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Michelle Hiner, MS, from Rutgers University in New Jersey breaks down how high and low arousal emotions affect the perception of pain among those who engage in self-injury and self-harm. Season 4 | Episode 53 Podcast/ Season 4 | Episode 53 Effects of Emotions on Self-Injury Pain Perception Sep 27, 2024 with Michelle Hiner Effects of Emotions on Self-Injury Pain Perception with Michelle Hiner 00:00 / 01:04 Does the emotion someone experiences immediately preceding an episode of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) influence how painful that episode of self-harm feels? In this episode, Michelle Hiner, MS, a Clinical Psychology PhD student in the Emotion and Psychopathology (EmP) Lab at Rutgers University in New Jersey talks about how individuals who self-harm after experiencing high arousal negative emotions (HANEs), like anger, experience pain differently than those who self-injure after experiencing low arousal negative emotions (LANEs), like sadness and dissociation. Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn here , and learn more about the Emotion and Psychopathology (EmP) Lab here . Below are some papers referenced in this episode: Drummond, P. D. (1995). Noradrenaline increases hyperalgesia to heat in skin sensitized by capsaicin . Pain, 60 (3), 311-315. Wiercioch-Kuzianik, K., & Bąbel, P. (2019). Color hurts. The effect of color on pain perception . Pain Medicine, 20 (10), 1955-1962. Paul, E., Tsypes, A., Eidlitz, L., Ernhout, C., & Whitlock, J. (2015). Frequency and functions of non-suicidal self-injury: Associations with suicidal thoughts and behaviors . Psychiatry Research, 225 (3), 276–282. Previous Next

Kaylee Kruzan, PhD, from Northwestern University in Chicago shares about digital apps and online interventions for self-injury and self-harm. Season 2 | Episode 29 Podcast/ Season 2 | Episode 29 Digital Interventions for Self-Harm Sep 30, 2022 with Dr. Kaylee Kruzan Digital Interventions for Self-Harm with Dr. Kaylee Kruzan 00:00 / 01:04 What digital interventions exist for addressing nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI)? And do they and peer-support apps help in reducing NSSI urges and behaviors? What do individuals with lived experience of self-injury say that they look for in app-based technology to address self-injury? In this episode, Dr. Kruzan from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine shares about what her research has revealed and discusses the potential utility of Virtual Reality in the treatment of self-injury and self-harm. Learn more about Dr. Kruzan and her research at https://www.kayleekruzan.com/ , and follow her on Twitter at @KayleeKruzan . Below is some of her research referenced in this episode: Kruzan, K. P., Whitlock, J., & Bazarova, N. N. (2021). Examining the relationship between the use of a mobile peer-support app and self-Injury outcomes: Longitudinal mixed methods study . JMIR Mental Health, 8 (1), e21854. Kruzan, K. P., & Whitlock, J. (2022). Digital media, suicide, and self-injury . In J. Nesi, E. H. Telzer, & M. J. Prinstein (Eds.), Handbook of adolescent digital media use and mental health (pp. 338-362). Cambridge University Press. Kruzan, K. P., Mohr, D., & Reddy, M. (2022). How technologies can support self-Injury self-management: Perspectives of young adults with lived experience of nonsuicidal self-injury . Frontiers in Digital Health, 4 , 913599. Kruzan, K. P., Bazarova, N. N., & Whitlock (2021). Investigating self-injury support solicitations and responses on a mobile peer support application . Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 5 , 1-14. Kruzan, K. P., & Whitlock, J. L. (in press). Digital interventions for nonsuicidal self-injury. In E. E. Lloyd-Richardson, I. Baetens & J. Whitlock (Eds.), The handbook of nonsuicidal self-injury . Oxford University Press. 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

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

Nani Kim, RN, at the University of Texas at Austin shares a review of research on help-seeking behaviors for self-injury and self-harm. Season 5 | Episode 63 Podcast/ Season 5 | Episode 63 Help-Seeking for Self-Injury Jul 25, 2025 with Nani Kim, RN Help-Seeking for Self-Injury with Nani Kim, RN 00:00 / 01:04 In this episode, Nani Kim, RN from the University of Texas at Austin talks all things help-seeking for nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). This includes common reasons people give for choosing to seek help for self-harm, common forms of help-seeking behavior for NSSI, how often individuals who self-injure seek help for their self-injury, why they choose to seek help, what types of help they receive, and what happens when they seek help for self-injury. Below are a few references from this episode: Kim, N., Young, C. C., Kim, B. R., Rew, L., & Westers, N. J. (in press). Help-seeking behaviors in adolescents and young adults who engage in nonsuicidal self-injury: An integrative review . Journal of Adolescent Health . Advance online publication (free to access through August 7, 2025). Nadler, A. (1987). Determinants of help seeking behaviour: The effects of helper’s similarity, task centrality and recipient’s self esteem . European Journal of Social Psychology, 17 (1), 57-67. Mackesy, C. (2019). The boy, the mole, the fox and the horse: Inspiring conversations on hope, love and personal growth . HarperOne. Previous Next

