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Home / Awards / Invited Fellow / Dr. Janis L. Whitlock Dr. Janis L. Whitlock Previous Dr. Janis Whitlock is a Senior Research Scientist and Director Emerita at the Cornell Research Program on Self-Injury and Recovery (United States). For over two decades, she has been a pioneering force in understanding the epidemiology, context, and recovery process of self-injury, especially among adolescents and college students. Her work has illuminated how social, developmental, and digital factors influence self-injury, and she has been at the forefront of translating research into accessible educational materials for clinicians, parents, and young people. Her work has been foundational in understanding self-injury among adolescents and young adults, particularly in community and online contexts. Dr. Whitlock is deeply respected for her compassionate approach, her emphasis on resilience and recovery, and her lifelong commitment to empowering individuals and communities to respond to self-injury with understanding rather than stigma. Next ISSS Fellow | 2022

About Self-Injury Talking About Self-Injury Resources / About Self-Injury / Talking About Self-Injury "Adopt respectful curiosity" The language we use to talk about people and the behaviours they engage in is powerful. Language is the medium we use to communicate our understanding of the world, to establish social structures, define cultures, and establish meaning to phenomena and people. Language shapes the way we view the world and our place in it. The language that is commonly used when talking about NSSI and people with lived experience of NSSI is often derogatory, can perpetuate myths and foster stigma, and can make people with lived experience feel even more misunderstood and isolated. Conversely, adopting a "respectful curiosity" and being conscious of using respectful language can open the way for helpful conversations and encourage support seeking. Top Tips Always be respectful when talking about NSSI, or people with a lived experience of NSSI Poorly-considered language can exacerbate stigma among people who already feel highly stigmatised Avoid language that defines a person by their behaviour (e.g., “cutter”; “self-injurer”) Avoid language that is value-laden (e.g., good/bad), or propagates stigma (e.g., attention-seeking) Use of appropriate language can foster open communication and facilitate support-seeking Check out specific guidelines for members of the media in reporting on and writing about NSSI. 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 Lewis, S. P. (2017). I cut therefore I am? Avoiding labels in the context of self-injury. Medical Humanities , 43 , Article 204. https://doi.org/10.1136/medhum-2017-011221

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. Conference Schedule Information for Presenters Details Register for the conference Additional registration information NOTE: If you are from a low or low-middle income nation , please email ISSS2026@akademikonferens.se for a 20% discount. 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. ISSS 2025 Program & Abstract Book June 23 .pdf Download PDF • 466KB

Ben from California shares his story of lived experience of self-injury as a man, including how he views recovery and copes with significant scarring from self-harm wounds. Season 5 | Episode 59 Podcast/ Season 5 | Episode 59 Lived Experience: Ben's Story of Self-Injury Mar 28, 2025 Lived Experience: Ben's Story of Self-Injury 00:00 / 01:04 In this episode, Ben Moroski from Los Angeles, CA, shares his story of lived experience of self-injury that began at age 17 when he and his family found themselves in a religious cult. He articulately communicates therapeutic gems he has learned throughout his journey of recovery while remaining honest with how he manages persisting urges to self-harm. Watch his autobiographical solo one man play about his struggle with self-injury at https://vimeo.com/107909913 , and follow him on Instagram @bmoroski . Previous Next

