About Self-Injury Self-Injury and Suicide Resources / About Self-Injury / Self-Injury and Suicide "Related but not the same" The relationship between NSSI and suicide is complex. Although NSSI is not a suicidal behavior itself, it is a reliable predictor of later suicidal thoughts, plans, and attempts (Kiekens et al., 2018, Ribeiro et al., 2016). So, why is this the case? There are lots of factors that contribute to the relationship between NSSI and suicidal behaviours. A recent review by Griep and MacKinnon (2020) found that past-year NSSI frequency and depressive symptoms increase an individual's risk of attempting suicide. There were mixed findings regarding age and sex differences. Suicidality can fluctuate over time. It is important to continually check in with clients and loved ones regarding their self-injury and suicidality. References Kiekens, G., Hasking, P., Boyes, M., Claes, L., Mortier, P., Auerbach, R. P., Cuijpers, P., Demyttenaere, K., Greene, J. G., Kessler, R. C., Myin-Germeys, I., Nock, M. K., & Bruffaerts, R. (2018). The associations between non-suicidal self-injury and first onset suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Journal of Affective Disorders , 239 , 171-179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2018.06.033 Griep, S. K., & MacKinnon, D. F. (2020). Does nonsuicidal self-injury predict later suicidal attempts? A review of studies. Archives of Suicide Research , 26 , 428-446. https://doi.org/10.1080/13811118.2020.1822244 Ribeiro, J. D., Franklin, J. C., Fox, K. R., Bentley, K. H., Kleiman, E. M., Chang, B. P., & Nock, M. K. (2015). Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors as risk factors for future suicide ideation, attempts, and death: A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. Psychological Medicine , 46 , 225-236. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291715001804

Sarah Victor, PhD, from Texas Tech University discusses the prevalence of self-injury among psychologists and psychology graduate students, how psychologists with and without lived experience of self-injury can appropriately provide therapy to clients and supervision to trainees with a history of self-injury, and how individuals with lived experience of self-injury can be involved in teaching and research on self-injury and self-harm. Season 1 | Episode 9 Podcast/ Season 1 | Episode 9 Psychologists with Lived Experience of Self-Injury Mar 26, 2021 with Dr. Sarah Victor Psychologists with Lived Experience of Self-Injury with Dr. Sarah Victor 00:00 / 01:04 How many psychologists have lived experience of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI)? What biases should mental health professionals with and without a history of self-injury keep in mind when treating or supervising someone who has lived experience? In this episode, Dr. Victor shares preliminary data that she has just begun analyzing regarding the prevalence rates of mental health difficulties and self-injury among psychologists and psychology graduate students. She provides guidance about how mental health professionals can provide appropriate care to therapy clients and supervision to trainees who have lived experience of self-injury and self-harm. She also discusses how individuals with lived experience can be involved in research and teaching. Learn more about Dr. Victor and her work in the Tracking Risk Over Time Lab (TRTL) at https://www.depts.ttu.edu/psy/people/svictor/ and her website at https://www.sarahevictor.com/ . Follow her on Twitter @sarahevictor . Below are links to some of her research and the resources referenced in this episode: Psychologists with lived experience of non-suicidal self-injury: Priorities, obstacles, and recommendations for inclusion (click here for the free version of the author's manuscript) LiveThroughThis.org Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (Canadian Institutes of Health Research) Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) ClinicalTrials.gov Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter (@ITripleS). Previous Next

Peggy Andover, PhD, from Fordham University talks us through the Treatment for Self-Injurious Behaviors (T-SIB) intervention for nonsuicidal self-injury and self-harm. Season 1 | Episode 10 Podcast/ Season 1 | Episode 10 Treatment for Self-Injurious Behaviors (T-SIB) Apr 9, 2021 with Dr. Peggy Andover Treatment for Self-Injurious Behaviors (T-SIB) with Dr. Peggy Andover 00:00 / 01:04 A lot of therapies address the context in which nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and self-harm may occur, but only a few treatments have been designed to address NSSI specifically. In this episode, we dive into one of these treatments: Treatment for Self-Injurious Behaviors (T-SIB). Dr. Peggy Andover, its lead developer, walks us through the 9 sessions of T-SIB, including the personalized modules of sessions 7 & 8. Learn more about Dr. Andover and her work in the Mood and Behaviors Lab at https://www.fordham.edu/info/23638/mood_and_behaviors_lab and reach her at andover@fordham.edu . Follow her on Twitter @DrPeggyAndover . Below are links to some of her research and the resources referenced in this episode: Moderators of treatment response to an intervention for nonsuicidal self-injury in young adults (2020) An intervention for nonsuicidal self-injury in young adults: A pilot randomized controlled trial (2017) Development of an intervention for nonsuicidal self-injury in young adults: An open pilot trial (2015) Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter (@ITripleS). Previous Next

