Wellington, Aotearoa (New Zealand) 2025 Conferences / 20th Annual Conference | Wellington, Aotearoa 25th - 27th June, 2025 In 2025, we hosted our 20th Annual International Conference in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand. Details In 2025, we held our 20th Annual International Conference in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand — our first ever in the Southern Hemisphere! It was an inspiring week of cultural discovery, new connections, and renewed dedication to research, support, and advocacy. Conference Program: ISSS 2025 Program & Abstract Book June 23 .pdf Download PDF • 466KB

Online 2022 Conferences / 17th Annual Conference | Online 22nd - 24th June, 2022 In 2022, we hosted our 17th Annual International Conference online. Details In 2022, we hosted our 17th Annual International Conference online. The conference was packed with inspiring, compelling, and interesting talks from global experts in the field. Conference Program: ISSS 2022 Conference Program .pdf Download PDF • 160KB Abstract Book: ISSS 2022 Conference Abstract Book .pdf Download PDF • 1.58MB Presentation Slides Invited Fellow: ISSS 2022 Conference Invited Fellow Presentation - JW .pdf Download PDF • 10.96MB

Online 2021 Conferences / 16th Annual Conference | Online 23rd - 25th June, 2021 In 2021, we hosted our 16th Annual International Conference online. Details In 2021, we hosted our 16th Annual International Conference online. Over three days we hosted a range of live and pre-recorded material, including Keynote addresses by Prof. Jennifer Muehlenkamp and Dr. Barent Walsh, an ISSS Rising Star Address from Dr. Sarah Victor, the first Collaborative Research Program Symposium, and a Lived Experience Roundtable discussion. Conference Program: ISSS 2021 Conference Program .pdf Download PDF • 13.22MB Abstract Book: ISSS 2021 Conference Abstract Book .pdf Download PDF • 1.11MB Presentation Videos (Members-Only Content): Conference Content

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!

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 :

Lindsay Taliaferro, PhD, from the University of Central Florida discusses the prevalence of self-injury among individuals who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning (LGBTQ); common risk and protective factors; and the intersectionality of race, sexual minority status, and gender diversity among those who self-injure and self-harm. Season 1 | Episode 15 Podcast/ Season 1 | Episode 15 Self-Injury Among LGBTQ Individuals Jul 2, 2021 with Dr. Lindsay Taliaferro Self-Injury Among LGBTQ Individuals with Dr. Lindsay Taliaferro 00:00 / 01:04 Why is it important to talk about nonsuicidal self-injury among LGBTQ individuals? Just how prevalent is self-injury among those who identify as LGBTQ? And are there differences in rates of self-injury among sexual minority individuals (e.g., Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual) compared to those that are Transgender or Gender Diverse? In this episode, Dr. Lindsay Taliaferro discusses risk and protective factors for engaging in self-injury among LGBTQ individuals. She also tackles the intersectionality of race, sexual minority status, and gender diversity among those who self-injure and self-harm. Below are links to some of her research and the resources referenced in this episode: Rogers, M. L., & Taliaferro, L. A. (2020). Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors among sexual and gender minority youth: A systematic review of recent research . Current Sexual Health Reports, 12 , 335–350. Taliaferro, L. A., McMorris, B. J., Rider, G. N., & Eisenberg, M. E. (2019). Risk and protective factors for self-harm in a population-based sample of transgender youth . Archives of Suicide Research, 23 (2), 203-221. Taliaferro, L. A., McMorris, B. J., & Eisenberg, M. E. (2018). Connections that moderate risk of non-suicidal self-injury among transgender and gender non-conforming youth . Psychiatry Research, 268 , 65-67. GLSEN's National School Climate Survey (2019) . Hatch Youth - the Montrose Center in Houston: https://www.montrosecenter.org/hatch-youth/ The Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/ 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 " Top 15 Clinical Psychology Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021 " and by Welp Magazine in their " 20 Best Injury Podcasts of 2021 ." Previous Next

