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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

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

Greg Lengel, PhD, from Drake University in Iowa walks us through self-harm in the DSM-5 and the six criteria for the proposed diagnosis of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Disorder. Season 4 | Episode 45 Podcast/ Season 4 | Episode 45 DSM-5 & Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Disorder Jan 26, 2024 with Dr. Greg Lengel DSM-5 & Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Disorder with Dr. Greg Lengel 00:00 / 01:04 In 2013, the 5th edition of the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) was released, and for the first time it included Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Disorder as a Condition for Further Study. It is not an actual diagnosis at this time, but there are currently six criteria listed (see below, bottom of page). In this episode, Dr. Greg Lengel from Drake University in Iowa walks us through what research says about each of the six criteria, and he discusses the pros and cons of formalizing NSSI Disorder as a diagnosis. Listen to his interview with Dr. Brooke Ammerman from Season 3 ("How Should Self-Harm Be Defined?") here . Learn more about Dr. Lengel at his faculty profile at Drake University here and follow him on Twitter/X at @DrGregLengel . Below are links to many of the papers discussed in this episode as well as other important papers on NSSI as a disorder in the DSM-5: Shaffer, D., & Jacobson, C. (2009). Proposal to the DSM-V childhood disorder and mood disorder work groups to include non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) as a DSM-V disorder . American Psychiatric Association , 1-21. Lengel, G. J., Ammerman, B. A., & Washburn, J. J. (2023). NSSI in the DSM-5 . In E. E. Lloyd-Richardson, I. Baetens, & J. Whitlock (Vol. Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury . New York: Oxford University Press . 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 , 119-126. Lengel, G. J. & Mullins-Sweatt, S. N. (2013). Nonsuicidal self-injury disorder: Clinician and expert ratings . Psychiatry Research , 210 , 940-944. Ammerman, B. A., Jacobucci, R., Kleiman, E. M., Muehlenkamp, J. J., & McCloskey, M. S. (2017). Development and validation of empirically derived frequency criteria for NSSI disorder using exploratory data mining . Psychological Assessment , 29 , 221-231. Ammerman, B. A., Jacobucci, R., & McCloskey, M. S. (2019). Reconsidering important outcomes of the nonsuicidal self‐injury disorder diagnostic criterion A . Journal of Clinical Psychology , 75 , 1084-1097. 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. Ghinea, D., Edinger, A., Parzer, P., Koenig, J., Resch, F., & Kaess, M. (2020). Non-suicidal self-injury disorder as a stand-alone diagnosis in a consecutive help-seeking sample of adolescents . Journal of Affective Disorders, 274 , 1122-1125. Muehlenkamp, J. J. (2005). Self-injurious behavior as a separate clinical syndrome . American Journal of Orthopsychiatry , 75 , 324–333. Muehlenkamp, J. J., Brausch, A. M., & Washburn, J. J. (2017). How much is enough? Examining frequency criteria for NSSI disorder in adolescent inpatients . Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology , 85 , 611619. Washburn, J. J., Potthoff, L. M., Juzwin, K. R., & Styer, D. M. (2015). Assessing DSM-5 nonsuicidal self-injury disorder in a clinical sample . Psychological Assessment, 27 , 31-41. Zetterqvist, M. (2015). The DSM-5 diagnosis of nonsuicidal self-injury disorder: A review of the empirical literature . Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 9 , 31. 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. NONSUICIDAL SELF-INJURY DISORDER (PROPOSED DIAGNOSIS): A. In the last year, the individual has, on 5 or more days, engaged in intentional self-inflicted damage to the surface of his or her body of a sort likely to induce bleeding, bruising, or pain (e.g., cutting, burning, stabbing, hitting, excessive rubbing), with the expectation that the injury will lead to only minor or moderate physical harm (i.e., there is no suicidal intent). Note: The absence of suicidal intent has either been stated by the individual or can be inferred by the individual's repeated engagement in a behavior that the individual knows, or has learned, is not likely to result in death. B. The individual engages in the self-injurious behavior with one or more of the following expectations: To obtain relief from a negative feeling or cognitive state. To resolve an interpersonal difficulty. To induce a positive feeling state. Note: The desired relief or response is experienced during or shortly after the self-injury, and the individual may display patterns of behavior suggesting a dependence on repeatedly engaging in it. C. The intentional self-injury is associated with at least one of the following: Interpersonal difficulties or negative feelings or thoughts, such as depression, anxiety, tension, anger, generalized distress, or self-criticism, occurring in the period immediately prior to the self-injurious act. Prior to engaging in the act, a period of preoccupation with the intended behavior that is difficult to control. Thinking about self-injury that occurs frequently, even when it is not acted upon. D. The behavior is not socially sanctioned (e.g., body piercing, tattooing, part of a religious or cultural ritual) and is not restricted to picking a scab or nail biting. E. The behavior or its consequences cause clinically significant distress or interference in interpersonal, academic, or other important areas of functioning. F. The behavior does not occur exclusively during psychotic episodes, delirium, substance intoxication, or substance withdrawal. In individuals with a neurodevelopmental disorder, the behavior is not part of a pattern of repetitive stereotypies. The behavior is not better explained by another mental disorder or medical condition (e.g., psychotic disorder, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, stereotypic movement disorder with self-injury, trichotillomania [hair-pulling disorder], excoriation [skin-picking] disorder). Previous Next

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 2022 Dr. Glenn Kiekens Dr. Kiekens is as an Assistant Professor in Clinical Psychology at Tilburg University (Netherlands) and Senior Research Fellow at KU Leuven (Belgium). Read more...

