Individual motives for self-harming behaviour are diverse and may be a short or long term response to emotional difficulty, low self-esteem, anger, isolation, grief or traumatic life experiences including childhood emotional, physical or sexual abuse.

Self-harming behaviours typically commence in adolescence, and acts of self-harm or attempted suicide reflect a degree of emotional distress by an individual that requires skilled assessment and support.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy offers a skills based, non-judgemental approach to the management of young people who are self harming.

Topics to be covered

• Biosocial theory of why adolescents use self harming behaviours

• Using problem solving, exposure, skills training and cognitive modification to the problem of self-harming

• Using stylistic strategies to reframe suicidal and other dysfunctional behaviours

• Teaching your clients the skills of :

  • Emotion Regulation – how to deal with reactive emotional responses, anger expression, depression, anxiety and irritability

  • Interpersonal effectiveness – how to ask for what you need and say no to unwanted requests; maintaining and increasing stable, positive relationships

  • Distress tolerance – how to survive the crisis and to accept that pain and distress are a part of life; learn ways to tolerate distress

  • Mindfulness skills – focusing on one thing in the moment and being effective