Supports Resources / Supports Seeking Support is Self-Care There are a range of supports are available for individuals with lived experience of self-injury and for those who care about /for individuals who self-injure. We have put together a list of possible supports, including printable resource sheets, and links to organisations, advocacy and support groups, books, podcasts, and education. We acknowledge that people have different needs and find benefit in different types of suppo rt. The resources linked below include international charities, not-for-profit groups, work created by or in collaboration with ISSS members, registered charities, an d other resources and online spaces that may be helpful, interesting, or thought provoking. Note. While we have given each page a brief evaluation for appropriateness, the linked pages are not officially "endorsed" by ISSS and they may not be applicable to everyone. Support Type Title URL Education International Consortium on Self-Injury in Schools https://icsesgroup.org/ Online Support Self-Injury Outreach and Support https://sioutreach.org/ Education Shedding Light on Self-Injury https://www.self-injury.org.au/resource Advocacy To Write Love on Her Arms https://twloha.com/ Advocacy The Trevor Project https://www.thetrevorproject.org/ Advocacy Live Through This http://livethroughthis.org/ Podcast The Psychology of Self-Injury https://the-psychology-of-self-injury.simplecast.com/ Podcast Suicide 'n' Stuff https://suicide-n-stuff.com/ Podcast Before You Kill Yourself https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/before-you-kill-yourself/id1446501856 Podcast Psychodrama https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/psychodrama/id1504002821 Book Healing Self-Injury: A Compassionate Guide https://global.oup.com/academic/product/healing-self-injury-9780199391608?cc=us&lang=en& Online Support With Help Comes Hope http://lifelineforattemptsurvivors.org/

About Self-Injury What is Self-Injury? Resources / About Self-Injury / What is Self-Injury? "A distinct behaviour" Self-injury is a common yet poorly understand behaviour. Educating ourselves about self-injury starts with being specific about what we mean when we talk about it. There are several key elements to our definition: The harm is intentional or expected Risky behaviors that could result in harm, such as not wearing a seatbelt while driving, or behaviors that can result in accidental harm, such as playing extreme sports, are typically excluded under our definition. The injury results in immediate physical injury Behaviors that do not directly result in physical injury are typically excluded under our definition, even though they may be harmful or dangerous. For instance, food restriction is typically not considered a form of NSSI since the associated physical damage tends to build up over time, instead of happening as soon as the behavior occurs. Is not intended to cause death While suicidal thoughts may be present when someone self-injures, the self-injury itself is not intended to cause death. Some people may use self-injury to manage suicidal urges or intense distress related to suicidal thoughts. Self-injury enacted with suicidal intent is not classified as NSSI. Is not part of social or cultural practices Behaviors that might cause physical damage but are acceptable in our society, or part of a recognized cultural, spiritual or religious ritual, are not considered self-injury. Behaviors such as body modification, body piercing, tattooing, and religious self-flagellation are not usually considered forms of self-injury. A note on terminology The term "NSSI" is often used interchangeably with self-injury - we do so throughout this site; however, it is important to bear in mind that someone may use the term 'self-injury' and be referring to suicidal behaviour. Likewise, while we do not use the term self-harm on this site, many people, including researchers, clinicians, and individuals with lived experience, use this term to refer to NSSI. Regardless of the source, it is important to always ascertain whether the term is being used to refer to suicidal or non-suicidal behaviours. There are some other terms used throughout the field that may or may not refer to NSSI. Self-harm Often, when people think of 'self-harm', what comes to mind is NSSI. However, self-harm is an umbrella term that captures all self-directed injury regardless of intent. In some conceptualisations, self-harm includes indirect injury, such as that caused by reckless behaviours, or psychological injury, such as that caused by self-criticism. While NSSI falls under the self-harm umbrella, ISSS distinguishes NSSI from other behaviors due to the aetiological, functional, and predictive factors that are unique to NSSI. Deliberate self-harm Deliberate self-harm is a term usually used to refer to non-suicidal self-injury; however, it may also encompass any self-inflicted injury, regardless of intent. Determining what is meant when this term is used is important. Self-cutting NSSI is sometimes referred to by focusing on particular methods (e.g., self-cutting). While cutting is among the most widely recognized forms of self-injury, the behavior can take many other forms, including burning, hitting, or scratching. Furthermore, many people who self-injure report using more than method during their lives. Therefore, we recommend avoiding this term when referring to self-injury more broadly, as it dismisses the experiences of many people. Parasuicide, self-mutilation These terms are no longer used in contemporary research and practice, but are occasionally still seen in news media. The term 'parasuicide' links injury to suicide, creating an assumption that self-injury is a suicide attempt. As we know, this is not always that case. The term 'self-mutilation' is stigmatising and harmful, characterising an individual's injury as negative due to its appearance and conjuring judgement and fear (Hasking & Boyes, 2018; Hasking et al., 2019). References Hasking, P., & Boyes, M. (2018). Cutting words: A commentary on language and stigma in the context of nonsuicidal self-injury. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease , 206 , 829-833. https://doi.org/10.1097/nmd.0000000000000899 Hasking, P., Lewis, S. P., & Boyes, M. E. (2019). When language is maladaptive: Recommendations for discussing self-injury. Journal of Public Mental Health , 18 , 148-152. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMH-01-2019-0014 Klonsky, E. D., Victor, S. E., & Saffer, B. Y. (2014). Nonsuicidal self-injury: What we know, and what we need to know. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry , 59 , 565-568. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F070674371405901101

