Contraceptive counseling with shared decision making - what does that mean and why is it important? By Maddy Reid, WHNP-BC Women's Health Clinician + Educator Updated September 2026 Shared decision making is where you and your clinician talk through your options, the pros, the cons, your preferences, the non-contraceptive benefits of different methods (e.g., improved skin just as an example). I want you to brainstorm what you may want from a contraceptive method. This may cha