Michael Kaess, MD, from the University of Bern in Switzerland explains the neurobiology of self-injury and self-harm. Season 3 | Episode 35 Podcast/ Season 3 | Episode 35 The Neurobiology of Self-Injury (in Layman's Terms) Mar 31, 2023 with Dr. Michael Kaess The Neurobiology of Self-Injury (in Layman's Terms) with Dr. Michael Kaess 00:00 / 01:04 What goes on at the neurobiological level that makes someone more vulnerable to self-injure or self-harm? What biological risk factors are at play? What roles do the vagus nerve, cortisol levels, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis have? We hope to discuss the psychology of self-injury pain in a future episode, but in this episode, Dr. Michael Kaess from the University of Bern in Switzerland explains the neurobiology of self-injury in simple terms, or what we hope can be considered simple layman's terms. Learn more about Dr. Kaess and his research team at the Universitäre Psychiatrische Dienste (UPD) in Bern here . To participate in Dr. Kaess' research study of an online intervention for self-injury (in German), visit the STAR (Self-injury Treatment Assessment Recovery) Project at https://star-projekt.de/ . Below are links to some of the research referenced in this episode: Kaess, M., Hooley, J. M., Klimes-Dougan, B., Koenig, J., Plener, P. L., Reichl, C., Robinson, K., Schmahl, C., Sicorello, M., Schreiner, M. W., & Cullen, K. R. (2021). Advancing a temporal framework for understanding the biology of nonsuicidal self-injury: An expert review . Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 130 , 228-239. Reichl, C., Heyer, A., Brunner, R., Parzer, P., Völker, J. M., Resch, R., & Kaess, M. (2016). Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, childhood adversity and adolescent nonsuicidal self-injury . Psychoneuroendocrinology, 74 , 203-211. Plener, P. L., Bubalo, N., Fladung, A. K., Ludolph, A. G., & Lulé, D. (2012). Prone to excitement: Adolescent females with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) show altered cortical pattern to emotional and NSS-related material . Psychiatry Research, 203 (2-3), 146-152. 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

Nancy Heath, PhD, from McGill University in Canada explains how schools can respond appropriately to students who engage in self-injury and self-harm. Season 1 | Episode 20 Podcast/ Season 1 | Episode 20 Self-Injury in Schools Dec 3, 2021 with Dr. Nancy Heath Self-Injury in Schools with Dr. Nancy Heath 00:00 / 01:04 How can schools appropriately respond to students who engage in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), whether the behavior occurs at home, on school grounds, or elsewhere? What protocols exist to support schools to better respond to students who self-injure? What role does liability play? In this episode, Dr. Nancy Heath of McGill University in Montreal, Canada explains how schools can support students who engage in self-injury and self-harm. Learn more about Dr. Heath's work here , and learn more about her work with the Development and Intrapersonal Resilience (DAIR) Research Team here . Learn more about the International Consortium on Self-Injury in Educational Settings (ICSES) at http://icsesgroup.org/ . Self-injury Outreach & Support (SiOS) offers resources for schools here and a list of do's and don'ts here . Visit SiOS at http://sioutreach.org and follow them on Facebook ( www.facebook.com/sioutreach ) and Twitter ( https://twitter.com/sioutreach ). Below are links to some of Dr. Heath's research as well as resources referenced in this episode: Hasking, P. A., Bloom, E., Lewis, S. P., & Baetens, I. (2020). Developing a policy, and professional development for school staff, to address and respond to nonsuicidal self-injury in schools . International Perspectives in Psychology: Research, Practice, Consultation, 9 (3), 176. Berger, E., Hasking, P., & Reupert, A. (2015). Developing a policy to address nonsuicidal self-injury in schools . Journal of School Health, 85 (9), 629-647. Lloyd-Richardson, E. E., Hasking, P., Lewis, S.P., Hamza, C., McAllister, M., Baetens, I., & Muehlenkamp, J. (2020). Addressing self-injury in schools, part 1: understanding nonsuicidal self-injury and the importance of respectful curiosity in supporting youth who engage in self-injury . NASN School Nurse, 35 (2), 92-98. Lloyd-Richardson, E. E., Hasking, P., Lewis, S.P., Hamza, C., McAllister, M., Baetens, I., & Muehlenkamp, J. (2020). Addressing self-injury in schools, part 2: how school nurses can help with supporting assessment, ongoing care, and referral for treatment . NASN School Nurse, 35 (2), 99-103. Lewis, S. P., Heath, N. L., Hasking, P. A., Hamza, C. A., Bloom, E. L., Lloyd-Richardson, E. E., & Whitlock, J. (2019). Advocacy for improved response to self-injury in schools: A call to action for school psychologists . Psychological Services, 17 (S1), 86–92. De Riggi, M. E., Moumne, S., Heath, N. L., & Lewis, S. P. (2017). Non-suicidal self-injury in our schools: a review and research-informed guidelines for school mental health professionals . Canadian Journal of School Psychology, 32 (2), 122-143. Whitlock, J. L., Baetens, I., Lloyd-Richardson, E., Hasking, P., Hamza, C., Lewis, S., Franz, P., & Robinson, K. (2018). Helping schools support caregivers of youth who self-injure: Considerations and recommendations . School Psychology International, 39 (3), 312-328. Hasking, P. A., Heath, N. L., Kaess, M., Lewis, S. P., Plener, P. L., Walsh, B. W., .Whitlock, J., & Wilson, M. S. (2016). Position paper for guiding response to non-suicidal self-injury in schools . School Psychology International, 37 (6), 644-663. Open access here . Book: Self-Injury in Youth: The Essential Guide to Assessment and Intervention (2008) by Drs. Mary Nixon & Nancy Heath 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