The International Society for the Study of Self-Injury's 17th Annual International Conference Held Online in 2022. 17th Annual Conference Home / Conferences/ 2022 June 22nd - 24th | Online Program The 2022 Annual International Conference was held online via Zoom, accessible to all paying ISSS members. The conference was packed with inspiring, compelling, and interesting talks from experts in the field from around the globe. View all conference content now!

Ellie Wildbore from the United Kingdom and National Health Service (NHS) shares her story of lived experience of atypical severe self-injury, her research on self-harm, and her experience as one of the first Lived Experience Research Ambassadors working in NHS mental health. Season 4 | Episode 55 Podcast/ Season 4 | Episode 55 Lived Experience: Ellie's Story of Atypical Severe Self-Harm Nov 29, 2024 Lived Experience: Ellie's Story of Atypical Severe Self-Harm 00:00 / 01:04 In this episode, Ellie from the United Kingdom and National Health Service (NHS) shares her lived experience of atypical severe self-injury while participating in a psychiatric inpatient stay for an acute increase in severity of eating disorder symptoms. She discusses how she has used her experiences as a patient and recipient of mental healthcare in the UK to bring about systemic change, participate as a co-producer and research, and advocate for those with lived experience of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and self-harm. While participating in our interview while in inpatient care, we invite her live-in care provider (i.e., carer), Shami, to join our conversation and offer her own insights. Connect with Ellie on LinkedIn here and on Twitter/X @EllieWildbore or @ elliewildbore.bsky.social . Visit her blog at https://balancingontheborderline.home.blog/ . Here are two links to Ellie being interviewed about lived experience research and her work on YouTube with the Mental Elf: https://youtu.be/HezHKYrF7zM and https://youtu.be/IA91M6fGaQo . Read the pre-print of her article referenced in this episode available for free here . Learn more about Atypical Severe Self-Injury by listening to our episode with Dr. Barry Walsh on the topic from Season 1 here . Previous Next

2023 - 2024 Home / Collaborative Research Program / Cognitive and emotional flexibility... Cognitive and emotional flexibility in youth with NSSI Mentor/s: Tina In-Albon 2023 - 2024 Project Overview The most common function of NSSI is emotion regulation. However, the differentiation between adaptive and maladaptive strategies is overly simplistic. More recent approaches focus on psychological flexibility, which is seen as an important determinant of mental health and well-being. More specifically, the present project will investigate behavioral, cognitive, and emotion regulation flexibility as well as its associations in youth with NSSI. Behavioral flexibility refers to the adaptive change of behavior in response to changing environmental contengenies. Cognitive flexibility, which refers to the ability to adapt responses/strategies based on environmental feedback. Emotion regulation flexibility refers according to Aldao et al. (2015) as “the degree of covariation between variation in the use of one or more emotional regulation strategies across a number of environments, while the environment might consist of external events or appraisals of emotional reactions to such events.” So, there are two core elements to emotional flexibility, sensitivity to situational demands and the ability to regulate emotions accordingly. Details will be discussed. Application Deadline: June 11 2023 Apply Now Previous Next

Home / Awards / Invited Fellow / Dr. Barent W. Walsh Dr. Barent W. Walsh Previous Dr. Barent (Barry) Walsh is a Clinical Social Worker , educator, and one of the earliest and most influential figures in the study and treatment of self-injury. Author of Treating Self-Injury: A Practical Guide , a foundational text for clinicians, Dr. Walsh has trained thousands of professionals in compassionate, evidence-based care. His decades of work have profoundly shaped the clinical understanding of self-injury, emphasizing empathy, validation, and therapeutic skill. Dr. Walsh continues to consult and teach internationally, bridging the gap between research and frontline practice. He is widely admired for his humility, generosity, and unwavering commitment to improving the lives of those with lived experience of NSSI. For many, Barry is a symbol of a true science-based clinician. He epitomizes the spirit of collaboration, approachability, and friendship that is a hallmark of ISSS. Next ISSS Fellow | 2021