2023 - 2024 Home / Collaborative Research Program / 2023 Current Projects The 2023-24 cycle of the ISSS Collaborative Research Program (CRP) is now closed. Thank you to all who submitted an application 🎉 Outcomes will be communicated soon, and announced after the CRP Symposium at the Conference in Vienna. Applications Closed Item Title Mentored by: This is placeholder text. To connect this element to content from your collection, select the element and click Connect to Data. Read More Item Title Mentored by: This is placeholder text. To connect this element to content from your collection, select the element and click Connect to Data. Read More Item Title Mentored by: This is placeholder text. To connect this element to content from your collection, select the element and click Connect to Data. Read More

Kathryn Gordon, PhD, from Fargo, North Dakota discusses the relationship between disordered eating and self-harm, how often they co-occur, why they co-occur, and physical pain sensitivity amidst eating disorder behavior and self-injury. Season 2 | Episode 22 Podcast/ Season 2 | Episode 22 Eating Disorders & Self-Harm Feb 25, 2022 with Dr. Katie Gordon Eating Disorders & Self-Harm with Dr. Katie Gordon 00:00 / 01:04 The term "self-harm" is an umbrella term, encompassing a broad range of behaviors, under which is included substance abuse and misuse, suicide, nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), and even eating disorders. In this episode, Dr. Katie Gordon, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Fargo, North Dakota, discusses the prevalence of self-injury among individuals with eating disorders and the prevalence of eating disorders among those who self-injure. She explains the relationship between the two behaviors, including common risk factors. Learn more about Dr. Gordon and her work on her website at https://kathrynhgordon.com/ . Follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @DrKathrynGordon . You can purchase her book The Suicidal Thoughts Workbook: CBT Skills to Reduce Emotional Pain, Increase Hope, and Prevent Suicide on Amazon here . Below are links to some of Dr. Gordon's research as well as resources referenced in this episode: Kiekens, G., & Claes, L. (2020). Non-suicidal self-injury and eating disordered behaviors: An update on what we do and do not know . Current Psychiatry Reports, 22 (68). Fox, K. R., Wang, S. B., Boccagno, C., Haynos, A. F., Kleiman, E., & Hooley, J. M. (2019). Comparing self-harming intentions underlying eating disordered behaviors and NSSI: Evidence that distinctions are less clear than assumed . International Journal of Eating Disorders, 52 (5), 564-575. Smith, A. R., et al. (2013). Exercise caution: Over-exercise is associated with suicidality among individuals with disordered eating . Psychiatry Research, 206 (2-3), 246-255. Gordon, K. H., Perez, M., & Joiner, T. E. (2002). The impact of racial stereotypes on eating disorder recognition . International Journal of Eating Disorders, 32 (2), 219-224. 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

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

Home / Awards / Invited Fellow / Dr. Paul L. Plener Dr. Paul L. Plener Previous Dr. Paul L. Plener is a Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Head of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Medical University of Vienna (Austria). His internationally recognized research examines self-injury, suicide prevention, and adolescent mental health services, combining rigorous empirical study with a deep concern for clinical relevance. Dr. Plener has been instrumental in advancing knowledge about the developmental pathways of self-injury and improving access to evidence-based care for young people across Europe. He is known for his collaborative spirit, global leadership in mental health research, and his commitment to ensuring that scientific insights translate into real-world healing and prevention. Next ISSS Fellow | 2022

Why do people self-injure or self-harm? Especially when it seems to contradict our instinct for self-preservation? The simple answer is that for the majority of those who engage in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), it helps them to feel better; it’s a coping strategy. But of course, the answer is often more complex than that. Season 1 | Episode 1 Podcast/ Season 1 | Episode 1 Why Do People Self-Injure? Jan 1, 2021 with Dr. Nicholas Westers Why Do People Self-Injure? with Dr. Nicholas Westers 00:00 / 01:04 Self-injury does not reflect typical behavior, but it is also not uncommon. One in five adolescents across the globe reports having self-injured, and one in twenty adolescents in the United States reports having self-injured 6 or more times in the past 12 months. Self-injury isn’t limited to adolescents: 13% of young adults and 6% of adults also report having engaged in self-injury. But why? According to research, there are two primary categories: emotional reasons and social reasons. In this inaugural episode of The Psychology of Self-Injury, Dr. Nicholas Westers delves into these two categories and asks leading experts, an individual with lived experience of self-injury, and a parent of a teen who self-injures: "Why do people self-injure or self-harm?" Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter (@ITripleS). Previous Next

Home / Awards / Invited Fellow / Dr. Jason J. Washburn Dr. Jason J. Washburn Previous Dr. Jason J. Washburn is a Clinical Psychologist and Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (United States). His work spans self-injury, suicide prevention, and adolescent mental health, with a focus on the development of reliable assessment tools and evidence-based treatments. As a clinician, Dr. Washburn brings science and practice together, ensuring that research findings directly inform patient care. He has served in numerous leadership roles advancing child and adolescent psychiatry and psychology. Colleagues and students alike admire his analytical clarity, his deep compassion for youth in crisis, and his tireless commitment to bridging research and real-world impact. Next ISSS Fellow | 2024

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

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 2025 Dr. Kealagh Robinson Dr. Robinson is a Senior Lecturer at Massey's School of Psychology (Aotearoa, New Zealand). She is also a collaborator with the Checking on Mental Health Providing Alternatives to Suicide (COMPAS) program. Read more...