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

About Self-Injury Who Self-Injures and Why? Resources / About Self-Injury / Who Self-Injures and Why? "A kaleidoscope of people & reasons" People of all ages, genders, sexualities, ethnicities, and social classes self-injure, though there are factors that may increase the likelihood that an individual will self-injure. Age Current research suggests that self-injury most commonly begins between ages 12 and 15 (Plener et al., 2015), with a second onset peak in early adulthood, around age 20 (Ghandi et al., 2018). Some people first start to self-injure before the age of 12 and some first self-injure much later in life. An age of onset before 12 is associated with more severe self-injury over a longer period of time (Muehlenkamp et al., 2019). Typically rates of self-injury increase through early-mid adolescence and decline in later adolescence. Sex, gender, and sexuality A 2015 meta-analysis of 116 studies showed that girls and women are slightly more likely to self-injure than boys and men, with this gender difference particularly evident in clinical samples. Self-injury is also more common among individuals identifying within the LGBTQIA+ community, with rates 2-3 times that of heterosexual/cisgender individuals (Liu et al., 2019). Culture and race A majority of research to date has focussed on samples comprising mostly Caucasian individuals from Western societies. This has lead to a significant gap in our understanding of NSSI among individuals in underrepresented cultural and racial groups. Current knowledge suggests that self-injury is present across cultures and races. A review by Gholamrezaei et al. (2015) showed there may be differences in age of onset and function, but the differences are complicated by social and economic factors, often brought about by racism. Psychological profile A meta-analysis (Fox et al., 2015) found that risk factors for self-injury include depression, hopelessness, abuse, personality and eating disorders, and impulsivity. People who engage in self-injury report being more sensitive to interpersonal stress or conflict, and experiencing greater difficulty expressing and regulating their emotions. That being said, most people who engage in self-injury do not have a mental illness. Trauma and hardship Experiences of trauma can leave lasting psychological damage resulting in instrusive thoughts, flashbacks, painful emotional states, and dissociation. Self-injury may be used by individuals facing these experineces, as it can be an effective strategy for escaping unwanted experiences and ending dissociation (Smith et al., 2014). Whilst people who have experienced trauma are more likely to engage in self-injury (Liu et al., 2018), it is a myth that all people who self-injure have experienced childhood trauma. Poverty is an additional risk factor for self-injury, with individuals from impoverished backgrounds more likely to self-injure than individuals whose socioeconomic needs were met (Liu, 2021). Why People Self-Injure Self-injury can be difficult to understand, as it appears to go against humans' innate desire to avoid harm. However, the reasons someone might injure themselves on purpose are often similar to the reasons people engage in other behaviours. Individuals who have self-injured often report more than one reason for their self-injury, and their reasons may change over time. The functions of self-injury can be classified into two broad categories: intrapersonal and interpersonal. Self-injury for intrapersonal reasons is more common than for interpersonal reasons (Taylor et al., 2018). Intrapersonal Functions Intrapersonal reasons have to do with an individual's internal state, including thoughts and emotions. There are three main intrapersonal functions: Emotion regulation. The most commonly reported reason to engage in self-injury is to manage emotional experiences. This includes escaping an unwanted emotions or inducing a desired emotion. Typically, these emotions are "negative", such as anger, frustration, sadness, and loneliness, but "positive" emotions such as excitement or pride have also been reported. Thought regulation. This is closely linked to emotion regulation, as our thoughts and emotions are connected. Individuals may use self-injury to control or quieten unwanted thoughts, such as self-criticism or suicidal ideation. Self-punishment. While self-punishment appears to serve an emotion regulation purpose, self-injury for this reason is usually tied to feelings or shame or thoughts about oneself being "flawed" or "bad". Interpersonal Functions Interpersonal functions have to do with an individual's connection with others, and include three main reasons: Communicating distress. Sometimes individuals may not know how to explain their distress to others and use self-injury as a way to communicate their feelings. Social influence. There may be several motivations underlying self-injury as a way to influence others. An individual may engage in self-injury to keep people away from them, to demonstrate their belonging to a social group, to elicit care, or to encourage a change in behaviour. Punishment. Sometimes a person may engage in self-injury as a way to punish another person for something they have or have not done. In these instances, the self-injury is typically communicating distress and serving an emotion regulation function as well. References Fox, K. R., Franklin, J. C., Ribeiro, J. D., Kleiman, E. M., Bentley, K. H., & Nock, M. K. (2015). Meta-analysis of risk factors for nonsuicidal self-injury. Clinical Psychology Review , 42 , 156-167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2015.09.002 Gandhi, A., Luyckx, K., Baetens, I., Kiekens, G., Sleuwaegen, E., Berens, A., Maitra, S., & Claes, L. (2018). Age of onset of non-suicidal self-injury in Dutch-speaking adolescents and emerging adults: An event history analysis of pooled data. Comprehensive Psychiatry , 80 , 170-178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2017.10.007 Gholamrezaei, M., De Stefano, J., & Heath, N. (2015). Nonsuicidal self-injury across cultures and ethnic and racial minorities: A review. International Journal of Psychology , 52 , 316-326. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijop.12230 Liu, R. R. (2021). The epidemiology of non-suicidal self-injury: Lifetime prevalence, sociodemographic and clinical correlates, and treatment use in a nationally representative sample of adults in England. Psychological Medicine , 53 , 274-282. https://doi.org/10.1017/S003329172100146X Liu, R. T., Scopelliti, K. M., Pittman, S. K., & Zamora, A. S. (2018). Childhood maltreatment and non-suicidal self-injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet - Psychiatry , 5 , 51-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(17)30469-8 Liu, R. T., Sheehan, A. E., Walsh, R. F. L., Sanzari, C. M., Cheek, S. M., & Hernandez, E. M. (2019). Prevalence and correlates of non-suicidal self-injury among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review , 74 , Article 101783. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2019.101783 Muehlenkamp, J. J., Xhunga, N., & Brausch, A. M. (2019). Self-injury age of onset: A risk factor for NSSI severity and suicidal behavior. Archives of Suicide Research , 23 , 551-563. https://doi.org/10.1080/13811118.2018.1486252 Plener, P. L., Schumachers, T. S., Munz, L., & Groschwitz, R. C. (2015). The longitudinal course of non-suicidal self-injury and deliberate self-harm: A systematic review of the literature. Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation , 2 , Article 2. https://doi.org/10.1186%2Fs40479-014-0024-3 Smith, N. B., Kouros, C. D., & Meuret, A. E. (2014). The role of trauma symptoms in nonsuicidal self-injury. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse , 15 , 41-56. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838013496332 Taylor, P. J., Jomar, K., Dhingra, K., Forrester, R., Shahmalak, U., & Dickson, J. M. (2018). A meta-analysis of the prevalence of different functions of non-suicidal self-injury. Journal of Affective Disorders , 227 , 759-769. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2017.11.073