Brooke Ammerman, PhD, and Greg Lengel, PhD, define nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and self-harm. Season 3 | Episode 44 Podcast/ Season 3 | Episode 44 How Should Self-Harm Be Defined? Dec 29, 2023 with Drs. Brooke Ammerman & Greg Lengel How Should Self-Harm Be Defined? with Drs. Brooke Ammerman & Greg Lengel 00:00 / 01:04 What exactly constitutes nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI)? Dr. Brooke Ammerman from the University of Notre Dame and Dr. Greg Lengel from Drake University discuss the complexities of defining NSSI. They also describe the difference between deliberate self-harm and NSSI and share their research about what many clinicians, researchers, and people with lived experience tell them about what they think constitutes NSSI and how we should define it. Learn more about Dr. Ammerman and her work in the Affect, Suicide, Self-Injury, and Social Triggers (ASSIST) Lab at https://assistlab.nd.edu/ . Listen to her interview from Season 1 ("Disclosures of Self-Injury") here . Learn more about Dr. Lengel at his faculty profile at Drake University here . Follow them on Twitter/X at @brooke_ammerman and @DrGregLengel . Below are links to some of the papers discussed in this episode: Lengel, G. J., Ammerman, B. A., & Washburn, J. J. (2022). Clarifying the definition of nonsuicidal self-injury: Clinician and researcher perspectives . Crisis: The Journal of Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention, 43 (2), 119–126. Ammerman, B. A., Lengel, G. J., & Washburn, J. J. (2021). Consideration of clinician and researcher opinions on the parameters of nonsuicidal self-injury disorder diagnostic criteria . Psychiatry Research, 296 , 113642. 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

Barent Walsh, PhD, author of "Treating Self-Injury: A Practical Guide" and Executive Director Emeritus and Senior Clinical Consultant at Open Sky Community Services in Worcester, MA, describes the forms, functions, and treatment of atypical, severe self-injury and self-harm. Season 1 | Episode 12 Podcast/ Season 1 | Episode 12 Atypical Severe Self-Injury May 7, 2021 with Dr. Barry Walsh Atypical Severe Self-Injury with Dr. Barry Walsh 00:00 / 01:04 When we talk about nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) in this podcast, we are typically referring to the most common forms of NSSI. But what about rarer, more significant forms of self-harm and self-harming behaviors that do not fit neatly within the typical definition of NSSI, like ingesting foreign objects to intentionally cause internal injury? And how do these forms of “Atypical Severe Self-Injury” differ in function and severity from more common forms of self-injury? In this episode, Dr. Barry Walsh details 3 specific forms of Atypical, Severe Self-Injury, explains their unique functions, and shares clinical guidelines for treating those who engage in Atypical, Severe Self-Injury. Learn more about Dr. Walsh and his work at Open Sky Community Services by visiting www.openskycs.org . Below are links to some of his research and publications referenced in this episode: Walsh, B. W. (2014). Treating self-injury: A practical guide (2nd ed.) . New York: Guilford. Walsh, B. W. (2019). Atypical, severe self-injury: How to understand and treat it. In J. J. Washburn (Ed.), Nonsuicidal self-injury: Advances in research and practice . New York: Routledge. Atypical and severe nonsuicidal self-injury as an indicator of severe psychopathology: Findings from a sample of high-risk community mental health clients (Hom et al., 2018) Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter (@ITripleS). Previous Next

