or emotional comfort after the procedure. Overman is an abortion doula.

She has worked as a professional birth doula for many years. Recently, Overman also began offering advice and emotional support to people as they navigate having an abortion, which can often be lonely. She makes her services available either for free or on a sliding scale to abortion patients.