Mallory Dobias, MA, from Stony Brook University describes Project SAVE, an online, single-session intervention for nonsuicidal self-injury and self-harm. Season 2 | Episode 23 Podcast/ Season 2 | Episode 23 Single-Session Intervention for Self-Harm Mar 31, 2022 with Mallory Dobias Single-Session Intervention for Self-Harm with Mallory Dobias 00:00 / 01:04 According to a 2020 national survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), among 52.9 million adults with any mental illness in the United States, 46.2% received mental health services in the past year, which means more than half did not. Although there are known, effective treatments for mental disorders, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that more than 75% of people in low- and middle-income countries receive no treatment. In this episode, Mallory Dobias, MA, a Clinical Psychology PhD student at Stony Brook University in New York discusses an online, brief single-session intervention for nonsuicidal self-injury and self-harm, allowing for more accessible treatment options. You can find Mallory's open access pre-print paper on PsyArXiv at https://psyarxiv.com/jprcg and its peer-reviewed final publication in the journal Behaviour Research and Therap y by clicking here . To find the pdf version of the intervention in Open Science Framework (OSF) visit https://osf.io/vguf4/ . To find the project summary of Project SAVE (Stop Adolescent Violence Everywhere), visit www.schleiderlab.org/completed-projects.html . Follow Mallory on Twitter at @MalloryDobias and learn more about her work with the Lab for Scalable Mental Health at www.schleiderlab.org/ and her work with the Fox Lab at Denver University at www.foxlabdu.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 " Best 20 Clinical Psychology Podcasts " and by Welp Magazine in their " 20 Best Injury Podcasts ." Previous Next

Home / Awards / Invited Fellow / Dr. James J. Gross Dr. James J. Gross Previous Dr. James J. Gross is the Ernest R. Hilgard Professor of Psychology at Stanford University (United States), where he directs the Stanford Center for Affective Science and the Stanford Psychophysiology Laboratory . A pioneer in emotion regulation, he has published over 650 works cited more than 250,000 times, shaping research across psychology and neuroscience. Dr. Gross is also an award-winning teacher and mentor, recognized with Stanford’s highest teaching honor, multiple mentoring awards, and national mentorship prizes. He has received research honors from the APA, the Society for Psychophysiological Research, the Social and Affective Neuroscience Society, and the Grawemeyer Award, as well as honorary doctorates from institutions in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Hong Kong. He is co-founding President of the Society for Affective Science, Founding Co-Editor-in-Chief of Affective Science , and a Fellow of multiple leading scientific organizations. Known for his intellectual rigor and transformative impact, Dr. Gross continues to advance the science of emotion while inspiring students, colleagues, and the global research community. Next ISSS Fellow | 2026

Brittany from Texas shares her story of lived experience of self-injury and self-harm and how her faith has helped her navigate both positive and negative reactions from religious leaders. Season 2 | Episode 21 Podcast/ Season 2 | Episode 21 Lived Experience: Brittany's Story of Self-Injury & Faith Jan 28, 2022 Lived Experience: Brittany's Story of Self-Injury & Faith 00:00 / 01:04 In this first episode of Season 2, Brittany details her experience of engaging in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), how it started, and how she makes sense of self-injury and her faith in God. She explains two starkly different responses she received from church leaders and shares insights about how youth pastors in particular can provide supportive responses to students who engage in self-injury and self-harm. 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 " Best 20 Clinical Psychology Podcasts " and by Welp Magazine in their " 20 Best Injury Podcasts ." Previous Next