Brittany Tinsley of @brittanytinsleywrites Instagram explains how she navigates talking about her wounds and scars of self-injury and self-harm with her medical providers during routine doctor visits. Season 1 | Episode 18 Podcast/ Season 1 | Episode 18 Navigating Self-Injury During Routine Doctor Visits Oct 1, 2021 with Brittany Tinsley Navigating Self-Injury During Routine Doctor Visits with Brittany Tinsley 00:00 / 01:04 If you’ve never engaged in self-injury or self-harm, then you may have never considered the anxieties related to something as seemingly simple as a routine doctor visit. In this episode, Brittany Tinsley explains what questions she asks herself prior to attending routine doctor visits in order to ease her anxiety about medical providers seeing her self-injury wounds and scars. We take a unique peek into what doctor visits can be like for those who self-injure or have self-injured, as well as discuss tips on navigating those visits, whether as a treatment provider or someone with lived experience. Follow Brittany on Instagram at @brittanytinsleywrites and read her blog at https://brittanytinsley.com/ . 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 " Top 15 Clinical Psychology Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021 " and by Welp Magazine in their " 20 Best Injury Podcasts of 2021 ." Previous Next

Brianna Turner, PhD, from the University of Victoria in Canada explains why the boundaries between various forms of self-harm and self-injury may be less clear than implied by research and definitions. Season 3 | Episode 43 Podcast/ Season 3 | Episode 43 Where Does Self-Injury Fit Within Self-Damaging Behaviors? Nov 24, 2023 with Dr. Brianna Turner Where Does Self-Injury Fit Within Self-Damaging Behaviors? with Dr. Brianna Turner 00:00 / 01:04 The term "self-harm" is an umbrella term, encompassing a broad range of behaviors, under which is included substance abuse and misuse, eating disorders, suicide, and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). In this episode, Dr. Brianna Turner from the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada discusses how often self-damaging behaviors, including risky sex, financial and physical recklessness, co-occur with NSSI and where NSSI fits within the umbrella of self-harming behaviors. She also simplifies research using structural models of self-damaging behaviors in a way that helps us understand the co-occurrences of potentially harmful coping behaviors. Learn more about Dr. Turner and her work in the Risky Behaviour Lab at the University of Victoria here , and access many of her publications at https://uvic.academia.edu/BriannaTurner . Follow Dr. Turner on Twitter/X ( @BriannaT_Psyc ) and connect with the Risky Behaviour Lab on Instagram ( @riskybehaviourlab_uvic ) and Twitter/X ( @RBL_UVic ), especially if you are interested in participating in NSSI research. Below are the structural models of self-damaging behaviors discussed in this episode: St. Germain, S. A., & Hooley, J. M. (2012). Direct and indirect forms of non-suicidal self-injury: Evidence for a distinction . Psychiatry Research, 197 (1-2), 78-84. Green, J. D., Hatgis, C., Kearns, J. C., Nock, M. K., & Marx, B. P. (2017). The Direct and Indirect Self-Harm Inventory (DISH): A new measure for assessing high-risk and self-harm behaviors among military veterans . Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 18 (3), 208–214. Bresin, K. (2020). Toward a unifying theory of dysregulated behaviors . Clinical Psychology Review, 80 , 101885. Kotov, R., Krueger, R. F., Watson, D., Achenbach, T. M., Althoff, R. R., Bagby, R. M., . . . Zimmerman, M. (2017). The Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP): A dimensional alternative to traditional nosologies . Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 126 (4), 454–477. Barlow, D. H., et al. (2017). Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders: Therapist Guide (2nd ed.) . Oxford University. Ehrenreich-May, J., et al. (2018). Unified Protocols for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Children and Adolescents: Therapist Guide . Oxford University. Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter/X (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter/X (@ITripleS). The Psychology of Self-Injury podcast has been rated #1 by Feedspot in their list of " 10 Best Self Harm Podcasts " and #5 in their " 20 Best Clinical Psychology Podcasts ." It has also been featured in Audible's " Best Mental Health Podcasts to Defy Stigma and Begin to Heal ." If you or someone you know should be interviewed on the podcast, we want to know! Please fill out this form, and we will be in touch with more details if it’s a good fit. Previous Next