Collaborative Research Program Home / Collaborative Research Program / 2024 Current Projects The 2024-25 cycle of the ISSS Collaborative Research Program (CRP) is now open for applicants! The ISSS CRP provides an opportunity for doctoral students and early career researchers (less than 5 years post PhD) to work with a leading NSSI researcher, who is not their supervisor, on a dedicated research project. Available CRP opportunities are listed below. Apply Now Proximal mechanisms of NSSI predicting suicide thoughts and behaviors Mentored by: Jennifer Muehlenkamp Read More NSSI and other life-threatening behaviours among adolescents in China Mentored by: Moye Xin Read More Validation of a novel Future Imagery Scale and exploration in a sample of YP with and without NSSI Mentored by: Martina Di Simplicio Read More Characteristics of nonsuicidal self-injury disorder in youth and psychometric evaluation of the Clinician-Administered Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Disorder Index Mentored by: Johan Bjureberg Read More Using real-time monitoring to study social interactions and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) cognitions and behaviors among individuals seeking care Mentored by: Glenn Kiekens and Laurence Claes Read More

ISSS Rising Stars About /Awards / ISSS Rising Stars Recognizing Potential ISSS Rising Stars are dedicated early-career researchers, clinicians, or advocates whose work demonstrates potential and commitment to make a significant contribution to the field and to the lives of people with lived experience. 2023 Rising Star Read more Dr Kathryn Fox Dr Fox is an Assistant Professor in the clinical child psychology Ph.D. Program at the University of Denver, where she also directs the Fox Lab in the Department of Psychology. Rising Stars of ISSS 2021 Dr. Sarah Victor Dr. Victor is a clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor at Texas Tech University (United States) where she leads the Tracking Risk Over Time Lab (TRTL). Read more...