Yukari Seko, PhD, from Ryerson University in Canada describes how self-injury is depicted in various genres of Japanese manga and how graphic novels like manga can be utilized for good in understanding and treating self-injury and self-harm. Season 1 | Episode 17 Podcast/ Season 1 | Episode 17 Self-Injury in Japanese Manga Sep 3, 2021 with Dr. Yukari Seko Self-Injury in Japanese Manga with Dr. Yukari Seko 00:00 / 01:04 Manga are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Not only do manga reveal and reinforce cultural values, beliefs, and norms, particularly in Japan, but they can also be used as a teaching tool and source of information. Manga and other comics can be used in medicine to learn and teach about illness and to build empathy. They also have the power to shape public understanding of mental health issues, even nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). In this episode, Dr. Yukari Seko explains how self-injury and the characters who engage in the behavior are portrayed in Japanese manga. She also discusses the importance of manga within Japanese culture. Below is a reference (with a link) to her research paper along with a breakdown of common genres of manga and, based on her study, just how many characters within each genre engage in self-injury and self-harm: GENRES OF MANGA (& the number of characters depicted who self-injure, based on Dr. Seko's study): 1. shōjo : comics for girls 18 and younger (written for girls, by girls) - depicted 10 characters who self-injure 2. shōnen : comics for boys 18 and younger (written for boys, by boys, about boys) - depicted 0 characters 3. seinen : comics for young males age 18-30 - depicted 6 characters , portrayed as menhera (a derivation of " men tal heal th- er ," a person with mental instability or "mentally vulnerable damsels in distress") 4. josei : comics for young females 18-30 - depicted 1 character 5. Boy's Love : a subgenre of josei manga featuring erotic relationships between male characters - depicted 1 character 6. seijen : comics for grownups - depicted 0 characters 7. redicomi : "Lady's Comic" for adult women - depicted 0 characters 8. slice-of-life : genre that features realistic depictions of everyday life. Seko, Y., & Kikuchi, M. (2021). Self-injury in Japanese manga: A content analysis . Journal of Medical Humanities, 42 (3), 355-369. Seko, Y., & Kikuchi, M. (2022). Mentally ill and cute as hell: Menhera girls and portrayals of self-injury in Japanese popular culture . Frontiers in Communication, 7 . To learn more about Dr. Seko and her work at Ryerson University, visit https://www.ryerson.ca/procom/people/yukari-seko/ . To learn more about graphic medicine and novels referenced in this episode, see Williams, I. C. M. (2012). Graphic medicine: comics as medical narrative . Medical Humanities, 38 (1), 21-27. 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

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

Jessica Garisch, PhD, from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, gives a sneak peek into how she addresses self-injury and self-harm in therapy sessions with youth and their parents. Season 1 | Episode 16 Podcast/ Season 1 | Episode 16 If Your Child is in Therapy for Self-Injury Aug 6, 2021 with Dr. Jessica Garisch If Your Child is in Therapy for Self-Injury with Dr. Jessica Garisch 00:00 / 01:04 Many parents understandably want their child to stop self-injuring immediately, but cessation of self-injury is often a process and recurrence of episodes of self-injury can be expected, even when in therapy. In this episode, Dr. Jessica Garisch provides insight for parents about expectations for therapy and helping their child stop engaging in self-injury and self-harm. For instance, what do you do if your child does not seem to be putting forth effort in therapy? And if you are worried that your child may not be safe enough to go to camp or on vacation, should you keep them home? To learn more about Dr. Garisch and her work at Victoria University of Wellington, visit https://people.wgtn.ac.nz/jessica.garisch . To learn more about the Youth Wellbeing Study and its research team, visit https://youthwellbeingstudy.wordpress.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