About Self-Injury Recovery and Ambivalence Resources / About Self-Injury / Recovery and Ambivalence "A non-linear push and pull" Recovery Recovery for self-injury can mean different things to different people. In recent years, there has been a greater focus both academically and clinically on the lived experience of self-injury. Part of this focus has drawn attention to the varied conceptualisations of recovery. Clinical conceptualisations According to the proposed diagnostic criteria for non-suicidal self-injury disorder (NSSI-D), an individual may be considered "recovered" after self-injury has been ceased for 12 months. As identified by Lewis and Hasking (2020), this may be unrealistic and does not reflect individuals' lived experience of recovery. Lived experience conceptualisations Not surprisingly, individuals' conceptualisations of NSSI recovery are vast and varied. Theoretical conceptualisations Recent developments in the research field have led to new theoretical conceptualisations of NSSI recovery, including that proposed by Lewis and Hasking (2021). Sourced from Lewis & Hasking (2021) In their framework, Lewis and Hasking capture the following in their person-centred model of self-injury recovery: Emphasis realistic expectations Recovery is non-linear and "relapses" are common Viewing recovery in absolute terms may be unrealistic and unhelpful Normalise thoughts and urges Continued thoughts about self-injury and urges to self-injure are common. These thoughts and urges may persist indefinitely Foster self-efficacy Recognition of times when urges have been overcome can strengthen self-efficacy to resist NSSI in the future Identify strengths Identifying and leveraging strengths can foster self-efficacy and support other coping strategies Find alternatives Finding strategies as effective as NSSI takes time and involves trial and error There is no one-size-fits all, and alternative strategies that work for one individual may not work for another Address underlying adversities There are many possible difficulties and adversities underlying self-injury; these need to be addressed to support NSSI recovery Address and accept scarring While not relevant to all individuals, scarring can be a significant concern Scarring may contribute to ongoing psychological distress/urges, but can also represent strength and resilience For individuals with scars, accepting scarring may be particularly important in their recovery Prepare for navigating disclosures Disclosure may be voluntary, unwanted, or unintentional Disclosure may be necessary to recovery (accessing support) Considering how to navigate these disclosures may be useful for recovery Foster self-acceptance Through the above, self-acceptance can be fostered Ambivalence Understanding ambivalence around self-injury and recovery is important for individuals who self-injure and their loved ones. References Lewis, L. P., & Hasking, P. A. (2020). Rethinking self-injury recovery: A comentary and conceptual reframing, BJ Psych Bulletin , 44 , 44-46. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjb.2019.51 Lewis, S. P., & Hasking, P. A. (2021). Self-injury recovery: A person-centred framework. Journal of Clinical Psychology , 77 , 884-895. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.23094