Who We Are Home / About It is a direct expression of thusness or this-moment-as-it-is - Seo, 2007 "Enso" is a Japanese word meaning circular form and is a symbol from Zen Buddhism that represents enlightenment, strength, connection, and imperfection (Seo, 2007). The enso was chosen as the symbol for ISSS because it reflects the imperfect, cyclical nature of life. Our Mission The mission of the International Society for the Study of Self-Injury (ISSS) and its members is to promote the understanding, prevention, and treatment of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and foster well-being among those with lived NSSI experience and those impacted by NSSI. To accomplish these aims, ISSS focuses its efforts on the following goals: Research Conduct and disseminate state-of-the art research to advance the understanding, assessment, treatment, and prevention of NSSI. Care & Support Develop, evaluate, and promote, and provide evidence-based care to advance clinical understanding of NSSI and its treatment across diverse settings. Outreach Engage in public outreach to improve knowledge of evidence-based prevention, assessment, and treatment options for NSSI. Connection Enhance networking, collaboration, and resource sharing among all stakeholders with an interest in improving the lives of people who engage in NSSI. Membership in ISSS is open to researchers, clinicians, students, people with lived experience with NSSI, advocates, and other stakeholders with an interest in improving the lives of people who engage in NSSI. Executive Board Open Positions Ready to join our leadership team? Click on each position to learn more and apply! Treasurer The Treasurer fulfils a crucial administrative role and is responsible for the receipt, custody, and disbursement of all funds and securities of ISSS. They are also responsible for all financial and security related records and communications. Representative at Large: Membership The Rep. at Large (Membership) ensures the growth, satisfaction, and active involvement of ISSS members. Through collaboration and outreach, the Membership RAL fosters and maintains a vibrant, engaged, and expanding community of members. Representative at Large: Social Media The Rep. at Large (Social Media) is responsible for the online presence of ISSS, promoting its mission, activities, and initiatives to stakeholders through consistent and creative engagement across social media platforms. Student Representative Student Representatives are critical members of the ISSS Executive Board. They serve as a liaison between student Members and the Board, advocating for student interests and cultivating community and connection among the student body. Meet the Leadership ISSS is led by a team of experts in the field and comprises researchers, clinicians, students, advocates, and most importantly, individuals with lived experience of self-injury. All members of the Executive Board are democratically elected by the ISSS Membership, with positions holding varying terms. Find open appointments and meet the team below! A/Prof. Nicholas Westers President Dr. Karl Tooher Secretary-Elect Jason Washburn, PhD Founding Treasurer Professor Stephen Lewis Chair of Strategic Planning Ruth Tatnell, PhD International Member at Large Professor Marc Wilson International Member at Large Brooke Ammermann, PhD Representative at Large Kaylee Kruzan, PhD Representative at Large Greg Lengel, PhD Chair of Media & Communications Michelle Hiner, MS Webmaster Michaela Ahrenholtz, MS Student Representative Professor Imke Baetens Past President Elizabeth Lloyd-Richardson, PhD Past President Our History From list-serve to leaders The International Society for the Study of Self-Injury was esta blished in 2006 by a group of passionate and curious researchers led by Janis Whitlo ck and Nancy Heath. Today, ISSS boasts more than100 members dedicated to our mission. Learn more below about how ISSS came to be the leading international organisation for the study of self-injury. Pre-ISSS In January of 2005, a year before the first ISSS meeting, the findings of the Adolescent Mental Health Initiative were disseminated in a book titled, Treating and Preventing Adolescent Mental Health Disorders: What We Know and What We Don’t Know . Although intended to summarize the state of the field in adolescent mental health disorders, the volume included no more than half of a page on nonsuicidal self-Injury (NSSI). The absence of NSSI in this volume largely r eflected its nominal presence in academic journals prior to this point. Despite its absence in the literature however, its growing presence in clinical and non-clinical settings had begun to command the attention of a small but increasing group of scholars from diverse disciplines. Although acquainted with each others’ work, there were few forums through which these scholars regularly, if ever, came together as a group. The First Meeting In response to this growing gap between the literature and field experience, Nancy Heath’s Research Team at McGill University initiated a list-serve for professionals interested in the study of self-injury. This was a means of encouraging communication among NSSI scholars within and outside of the US. Shortly after this, in 2006, Janis Whitlock and several colleagues from Cornell University invited a small group of NSSI researchers and treatment specialists to attend a meeting devoted to discussion of what we knew, what we needed to know, and strategies for building a larger field of research and collaboration. The opportunity for exchange created by the gathering was well received and very productive. By the end of the second day, the group had identified a name for the association and plans for continuing ISSS were set. By the group’s second meeting the following year, hosted by Nancy Heath at McGill, over 20 new collaborations had been formed and the group’s membership had swelled considerably. During the third year’s meeting, hosted by Matt Nock at Harvard University, the group collectively decided to begin the process of developing a formal charter and membership. By the fifth year, hosted by David Klonsky at Stony Brook University, we had appointed our first round of officers. The Organisation Today Today, we comprise over 100 members and are in our 17th year of research, care, outreach, and connection. ISSS hosts vibrant and intellectually stimulating annual meetings and fosters meaningful and productive collaborations. Although ISSS continues to expand, our commitment to improving the field of NSSI remains unchanged. Be part of an organisation dedicated to improving wellbeing and reducing stigma, join u s today .