Julian Koenig, Dr. sc. hum. (PhD), from the University of Cologne in Germany discusses the psychology of pain in self-injury and self-harm. Season 3 | Episode 40 Podcast/ Season 3 | Episode 40 The Psychology of Self-Injury Pain Aug 25, 2023 with Dr. Julien Koenig The Psychology of Self-Injury Pain with Dr. Julien Koenig 00:00 / 01:04 What is the relationship between nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and pain? Are individuals who self-injure less sensitive to pain than those who don’t self-injure? What are the ethics involved in conducting research on pain? In this episode, Dr. Julian Koenig describes the research on the experience of pain among those who self-harm. Learn more about Dr. Koenig and his research lab at www.koeniglab.de , and follow him on Twitter/X at @koeniglab . Below are links to some of the research referenced in this episode: Koenig, J., Thayer, J. F., & Kaess, M. (2016). A meta-analysis on pain sensitivity in self-injury . Psychological Medicine, 46 (8), 1597-1612. Koenig, J., Klier, J., Parzer, P., Santangelo, P., Resch, F., Ebner-Priemer, U., & Kaess, M. (2021). High-frequency ecological momentary assessment of emotional and interpersonal states preceding and following self-injury in female adolescents . European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 30 (8), 1299-1308. 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. Störkel, L. M., Karabatsiakis, A., Hepp, J., Kolassa, I.-T., Schmahl, C., & Niedtfeld, I. (2021). Salivary beta-endorphin in nonsuicidal self-injury: an ambulatory assessment study . Neuropsychopharmacology, 46 (7), 1357-1363. Sigrist, C., Kaess, M., & Koenig, J. (2023). Autonomic nervous system function in nonsuicidal self-injury—A Research Domain Criteria perspective on the arousal/regulatory systems . In E. E. Lloyd-Richardson, I. Baetens, & J. Whitlock (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of nonsuicidal self-injury (pp. C18S1–C18S23). Oxford University Press. Naoum, J., Reitz, S., Krause-Utz, A., Kleindienst, N., Willis, F., Kuniss, S., Baumgärtner, U., Mancke, F., Treede, R.-D., & Schmahl, C. (2016). The role of seeing blood in non-suicidal self-injury in female patients with borderline personality disorder . Psychiatry Research, 246 , 676-682. 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 ." Previous Next

Kim Gratz, PhD, and Matthew Tull, PhD, from the University of Toledo walk us through Emotion Regulation Group Therapy (ERGT) intervention for nonsuicidal self-injury and self-harm. Season 3 | Episode 34 Podcast/ Season 3 | Episode 34 Emotion Regulation Group Therapy for Self-Harm Feb 24, 2023 with Dr. Kim Gratz and Dr. Matthew Tull Emotion Regulation Group Therapy for Self-Harm with Dr. Kim Gratz and Dr. Matthew Tull 00:00 / 01:04 A lot of therapies address the context in which nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and self-harm may occur, but only a few treatments have been designed to address NSSI specifically. In this episode, we dive into one of these treatments: Emotion Regulation Group Therapy (ERGT). Drs. Kim Gratz and Matthew Tull from the University of Toledo in Ohio walk us through in significant detail each of the 90-minute 14 sessions of ERGT. Learn more about Dr. Gratz here and reach her at klgratz28@gmail.com . Learn more about Dr. Tull here and follow him on Twitter @MTTull . Learn more about the Personality and Emotion Research and Treatment (PERT) Laboratory within the Department of Psychology at the University of Toledo here , and follow the PERT Lab on Twitter @LabPert . Below are links to their research on ERGT referenced in this episode: Gratz, K. L., & Gunderson, J. G. (2006). Preliminary data on an acceptance-based emotion regulation group intervention for deliberate self-harm among women with Borderline Personality Disorder . Behavior Therapy, 37 (1), 25-35. Gratz, K. L., & Tull, M. T. (2011). Extending research on the utility of an adjunctive emotion regulation group therapy for deliberate self-harm among women with borderline personality pathology . Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment, 2 (4), 316–326. Gratz, K. L., Tull, M. T., & Levy, R. (2014). Randomized controlled trial and uncontrolled 9-month follow-up of an adjunctive emotion regulation group therapy for deliberate self-harm among women with borderline personality disorde r. Psychological Medicine, 44 , 2099–2112. Gratz, K. L., Bardeen, J. R., Levy, R., Dixon-Gordon, K., L., & Tull, M. T. (2015). Mechanisms of change in an emotion regulation group therapy for deliberate self-harm among women with borderline personality disorder . Behaviour Research and Therapy, 65 , 29-35. Sahlin, H., Bjureberg, J., Gratz, K. L., Tull, M. T., Hedman, E., Bjarehed, J., Jokinen, J., Lundh, L., Ljotsson, B., & Hellner, C. (2017). Emotion regulation group therapy for deliberate self-harm: A multi-site evaluation in routine care using an uncontrolled open trial design . BMJ Open, 7 (10), e016220. 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