Kathryn Gardner, PhD, from the University of Central Lancashire in the United Kingdom discusses the significance of where on the body individuals choose to engage in self-cutting behavior and the psychology of self-injury and self-harm location. Season 2 | Episode 25 Podcast/ Season 2 | Episode 25 Self-Injury Location: Visible vs Concealed May 27, 2022 with Dr. Kathryn Gardner Self-Injury Location: Visible vs Concealed with Dr. Kathryn Gardner 00:00 / 01:04 Does it matter where on the body someone cuts, whether on typically more visible sites such as the forearm and wrist, or in typically more concealed areas, such as the upper arm and torso? Is there a relationship between where someone cuts on their body and their likelihood of continuing to engage in the behavior? In this episode, Dr. Gardner discusses her research on the psychology of self-injury location and where on the body one chooses to self-injure as well as intrapersonal (emotional) reasons and interpersonal (social) reasons for engaging in self-injury and self-harm. Learn more about Dr. Gardner and her work at https://www.uclan.ac.uk/academics/dr-kathryn-gardner , and follow her on Twitter @KathrynJGardner . Below are links to some of her research referenced in this episode: Gardner, K. J., Bickley, H., Turnbull, P., Kapur, N., Taylor, P., & Clements, C. (2020). The significance of site of cut in self-harm in young people . Journal of Affective Disorders, 266 , 603-609. Gardner, K. J., Paul, E., Selby, E. A., Klonsky, E. D., Mars, B. (2021). Intrapersonal and interpersonal functions as pathways to future self-harm repetition and suicide attempts . Frontiers in Psychology, 12 , 688472. Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter (@ITripleS). The Psychology of Self-Injury podcast has been rated #5 by Feedspot in their " Best 20 Clinical Psychology Podcasts " and by Welp Magazine in their " 20 Best Injury Podcasts ." Previous Next

Sylvanna Mirichlis, PhD, and Stephen Lewis, PhD, talk all things Self-Injury Awareness Day (SIAD). We also share some of our favorite clips from past episodes for those new to the topic of self-harm. Season 5 | Episode 58 Podcast/ Season 5 | Episode 58 Self-Injury Awareness Day (March 1) Feb 28, 2025 with Drs. Sylvanna Mirichlis & Stephen Lewis Self-Injury Awareness Day (March 1) with Drs. Sylvanna Mirichlis & Stephen Lewis 00:00 / 01:04 In this episode, Dr. Sylvanna Mirichlis from Curtin University in Perth, Australia, and ISSS Past President Dr. Stephen Lewis from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada share about the origins of the annual March 1st Self-Injury Awareness Day (SIAD), what people around the world are doing as part of this day, and what our ISSS Stigma, Recovery, and Lived Experience Special Interest Group is doing to boost awareness of self-injury. We also share some of our favorite clips from past episodes. Self-Injury Resources: International Society for the Study of Self-Injury (ISSS) ( https://itriples.org/ Self-injury Outreach & Support (SiOS) ( http://sioutreach.org/ ) Cornell's Self-Injury & Recovery Resources (SIRR) ( www.selfinjury.bctr.cornell.edu ) Shedding Light on Self-Injury ( https://www.self-injury.org.au/ ) Lewis, S. P., & Hasking, P. A. (2023). Understanding self-injury: A person-centered approach . Oxford University Press. To watch Dr. Lewis' TEDx talk about his own lived experience of self-injury on YouTube, visit https://youtu.be/G17iMOw0ar8 . Timestamps for clips from past episodes: 37:37 - Lived experience: Kirsty's story of self-injury & advocacy (Season 2, Episode 30) 43:41 - Psychologists with lived experience of self-injury, with Dr. Sarah Victor (Season 1, Episode 9) 45:25 - Self-injury stigma and language, with Dr. Penelope Hasking (Season 1, Episode 4) 48:26 - Lived experience: Thomas' story of self-injury & gender dysphoria (Season 4, Episode 48) 52:48 - Self-harm across cultures, with Dr. Marc Wilson (Season 2, Episode 24) 56:39 - The psychology of self-injury scarring, with Dr. Taylor Burke (Season 2, Episode 31) 1:01:52 - A dad & daughter discuss her lived experience of self-harm (Season 3, Episode 37) 1:15:15 - Parenting youth who self-injure, with Dr. Janis Whitlock (Season 1, Episode 3) 1:23:49 - Supporting siblings of individuals who self-harm, with Dr. Amy Lucas (Season 4, Episode 46) Previous Next

