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

Kathryn Gardner, PhD, from the University of Central Lancashire in the United Kingdom discusses the significance of where on the body individuals choose to engage in self-cutting behavior and the psychology of self-injury and self-harm location. Season 2 | Episode 25 Podcast/ Season 2 | Episode 25 Self-Injury Location: Visible vs Concealed May 27, 2022 with Dr. Kathryn Gardner Self-Injury Location: Visible vs Concealed with Dr. Kathryn Gardner 00:00 / 01:04 Does it matter where on the body someone cuts, whether on typically more visible sites such as the forearm and wrist, or in typically more concealed areas, such as the upper arm and torso? Is there a relationship between where someone cuts on their body and their likelihood of continuing to engage in the behavior? In this episode, Dr. Gardner discusses her research on the psychology of self-injury location and where on the body one chooses to self-injure as well as intrapersonal (emotional) reasons and interpersonal (social) reasons for engaging in self-injury and self-harm. Learn more about Dr. Gardner and her work at https://www.uclan.ac.uk/academics/dr-kathryn-gardner , and follow her on Twitter @KathrynJGardner . Below are links to some of her research referenced in this episode: Gardner, K. J., Bickley, H., Turnbull, P., Kapur, N., Taylor, P., & Clements, C. (2020). The significance of site of cut in self-harm in young people . Journal of Affective Disorders, 266 , 603-609. Gardner, K. J., Paul, E., Selby, E. A., Klonsky, E. D., Mars, B. (2021). Intrapersonal and interpersonal functions as pathways to future self-harm repetition and suicide attempts . Frontiers in Psychology, 12 , 688472. Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter (@ITripleS). The Psychology of Self-Injury podcast has been rated #5 by Feedspot in their " Best 20 Clinical Psychology Podcasts " and by Welp Magazine in their " 20 Best Injury Podcasts ." Previous Next

Sylvanna Mirichlis, PhD, and Stephen Lewis, PhD, talk all things Self-Injury Awareness Day (SIAD). We also share some of our favorite clips from past episodes for those new to the topic of self-harm. Season 5 | Episode 58 Podcast/ Season 5 | Episode 58 Self-Injury Awareness Day (March 1) Feb 28, 2025 with Drs. Sylvanna Mirichlis & Stephen Lewis Self-Injury Awareness Day (March 1) with Drs. Sylvanna Mirichlis & Stephen Lewis 00:00 / 01:04 In this episode, Dr. Sylvanna Mirichlis from Curtin University in Perth, Australia, and ISSS Past President Dr. Stephen Lewis from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada share about the origins of the annual March 1st Self-Injury Awareness Day (SIAD), what people around the world are doing as part of this day, and what our ISSS Stigma, Recovery, and Lived Experience Special Interest Group is doing to boost awareness of self-injury. We also share some of our favorite clips from past episodes. Self-Injury Resources: International Society for the Study of Self-Injury (ISSS) ( https://itriples.org/ Self-injury Outreach & Support (SiOS) ( http://sioutreach.org/ ) Cornell's Self-Injury & Recovery Resources (SIRR) ( www.selfinjury.bctr.cornell.edu ) Shedding Light on Self-Injury ( https://www.self-injury.org.au/ ) Lewis, S. P., & Hasking, P. A. (2023). Understanding self-injury: A person-centered approach . Oxford University Press. To watch Dr. Lewis' TEDx talk about his own lived experience of self-injury on YouTube, visit https://youtu.be/G17iMOw0ar8 . Timestamps for clips from past episodes: 37:37 - Lived experience: Kirsty's story of self-injury & advocacy (Season 2, Episode 30) 43:41 - Psychologists with lived experience of self-injury, with Dr. Sarah Victor (Season 1, Episode 9) 45:25 - Self-injury stigma and language, with Dr. Penelope Hasking (Season 1, Episode 4) 48:26 - Lived experience: Thomas' story of self-injury & gender dysphoria (Season 4, Episode 48) 52:48 - Self-harm across cultures, with Dr. Marc Wilson (Season 2, Episode 24) 56:39 - The psychology of self-injury scarring, with Dr. Taylor Burke (Season 2, Episode 31) 1:01:52 - A dad & daughter discuss her lived experience of self-harm (Season 3, Episode 37) 1:15:15 - Parenting youth who self-injure, with Dr. Janis Whitlock (Season 1, Episode 3) 1:23:49 - Supporting siblings of individuals who self-harm, with Dr. Amy Lucas (Season 4, Episode 46) Previous Next