Lisa Van Hove, PhD, from Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Brussels University) in Belgium reveals the prevalence and characteristics of self-injury and self-harm among older adults (ages 60+). Season 5 | Episode 61 Podcast/ Season 5 | Episode 61 Self-Harm in Older Adults May 30, 2025 with Dr. Lisa Van Hove Self-Harm in Older Adults with Dr. Lisa Van Hove 00:00 / 01:04 Just how prevalent is self-injury among older adults, specifically those ages 60 and over? Do the types and methods they use differ from those who self-injure at other ages? What about the reasons they give for self-injuring? In this episode, Dr. Lisa Van Hove from Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Brussels University) is the first to reveal the prevalence of self-injury and self-harm among older adults. To read Dr. Van Hove's info brief on NSSI in older adults through the Cornell Research Program on Self-Injury and Recovery Resources (SIRR), visit https:// www.selfinjury.bctr.cornell.edu/perch/resources/older-adult-fact-sheet-1.pdf . To see Dr. Van Hove's publications, including those about self-injury among older adults, click here . Connect with Dr. Van Hove on LinkedIn here . Below is some of her research and that of others referenced in this episode: Van Hove, L., Baetens, I., Hamza, C., Dierckx, E., Haekens, A., Fieremans, L., & Vanderstichelen, S. (2023). NSSI in older adults . In E.E. Lloyd-Richardson, I. Baetens, & J. Whitlock (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of nonsuicidal self-injury (pp. 572-592). Oxford University Press. Van Hove, L., Baetens, I., & Vanderstichelen, S. (2025). Psychogeriatric experts’ experiences with risk factors of suicidal and non-suicidal self-injury in older adults: A qualitative study . Qualitative Research in Medicine and Healthcare , 8 (1). Van Hove, L., Baetens, I., & Vanderstichelen, S. (2024). Conceptualizing self-harm through the experiences of psychogeriatric experts . Psychopathology , 57 (4), 277-285. Van Hove, L., Nieuwenhuijs, B. M., Vanderstichelen, S., De Witte, N., Gorus, E., Stas, L., & Baetens, I. (2025). Biopsychosocial profile of community-dwelling older adults at risk for direct and indirect self-harm . Clinical Gerontologist , 1–12. Van Hove, L., Facon M., Baetens, I., Vanderstichelen, S., Dierckx, E., Van Alphen, S.P.J., Stas, L., & Rossi, G. (2025). Development of an at-risk personality profile for (in)direct self-harm engagement in older age . Journal of Personality Disorders, 39 (3), 240-262. Murphy, E., Kapur, N., Webb, R., Purandare, N., Hawton, K., Bergen, H., Waters, K., & Cooper, J. (2012). Risk factors for repetition and suicide following self-harm in older adults: multicentre cohort study . British Journal of Psychiatry, 200 (5), 399-404. Martin, G., & Swannell, S. (2016). Non-suicidal self-injury in the over 40s: Results from a large national epidemiological survey . Epidemiology (Sunnyvale), 6 (5), 266. Choi, N. G., DiNitto, D. M., Marti, C. N., & Choi, B. Y. (2016). Nonsuicidal self-injury and suicide attempts among ED patients older than 50 years: comparison of risk factors and ED visit outcomes . The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 34 (6), 1016-1021. Ose, S. O., Tveit, T., & Mehlum, L. (2021). Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adult psychiatric outpatients – A nationwide study . Journal of Psychiatric Research, 133 , 1-9. Wiktorsson, S., Strömsten, L., Renberg, E. S., Runeson, B., & Waern, M. (2022). Clinical characteristics in older, middle-aged and young adults who present with suicide attempts at psychiatric emergency departments: A multisite study . The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 30 (3), 342-351. Gratz, K. L., & Tull, M. T. (2025). Acceptance-based emotion regulation therapy: A clinician’s guide to treating emotion dysregulation & self-destructive behaviors using an evidence-based therapy drawn from ACT & DBT . Context Press. Previous Next

A mother shares her experience of when she learned about her daughter's self-injury and self-harm and how she responded as a parent. Season 1 | Episode 6 Podcast/ Season 1 | Episode 6 A Mother's Perspective of Her Daughter's Self-Injury Feb 12, 2021 A Mother's Perspective of Her Daughter's Self-Injury 00:00 / 01:04 Imagine receiving a phone call from your child's school expressing concern that your child might be suicidal. This is Dee's story. In this episode she shares about how she was able to differentiate between self-harm of suicide and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), support her daughter through the process, connect her to therapy, and what advice she has for parents in similar circumstances. Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter (@ITripleS). Previous Next

Home / Awards / Invited Fellow / Dr. Laurence Claes Dr. Laurence Claes Previous Dr. Laurence Claes is a Professor at KU Leuven (Belgium) in the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Head of Clinical Psychology, and Member of the KU Leuven Child & Youth Institute. She is a leading expert in self-injury, personality, and eating disorders whose work explores how identity, perfectionism, and emotional processes relate to self-injurious behaviors, with the goal of improving prevention and intervention. She is deeply respected for her precision, generosity in collaboration, and commitment to advancing global understanding of self-injury. Next ISSS Fellow | 2023