Why do people self-injure or self-harm? Especially when it seems to contradict our instinct for self-preservation? The simple answer is that for the majority of those who engage in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), it helps them to feel better; it’s a coping strategy. But of course, the answer is often more complex than that. Season 1 | Episode 1 Podcast/ Season 1 | Episode 1 Why Do People Self-Injure? Jan 1, 2021 with Dr. Nicholas Westers Why Do People Self-Injure? with Dr. Nicholas Westers 00:00 / 01:04 Self-injury does not reflect typical behavior, but it is also not uncommon. One in five adolescents across the globe reports having self-injured, and one in twenty adolescents in the United States reports having self-injured 6 or more times in the past 12 months. Self-injury isn’t limited to adolescents: 13% of young adults and 6% of adults also report having engaged in self-injury. But why? According to research, there are two primary categories: emotional reasons and social reasons. In this inaugural episode of The Psychology of Self-Injury, Dr. Nicholas Westers delves into these two categories and asks leading experts, an individual with lived experience of self-injury, and a parent of a teen who self-injures: "Why do people self-injure or self-harm?" Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter (@ITripleS). Previous Next

Johan Bjureberg, Ph.D., from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden walks us through Emotion Regulation Individual Therapy for Adolescents (ERITA) for nonsuicidal self-injury and self-harm. Season 4 | Episode 52 Podcast/ Season 4 | Episode 52 Emotion Regulation Individual Therapy for Adolescents (ERITA) Who Self-Harm Aug 30, 2024 with Dr. Johan Bjureberg Emotion Regulation Individual Therapy for Adolescents (ERITA) Who Self-Harm with Dr. Johan Bjureberg 00:00 / 01:04 Emotion Regulation Individual Therapy for Adolescents (ERITA) and its internet-delivered version (IERITA) is just one of a couple of treatments developed specifically to address nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) among adolescents. In this episode, Dr. Johan Bjureberg from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden walks us through in detail each of the 11 sessions of IERITA and IERITA's 6 parallel sessions for parents. Learn more about Dr. Bjureberg's work here , and follow the Bjureberg Research Lab and their projects and publications at https://bjureberglab.se/ . Below are links to his research on ERITA/IERITA referenced in this episode: Bjureberg, J., Ojala, O., Hesser, H., Häbel, H., Sahlin, H., Gratz, K. L., Tull, M. T., Knutsson, E. C., Hedman-Lagerlöf, E., Ljótsson, B., & Hellner, C. (2023). Effect of internet-delivered Emotion Regulation Individual Therapy for Adolescents with Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Disorder: A randomized clinical trial . JAMA Network Open, 6 (7), e2322069. Bjureberg, J., Sahlin, H., Hedman-Lagerlof, E., Gratz, K. L., Tull, M. T., Jokinen, J., Hellner, C., & Ljotsson, B. (2018). Extending research on emotion regulation individual therapy for adolescents (ERITA) with nonsuicidal self-injury disorder: Open pilot trial and mediation analysis of a novel online version . BMC Psychiatry, 18 , 326. Bjureberg, J., Sahlin, H., Hellner, C., Hedman-Lagerlof, E., Gratz, K. L., Bjarehed, J., Jokinen, J., Tull, M. T., & Ljotsson, B. (2017). Emotion regulation individual therapy for adolescents with nonsuicidal self-injury disorder: A feasibility study . BMC Psychiatry, 17 , 411. Previous Next

21st Annual International Conference | 2026 | Stockholm, Sweden | June 23rd - 25th June Register for the conference Category Early Bird: Conference Only Standard: Conference Only Early Bird: Preconference Workshop Standard: Preconference Workshop Early Bird: Conference & Preconference Standard: Conference & Preconference Non-Members 3,800 SEK 418 USD 342 EUR 4,800 SEK 528 USD 432 EUR 3,400 SEK 374 USD 306 EUR 4,400 SEK 484 USD 396 EUR 6,700 SEK 737 USD 603 EUR 8,700 SEK 957 USD 783 EUR ISSS Members 2,900 SEK 319 USD 261 EUR 3,900 SEK 429 USD 351 EUR 3,000 SEK 330 USD 270 EUR 4,000 SEK 440 USD 360 EUR 5,500 SEK 605 USD 495 EUR 6,400 SEK 704 USD 576 EUR Students 1,450 SEK 160 USD 131 EUR 2,450 SEK 270 USD 221 EUR 1,500 SEK 165 USD 135 EUR 2,000 SEK 220 USD 180 EUR 2,450 SEK 270 USD 221 EUR 3,950 SEK 435 USD 356 EUR :

2023 - 2024 Home / Collaborative Research Program / Peer responses... Peer responses to self-injury Mentor/s: Imke Baetens 2023 - 2024 Project Overview By exploring the impact of self-injury on peers to whom the behavior has been disclosed we will be closer to understanding peer disclosure reactions, and using this understanding to develop resources for people who self-injure and their peers. This research proposal targets university students who know someone who self-injures (whether this has been voluntary disclosed or not). Quantitative data has been collected at multiple sites (i.e., Belgium, Canada, USA and Australia) through online surveys. Datasets are available using quantitative measures. The junior researcher could contribute by taking the lead in data analyses and contribute to updating the literature review on this subject. Application Deadline: June 11 2023 Apply Now Previous Next