More Resources
WEBSITES
CHEO’S What you need to know about self-harm. CHEO Website
CHEO (Children’s Hospital for Eastern Ontario) provides information on self-injury that is directed specifically at parents. They include information on parenting strategies for children and teens who self-injure, as well as specific ways to help those children or teens.
Health Talk Online – Self-harm: A Parent’s Experience. Website
HealthTalk.org’s section filled with videos that talk with parents about their experiences of having children who self-injure. These videos may be helpful for parents in working through complex feelings, fears, or concerns after they discover that their child is engaging in self-injury.
Help Guide: Help Guide Website
HelpGuide.org is a website that provides information and support for a variety of mental health challenges, broadly. Although they do not have self-injury-specific resources, they provide a range of strategies for emotion regulation and stress management, which may help with self-injury urges.
Kids in the House (A video with Dr. Wendy Lader) Link to video
Dr. Wendy Lader is the founder of S.A.F.E. Alternatives and has made a series of videos for parents, that are available on the Kids in the House link. These videos cover topics including how and why people self-injure, who self-injures, and when it is time to find outside help for a person who self-injures.
Recover Your Life: RYL Website
This website hosts live chats on both trigger free topics as well as supportive conversations for people who engage in self-injury or have other mental health difficulties. Also, there is an advice section and information on how to distract yourself and beat the urges.
S.A.F.E. Alternatives: SAFE Website
S.A.F.E. Alternatives is an self-injury treatment-focused website that offers a variety of treatment programs, lectures, and information for schools as well as on finding a therapist.
Self-Injury and Recovery Research and Resources: Website
This website created by the Self-Injury Research and Resources program at Cornell University features current research findings as well as an introductory course on the topic of self-injury. There are also resources to help you better understand self-injury and opportunities to participate in research.
Self Injury Foundation: Website
The Self Injury Foundation’s mission is to raise funds for research as well as provide advocacy support and education for those who self-injure, loved ones, and professionals working with them.
To Write Love On Her Arms: TWLOHA Website
To Write Love On Her Arms is a non-profit organization website with a blog that features posts on a variety of mental health difficulties, including self-injury, that seeks to instill hope in those suffering. There is also a list of events and conferences addressing these topics listed that take place primarily in the US and Canada.
EMPIRICAL ARTICLES
Alderman, T. (2000). Helping those who hurt themselves. The Prevention Researcher, 7(4), 5-8.
Cloutier, P., Martin, J., Kennedy, A., Nixon, M. K., & Muehlenkamp, J. J. (2010). Characteristics and co-occurrence of adolescent non-suicidal self-injury and suicidal behaviours in pediatric emergency crisis services. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 39, 259-269.
Heath, N. L., Toste, J. R., Sornberger, M. J., & Wagner, C. (2011). Teacher’s perceptions of non-suicidal self-injury in the schools. School Mental Health, 3, 35-43.
Klonsky, E. D. (2007). The functions of deliberate self-injury: A review of the evidence. Clinical Psychology Review, 27, 226-239.
Klonsky, E. D. & Muehlenkamp, J. J. (2007). Self-injury: A research review for the practitioner. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 63, 1045-1056.
Lewis, S. P., Heath, N. L., St Denis., J. M., & Noble, R. (2011). The scope of non-suicidal self-injury on YouTube. Pediatrics, 127, 552-557.
Nock, M. K. (2009). Understanding non-suicidal self-injury: Origins, assessment, and treatment. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Nock, M. K. (2009). Why do people hurt themselves? New insights into the nature of non-suicidal self-injury. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 18, 78-83.
Toste, J. R. & Heath, N. L. (2010). School response to non-suicidal self-injury. The Prevention Researcher, 17, 14-17.
White Kress, V. E., Gibson, D. M., & Reynolds, C. A. (2004). Adolescents who self-injure: Implications and strategies for school counselors. Professional School Counselling, 7, 195-201.
Whitlock, J. L., Eckenrode, J., & Silverman, D. (2006). Self-injurious behaviors in a college population. Pediatrics, 117, 1939-1948.
BOOKS
Conterio, K., Lader, W., & Bloom, J. K. (1998). Bodily Harm: The Breakthrough Healing Program for Self-Injurers. New York: Hyperion Inc.
This classic book by some leading clinicians in self-injury describes important elements in a program for healing for those who self-injure. Helpful for both individuals who self-injure and those who know and support them.
Gratz, K. L., & Chapman, A. L. (2009). Freedom from self-harm: Overcoming self-injury with skills from DBT and other treatments. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.
This is a book for people who self-injure to support them in their efforts to stop self-injuring. It is also useful for those working with individuals who self-injure as a guide.
Harvey, P. & Penzo, J. A. (2009). Parenting a child who has intense emotions: Dialectical behavior therapy skills to help your child regulate emotional outbursts & aggressive behaviours. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
Young people who self-injure often experience intense emotions. Parenting in the midst of these intense emotions can be challenging. Although this book does not speak about self-injury specifically, parents may it find it particularly useful in understanding and responding to their child’s emotions in ways that are helpful both to the child and parent. This book may be more applicable to parents of pre-teens and young teens who self-injure, though parents of older teens and young adults may also benefit.
Hollander, M. (2008). Helping teens who cut: Understanding and ending self-injury. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
This book is helpful for parents and caregivers trying to understand self-injury in adolescents.
Klonsky, E.D., Muehlenkamp, J.J., Lewis, S. P. & Walsh, B. (2011). Non-suicidal self-injury. Hogrefe & Huber, Cambridge, MA.
This is an accessible and practical book providing mental health professionals with an overview of non-suicidal self-injury and a clear guide to assessment and empirically-informed treatment.
Nixon, M. K., & Heath, N. L. (2009). Self injury in youth: The essential guide to assessment and intervention. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group.
This book has chapters specifically devoted to assessment, triage and referral for self-injury.
Nock, M. K. (2009). Understanding nonsuicidal self-injury: Origins, assessment, and treatment. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
This book provides professionals with excellent current research overviews and information on self-injury.
Schmidt, U., & Davidson, K. (2004). Life after self-harm: A guide to the future. New York: Brunner-Routledge.
This is a good simple guide for those who self-injure to walk them through how to stop. Can be used by professionals working with youth who self-injure as a guide/workbook.
Walsh, B. W. (2005). Treating self-injury: A practical guide. New York: Guilford Press.
This book by a leading clinician in the field of self-injury is an excellent resource for professionals working with those who self-injure.
What resources do you recommend?
If you have a self-injury resource you want to share with others and see posted on our website, such as a book, website or anything that you think might help others, please let us know.
