One learns that all is not what it may initially seem. The patient who is in a great hurry to get everything over and done with, or who asks a lot of technical questions may be afraid of allowing herself to feel. The angry patient may not necessarily be angry at the clinic staff but at herself, her partner or her family, or she may be reacting to an enormous burden of guilt. The bossy patient may feel very vulnerable. The tearful patient may lead one to believe that she is crying over her baby and does not want an abortion. This may be the case, or she may be crying to disarm the doctor, or cover the loss of her own self-esteem. ‘I never thought I would end up having an abortion’ is a common comment.

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