Self-Harm

Whether through cutting, hitting, or using a "good" behavior to the point of hurting ones self, many people will try to soothe distressing emotions or thoughts by hurting themself, usually beginning in their teen years. In session, we will talk through the purpose of the behavior, what it "gives", and find safer alternatives to achieve the same goals, while also working through the pain which led to the self-harm in the first place.

Self-harm is not a mental illness, but a behavior that indicates a need for better coping skills. Several illnesses are associated with it, including borderline personality disorder, depression, eating disorders, anxiety or posttraumatic distress disorder. Self-harm isn’t the same as attempting suicide. However, it is a symptom of emotional pain that should be taken seriously.

Building skills and supports to cope with emotional pain, suffering, and numbness; increasing positive meaningful life experiences

I have 8 years of experience working with individuals that have significant urges to harm themselves or are experiencing suicidal ideation. I think that recognition, honesty, openness, and having a supportive ally, are really important steps in beginning the path of challenging self harm urges and actions.

When a person becomes overwhelmed and distressed, they may look to various avenues of relief to reduce their uncomfortable feelings, including self-harm. Self harming behaviors can be seen as a coping skill that a person acquires when they do not have other tools in their toolbox to navigate the challenges they may face. When working to address self harm, the main focus of treatment is finding new coping skills that encourage healing and help keep a person safe when facing distress.

An area of interest for me, working with adults and adolescents to learn replacement behaviors. Some additional training in this area.

Self-injury is one of the most misunderstood of all coping strategies. Self-injury is most often an attempt to both regulate and tolerate intolerable feelings. It also communicates psychological pain and suffering through the more recognizable and understandable physical pain. Both self-injury and eating disorders are common among LGBTQ folx, especially those who identify under the trans umbrella. Learning to understand what problem the self-injury is attempting to solve is key to healing.

Often those who suffer from borderline personality disorder (BPD) or have a history of abuse, also suffer from self-harm. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is indicated to help relieve these behaviors which stem from finding a way to cope any way one can. While self-harm starts as a way to manage difficult emotions and/or experiences, shame and self-loathing often accompany the behaviors. Our DBT program at HHC&W and training in trauma-informed care is most helpful for this concern.

I have been working with individuals who self-harm for over five years. Utilizing DBT, my clients are able to understand the reasons they self-harm and find other ways to cope, along with making effective changes in their lives to eliminate stressors that lead to destructive behaviors.

I have extensive experience working with individuals suffering from depression, anxiety, conduct disorders, juvenile delinquency, eating disorders, self injury, ADHD and substance abuse.

Recognizing the sensitive and often stigmatized nature of self-harm, I am committed to creating a supportive and validating environment where clients can explore the underlying emotional pain, distress, and triggers that contribute to their self-harming behaviors. I aim to provide a therapeutic experience that promotes self-awareness, emotional regulation, and the development of healthier and more adaptive ways of coping with distress and emotional pain.

I specialize in working with individuals who self harm and/or experience suicidal ideation

By using DBT, I help my clients to understand the chain of events leading to self injurious behavior and replace the behavior with more adaptive coping! I also look for secondary gains that might be reinforcing self injurious behavior when I have a client who is really stuck in their patterns.

Self-harm is something that is often shared about and focused on by my clients. I approach self-harm with a calm, trauma-informed lens that focuses on the safety of the individual as well as addresses the underlying causes and contributing factors. I have worked with clients who engage in self-harm in a variety of settings including immediate crisis response, intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization, and outpatient individual and group therapy.

I use Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) to help clients decrease self harm and increase healthier coping strategies.

Self-harm is a mal-adaptive coping mechanism meant to distract from pain, relieve numbness, stimulate endorphins, non-verbally communicate pain, and/or is used as a form of self-punishment. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) reduces the urge to self-harm by providing healthier coping strategies and emotional regulation techniques. DBT helps us identify if our current ways of coping are actually effective for us in the long term.