Nathan Peterson, LCSW, from OCD and Anxiety Counseling in Allen, Texas, explains the difference between Self-Harm OCD and nonsuicidal self-injury as well as Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for harm OCD. Season 3 | Episode 38 Podcast/ Season 3 | Episode 38 Self-Harm OCD vs. Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Jun 30, 2023 with Nathan Peterson Self-Harm OCD vs. Nonsuicidal Self-Injury with Nathan Peterson 00:00 / 01:04 Approximately 1-4% of people throughout the world experience obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Individuals with OCD are more likely than those without OCD to engage in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), and recent research has shown that, among those who self-injure, having a diagnosis of OCD predicts more severe self-injury. In this episode, licensed clinical social worker and OCD expert Nathan Peterson explains how he differentiates nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) from Self-Harm OCD, which is just one of many subtypes of OCD and one in which a person experiences intrusive thoughts or mental images of violence toward oneself. He then walks us through how he uses Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for Self-Harm OCD in therapy. Learn more about Nathan and his therapy practice OCD and Anxiety Counseling here . He has nearly 100k subscribers on YouTube ( @ocdandanxiety ) where his videos receive thousands and thousands of views. You can also follow him on Instagram ( @ocdandanxietyonline ), Twitter ( @ocdandanxiety1 ), and Facebook . Click here to take his online "Do I Have Harm OCD? Test." Below are additional resources about OCD and/or NSSI: Browning, M. E., Lloyd-Richardson, E. E., Schneider, R. L., Faro, A. L., Muehlenkamp, J. J., & Claudio-Hernandez, A. (2022). Obsessive compulsive disorder and co-occurring nonsuicidal self-injury: Evidence-based treatments and future research directions . The Behavior Therapist, 45(6), 199-208. International OCD Foundation at https://iocdf.org/ . Winston, S. M., & Seif, M. N. ( 2017). Overcoming unwanted intrusive thoughts: A CBT-based guide to getting over frightening, obsessive, or disturbing thoughts . New Harbinger. Baer, L. (2012). Getting control: Overcoming your obsessions and compulsions (3rd ed.) . Plume. To learn more about how medication can help address OCD (most often in tandem with ERP but not discussed in this episode), click here . 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 " 20 Best Clinical Psychology Podcasts " and also featured in Audible's " Best Mental Health Podcasts to Defy Stigma and Begin to Heal ." Previous Next

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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

Sarah Swannell, PhD, a psychologist in private practice in Australia and Lecturer at the University of Queensland discusses the prevalence and characteristics of self-injury and self-harm among individuals over age 40. Season 2 | Episode 27 Podcast/ Season 2 | Episode 27 Self-Injury Over Age 40 Jul 29, 2022 with Dr. Sarah Swannell Self-Injury Over Age 40 with Dr. Sarah Swannell 00:00 / 01:04 What is the prevalence of self-injury among adults over age 40? And what differentiates those who report having stopped self-injuring from those who continue to self-injure? How do they differ from those under age 25 who self-injure, including related to suicidal thoughts and behaviors? In this episode, psychologist Dr. Sarah Swannell from Australia discusses the prevalence of self-injury and self-harm among individuals over age 40 and stigma around the behavior. Learn more about Dr. Swannell and her work at https://sarahswannell.com.au/ . Below are links to some of her research referenced in this episode: Martin, G., & Swannell, S. (2016). Non-suicidal self-injury in the over 40s: Results from a large national epidemiological survey . Epidemiology, 6 (5), 266. Martin, G., Swannell, S. V., Hazell, P. L., Harrison, J. E., & Taylor, A. W. (2010). Self-injury in Australia: a community survey . Medical Journal of Australia, 193 (9), 506-510. (Australian National Epidemiological Study of Self-Injury [ANESSI]) Troya, M. I., Dikomitis, L., Babatunde, O. O., Bartlam, B., & Chew-Graham, C. A. (2019). Understanding self-harm in older adults: A qualitative study . EClinical Medicine, 12 , 52-61. 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