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Online 2020 Conferences / 15th Annual Conference | Online 26th - 27th June, 2020 In 2020, we hosted our 15th Annual International Conference online — our first virtual conference. Details In 2020, we hosted our 15th Annual International Conference online — our first virtual conference. With a Keynote from Dr Barent Walsh, an Address from ISSS Rising Star A/Prof. Brooke Ammerman, our first virtual Happy Hour, and series of Expert Panel Discussions, we stayed safe and we stayed connected. Show More

Maryam Gholamrezaei, PhD, C.Psych, from Toronto, Canada, discusses self-injury and help-seeking among ethnically diverse populations and shares cultural insights into reasons for self-harm among individuals in the Middle East. Season 4 | Episode 54 Podcast/ Season 4 | Episode 54 Self-Injury Among Ethnically Diverse Populations Oct 25, 2024 Dr. Maryam Gholamrezaei Self-Injury Among Ethnically Diverse Populations Dr. Maryam Gholamrezaei 00:00 / 01:04 In this episode, Maryam Gholamrezaei, PhD, C.Psych, shares about her interviews with racially and ethnically diverse individuals who self-injure, including their responses to her question, “In your culture, what is the general response to people who engage in self-harming behaviors?” She also discusses gender differences in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) among different ethnic groups and offers unique insights into how the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East may influence an individual's decision to self-harm. Learn more about Dr. Gholamrezaei on her website at https://drmaryamgholamrezaei.ca/ . Below are some publications written by Dr. Gholamrezaei as well as Dr. Westers' editorial: Gholamrezaei, M., Heath, N. L., Pereira, L., De Stefano, J., & Böke, B. N. (2023). Nonsuicidal self-injury, mental health service use, and cultural perspectives among ethnically diverse university students . Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health, 42 (1), 15-40. Gholamrezaei, M., De Stefano, J., & Heath, N. L. (2017). Nonsuicidal self-injury across cultures and ethnic and racial minorities: A review . International Journal of Psychology, 52 (4), 316–326. Gholamrezaei, M., Heath, N., & Panaghi, L. (2016). Non-suicidal self-injury in a sample of university students in Tehran, Iran: prevalence, characteristics and risk factors . International Journal of Culture and Mental Health , 10 (2), 136–149. Westers, N. J. (2024). Cultural interpretations of nonsuicidal self-injury and suicide: Insights from around the world . Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 29 (4), 1231-1235. Previous Next

Jason Washburn, PhD, ABPP, from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine explains how self-injury and self-harm can effectively and compassionately be managed in inpatient settings. Season 1 | Episode 14 Podcast/ Season 1 | Episode 14 Managing Self-Injury in Inpatient Settings Jun 4, 2021 with Dr. Jason Washburn Managing Self-Injury in Inpatient Settings with Dr. Jason Washburn 00:00 / 01:04 When is it appropriate for someone who engages in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) to be admitted to an acute psychiatric inpatient program? And how realistic is it to expect no self-injury or self-harm to occur at all while in the hospital? How should hospital staff respond and intervene when someone engages in self-injury while on an inpatient unit? In this episode, Dr. Jason Washburn addresses these questions and discusses how hospital staff can foster empathy and compassion for individuals who self-injure while respecting their autonomy and also keeping them safe. Learn more about Dr. Washburn and his work here . Below are links to some of his work, including his books as editor and new research. To learn more about AMITA Health and its treatment for self-injury, click here . Washburn, J. J. (2014). Self-injury: Simple answers to complex questions . Hoffman Estates, IL: Alexian Brothers Press. Washburn, J. J. (2019). Nonsuicidal self-injury: Advances in research and practice . New York: Routledge. Slesinger, N. C., Hayes, N. A., & Washburn, J. J. (2021). Understanding predictors of change in a day treatment setting for non-suicidal self-injury . Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, and Practice, 94 , 517–535. 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

Imke Baetens, PhD, from Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Brussels University) in Belgium and PhD student Lisa Van Hove discuss the prevalence and characteristics of self-injury and self-harm among children under age 12. Season 2 | Episode 28 Podcast/ Season 2 | Episode 28 Self-Injury Under Age 12 Aug 31, 2022 with Dr. Imke Baetens & Lisa Van Hove Self-Injury Under Age 12 with Dr. Imke Baetens & Lisa Van Hove 00:00 / 01:04 Just how prevalent is self-injury among children under age 12? 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. Imke Baetens and PhD candidate Lisa Van Hove from Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Brussels University) discuss the prevalence of self-injury and self-harm among children under age 12 and how parents can talk to their young children about the behavior. To learn more about the International Consortium on Self-Injury in Educational Settings (ICSES), visit www.icsesgroup.org . Learn more about Dr. Baetens at www.brucc.be/en/imke-baetens . To see her publications, click here , and to learn more about her work at the Brussels University Consultation Center (BUCC), visit www.brucc.be/en . Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn here . Below are some of their research referenced in this episode: Baetens, I., Decruy, C., Vatandoost, S., Vanderhaegen, B., & Kiekens, G. (2020). School-based prevention targeting non-suicidal self-injury: A pilot study . Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11 , 437. Van Hove, L., Baetens, I., Simundic, A., Bloom, E., & Heath, N. (in press). NSSI in elementary school children. In E. E. Lloyd-Richardson, I. Baetens & J. Whitlock (Eds.), The Oxford 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