Local Chapters Collaboration / Local Chapters Local Collaborations with a Mission The ISSS Local Chapters is a new collaboration initiative fostering local connections within our international organization. The goal of these chapters is to facilitate local collaboration on research, clinical practice, reflection, and advocacy. Through these Chapters, we aim to promote innovation and impact through diverse connections that lead to improvements in the lives of those who have lived/living experience of self-injury. Below you can find active ISSS Local Chapters. If you don't see one in your area, consider starting one! Head to our contact form to let us know you are interested. Location Lead Contact Scandinavia Philip Ulstrup Hartvig phart@regionsjaelland.dk

Marc Wilson, PhD, from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand shares about cross-cultural representations of self-injury and self-harm. Season 2 | Episode 24 Podcast/ Season 2 | Episode 24 Self-Harm Across Cultures, with Dr. Marc Wilson Apr 29, 2022 with Dr. Marc Wilson Self-Harm Across Cultures, with Dr. Marc Wilson with Dr. Marc Wilson 00:00 / 01:04 Are there countries, races, or ethnicities with higher or lower rates of self-injury? How prevalent is NSSI among indigenous peoples, and what role does culture play in the form, function, and meaning of self-injury? In this episode, Dr. Marc Wilson from Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington in Aotearoa New Zealand shares about cross-cultural representations of self-injury and self-harm. Learn more about Dr. Wilson and his work at https://people.wgtn.ac.nz/Marc.Wilson . Below are links to some of the research referenced in this episode: Sansone, R. A., Wiederman, M. W., & Sansone, L.A. (1998). The Self-Harm Inventory (SHI): development of a scale for identifying self-destructive behaviors and borderline personality disorder . Journal of Clinical Psychology, 54 (7), 973–983. Sansone, R. A., & Sansone, L. A. (2010). Measuring self-harm behavior with the Self-Harm Inventory . Psychiatry (Edgmont), 7 (4), 16-20. Gratz, K. L. (2001). Measurement of deliberate self-harm: Preliminary data on the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory . Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 23 (4), 253-263. Monto, M. A., McRee, N., & Deryck, F. S. (2018). Nonsuicidal self-injury among a representative sample of US adolescents, 2015 . American Journal of Public Health, 108 , 1042-1048. Favazza, A. R. (2011). Bodies under siege: Self-mutilation, nonsuicidal self-injury, and body modification in culture and psychiatry (3rd ed.). Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press. Wilson, M. S. (in press). Cross-cultural representations of 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

Wendy Lader, PhD, author of "Bodily Harm: the Breakthrough Healing Program for Self-Injurers" and Co-Founder and retired Clinical Director of the S.A.F.E. Alternatives Program in St. Louis, MO, describes how the treatment for self-injury and self-harm has evolved over the years. Season 2 | Episode 32 Podcast/ Season 2 | Episode 32 The Evolution of Self-Injury Treatment Dec 30, 2022 with Dr. Wendy Lader The Evolution of Self-Injury Treatment with Dr. Wendy Lader 00:00 / 01:04 In 1986, the first treatment program in the United States specifically for nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) opened its doors. Self Abuse Finally Ends, better known as S.A.F.E. Alternatives, was a 30-day inpatient program for the treatment of self-injury and self-harm. In this episode, Dr. Wendy Lader, the Co-Founder and retired Clinical Director of S.A.F.E. Alternatives talks about what treatment looked like back then and how treatment has evolved over time. Learn more about Dr. Lader on her website www.drlader.com , and find her book Bodily Harm: the Breakthrough Healing Program for Self-Injurers on Amazon here . To learn more about S.A.F.E. Alternatives, visit selfinjury.com or call 1-800-DONTCUT (1-800-366-8288). If you are seeking treatment options with them, let them know you heard about the program on The Psychology of Self-Injury podcast with Dr. Lader. 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