Special Interest Groups Collaboration / Special Interest Groups Groups with a Special Focus Special interest groups (SIGs) are groups of researchers, clinicians, and other stakeholders (including individuals with lived and/or living experience) who share an interest in a specific area of focus. Find out more about each SIG below. Research on NSSI in Daily Life Conduct and disseminate ethical, accessible, and priority-driven research to advance understanding, assessment, treatment, and prevention of NSSI. More ICSES The International Consortium on Self-Injury in Educational Settings is an interdisciplinary and international research group focused on prevention and intervention in educational settings. More Stigma, Recovery, & Lived Experience The Stigma, Recovery, and Lived Experience Special Interest Group focuses on the lived experiences of self-injury, paying particular attention to issues related to stigma and recovery. More Biological Factors and NSSI The Biological Factors and NSSI Special Interest Group focuses on neurological and physiological processes that impact NSSI. More

Stephen Lewis, PhD, from the University of Guelph in Canada and Immediate Past President of the International Society for the Study of Self-Injury (ISSS) discusses the state of health information about self-injury on the internet and addresses the risks and benefits of seeking self-injury and self-harm content online. Season 1 | Episode 5 Podcast/ Season 1 | Episode 5 Self-Injury and the Internet Jan 29, 2021 with Dr. Stephen Lewis Self-Injury and the Internet with Dr. Stephen Lewis 00:00 / 01:04 What is the quality of online health information related to self-injury and self-harm? What are some of the risks and benefits related to seeking self-injury content on the internet? In this episode, Dr. Lewis details 3 overarching risks and 4 overarching benefits of accessing self-injury content online. He also discusses his research related to the effects of hopeless vs. hopeful comments on YouTube videos about self-injury. To watch Dr. Lewis' TEDx talk about his own lived experience of self-injury on YouTube, visit https://youtu.be/G17iMOw0ar8 . Learn more about self-injury and Dr. Lewis' work at Self-injury Outreach & Support (SiOS) ( http://sioutreach.org/ ). Follow SiOS on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/sioutreach ) and Twitter ( https://twitter.com/sioutreach ). Below are links to his research and resources referenced in this episode: Non-suicidal self-injury, youth, and the Internet: What mental health professionals need to know Googling self-injury: The state of health Information obtained through online searches for self-injury The Scope of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury on YouTube Self-Injury Resources: Self-injury Outreach & Support (SiOS) ( http://sioutreach.org/ ) Shedding Light on Self-Injury ( https://www.self-injury.org.au/ ) Self-Injury & Recovery Resources (SIRR) ( www.selfinjury.bctr.cornell.edu ) The International Society for the Study of Self-Injury (ISSS) ( https://itriples.org/ ) Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter (@ITripleS). Previous Next

Lotte Rubæk, MSc, from Denmark discusses the role of social media among individuals who self-injure as well as why she resigned from her role on Meta's (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp) self-harm global expert panel. Season 4 | Episode 50 Podcast/ Season 4 | Episode 50 Social Media, Meta, & Self-Injury Jun 28, 2024 with Lotte Rubæk Social Media, Meta, & Self-Injury with Lotte Rubæk 00:00 / 01:04 In this episode, Lotte Rubæk, MSc, who leads the Self-Injury Team in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in the Capital Region of Denmark, talks about why interaction on image-based social media platforms like Instagram can be particularly appealing to young people who self-harm. She discusses the dynamics that can arise between users in the more closed social media networks, and she explains why she so publicly resigned from Meta's global expert panel on self-harm after serving on it for 3.5 years. Connect with Lotte on LinkedIn here , and read The Guardian's article about her decision to resign from Meta here . Listen to her podcast, Selvskadens Psykologi , which means The Psychology of Self-Injury in Danish, here . Read about the U.S. Surgeon General's May 2023 advisory about the effects social media use has on youth mental health here , and read about his June 2024 call on Congress to require warning labels on social media platforms and their effects on young people’s lives here . Below are Lotte's two book chapters in the new Oxford Handbook of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury and a few additional papers related to social media and self-injury: Rubæk, L., & Møhl, B. (2023). Direct and indirect self-injury . In E. E. Lloyd-Richardson, I. Baetens, & J. Whitlock (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of nonsuicidal self-injury (pp. 41-71). Oxford University Press. Møhl, B., & Rubæk, L. (2023). Understanding the link between direct and indirect self-injurious behavior . In E. E. Lloyd-Richardson, I. Baetens, & J. Whitlock (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of nonsuicidal self-injury (pp. 680-701). Oxford University Press. Westers, N. J., Lewis, S. P., Whitlock, J., Schatten, H. T., Ammerman, B., Andover, M. S., & Lloyd-Richardson, E. E.(2021). Media guidelines for the responsible reporting and depicting of non-suicidal self-injury . The British Journal of Psychiatry, 219 (2), 415-418. Zhu, L., Westers, N. J.,Horton, S. E., King, J. D., Diederich, A., Stewart, S. M., & Kennard, B. D. (2016). Frequency of exposure to and engagement in nonsuicidal self-injury among inpatient adolescents . Archives of Suicide Research, 20 (4), 580-590. Bridge, J. A., Greenhouse, J. B., Ruch, D., Stevens, J., Ackerman, J., Sheftall, A. H., Horowitz, L. M., Kelleher, K. J., & Campo, J. V. (2020). Association between the release of Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why and suicide rates in the United States: An interrupted time series analysis . Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 59 (2), 236-243. Previous Next

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. Show More

Christina Beck, a screenwriter, director, and actress discusses her film "PERFECTION" and what inspired her to create a film in which the protagonist engages in self-injury and self-harm. Season 2 | Episode 26 Podcast/ Season 2 | Episode 26 Self-Injury in Film: "PERFECTION" the Movie Jun 30, 2022 with Actor & Director Christina Beck Self-Injury in Film: "PERFECTION" the Movie with Actor & Director Christina Beck 00:00 / 01:04 Every screenwriter and film director is different and each has their own intentions and motivations, but what goes into the writing of characters who engage in self-injury and self-harm? How are such films inspired, and how do writers and directors choose to frame self-injury content? In this episode, screenwriter, director, and actress Christina Beck discusses her independent feature film "PERFECTION" and what inspired the characters and content of the film. This episode was recorded as a live virtual session held during the 17th annual ISSS Conference on June 24, 2022. To watch PERFECTION (for free), visit perfectionthemovie.wordpress.com and click on "Watch PERFECTION NOW !" Download the movie's free companion workbook here . Please note that some content in the film could be upsetting or triggering, including depictions of self-injury, substance use, and brief flashbacks that allude to sexual abuse. Christina is also a film professor at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA. You can follow her on Twitter at @xtinabeck and Facebook at www.facebook.com/perfectionfilm . To review the Media Guidelines for the Responsible Reporting and Depicting of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, click here . You can also visit www.itriples.org/media-guidelines to read the original ISSS white paper and its accompanied infographic. 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

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

Vienna, Austria 2023 Conferences / 18th Annual Conference | Vienna, Austria 24th - 25th June, 2023 In 2023, we hosted our 18th Annual International Conference in Vienna, Austria. Details In 2023, we hosted our 18th Annual International Conference in Vienna, Austria. Our first in-person meeting for three years, it was a splendid week of Viennese sights, reconnection, and reinvigorated passion for research, support, and advocacy. Show More

Janis Whitlock, PhD, from Cornell University and Senior Advisor for The JED Foundation explains what parents and caregivers should look for if they suspect their child is engaging in self-injury. She also discusses how caregivers can effectively talk to their child about self-injury and self-harm and when to seek therapy. Season 1 | Episode 3 Podcast/ Season 1 | Episode 3 Parenting Youth Who Self-Injure Jan 1, 2021 with Dr. Janis Whitlock Parenting Youth Who Self-Injure with Dr. Janis Whitlock 00:00 / 01:04 If you suspect that your child might be engaging in self-injury, how do you start the conversation and how often should you check in with your child so that you are not being too invasive? How can parents safely set rules if they fear their child might self-injure in response to these rules? In this episode, we answer these questions and more as we talk about how parents and loved ones can foster healing for their children who self-injure or self-harm as well as for themselves. Dr. Whitlock’s book “Healing Self-Injury: A Compassionate Guide for Parents and Other Loved Ones” is available on Amazon ( www.amazon.com/Healing-Self-Injury-Compassionate-Guide-Parents/dp/0199391602 ). Dr. Whitlock is a Research Scientist in the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research at Cornell University and the founder and director of the Self-Injury & Recovery Resources (SIRR) research program, which serves as one of the best and most comprehensive collations of online resources about self-injury: www.selfinjury.bctr.cornell.edu . It is a go-to resource for parents, therapists, friends, family members, schools, other caring adults, the media, and individuals with lived experience of self-injury. Follow them on Instagram @cornell_crpsir. Dr. Whitlock is also Senior Advisor for The JED Foundation . To learn more about The JED Foundation, visit https://www.jedfoundation.org/ . Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter (@ITripleS). Previous Next