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

Johan Bjureberg, Ph.D., from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden walks us through Emotion Regulation Individual Therapy for Adolescents (ERITA) for nonsuicidal self-injury and self-harm. Season 4 | Episode 52 Podcast/ Season 4 | Episode 52 Emotion Regulation Individual Therapy for Adolescents (ERITA) Who Self-Harm Aug 30, 2024 with Dr. Johan Bjureberg Emotion Regulation Individual Therapy for Adolescents (ERITA) Who Self-Harm with Dr. Johan Bjureberg 00:00 / 01:04 Emotion Regulation Individual Therapy for Adolescents (ERITA) and its internet-delivered version (IERITA) is just one of a couple of treatments developed specifically to address nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) among adolescents. In this episode, Dr. Johan Bjureberg from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden walks us through in detail each of the 11 sessions of IERITA and IERITA's 6 parallel sessions for parents. Learn more about Dr. Bjureberg's work here , and follow the Bjureberg Research Lab and their projects and publications at https://bjureberglab.se/ . Below are links to his research on ERITA/IERITA referenced in this episode: Bjureberg, J., Ojala, O., Hesser, H., Häbel, H., Sahlin, H., Gratz, K. L., Tull, M. T., Knutsson, E. C., Hedman-Lagerlöf, E., Ljótsson, B., & Hellner, C. (2023). Effect of internet-delivered Emotion Regulation Individual Therapy for Adolescents with Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Disorder: A randomized clinical trial . JAMA Network Open, 6 (7), e2322069. Bjureberg, J., Sahlin, H., Hedman-Lagerlof, E., Gratz, K. L., Tull, M. T., Jokinen, J., Hellner, C., & Ljotsson, B. (2018). Extending research on emotion regulation individual therapy for adolescents (ERITA) with nonsuicidal self-injury disorder: Open pilot trial and mediation analysis of a novel online version . BMC Psychiatry, 18 , 326. Bjureberg, J., Sahlin, H., Hellner, C., Hedman-Lagerlof, E., Gratz, K. L., Bjarehed, J., Jokinen, J., Tull, M. T., & Ljotsson, B. (2017). Emotion regulation individual therapy for adolescents with nonsuicidal self-injury disorder: A feasibility study . BMC Psychiatry, 17 , 411. Previous Next

21st Annual International Conference | 2026 | Stockholm, Sweden | June 23rd - 25th June Register for the conference Category Early Bird: Conference Only Standard: Conference Only Early Bird: Preconference Workshop Standard: Preconference Workshop Early Bird: Conference & Preconference Standard: Conference & Preconference Non-Members 3,800 SEK 418 USD 342 EUR 4,800 SEK 528 USD 432 EUR 3,400 SEK 374 USD 306 EUR 4,400 SEK 484 USD 396 EUR 6,700 SEK 737 USD 603 EUR 8,700 SEK 957 USD 783 EUR ISSS Members 2,900 SEK 319 USD 261 EUR 3,900 SEK 429 USD 351 EUR 3,000 SEK 330 USD 270 EUR 4,000 SEK 440 USD 360 EUR 5,500 SEK 605 USD 495 EUR 6,400 SEK 704 USD 576 EUR Students 1,450 SEK 160 USD 131 EUR 2,450 SEK 270 USD 221 EUR 1,500 SEK 165 USD 135 EUR 2,000 SEK 220 USD 180 EUR 2,450 SEK 270 USD 221 EUR 3,950 SEK 435 USD 356 EUR :

2023 - 2024 Home / Collaborative Research Program / Peer responses... Peer responses to self-injury Mentor/s: Imke Baetens 2023 - 2024 Project Overview By exploring the impact of self-injury on peers to whom the behavior has been disclosed we will be closer to understanding peer disclosure reactions, and using this understanding to develop resources for people who self-injure and their peers. This research proposal targets university students who know someone who self-injures (whether this has been voluntary disclosed or not). Quantitative data has been collected at multiple sites (i.e., Belgium, Canada, USA and Australia) through online surveys. Datasets are available using quantitative measures. The junior researcher could contribute by taking the lead in data analyses and contribute to updating the literature review on this subject. Application Deadline: June 11 2023 Apply Now Previous Next

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

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

Jonas Bjärehed, PhD, from Lund University in Sweden compares rates of self-injury and self-harm among youth from 2007 to 2023. Season 4 | Episode 47 Podcast/ Season 4 | Episode 47 Do Youth Self-Injure More Now Than 15 Years Ago? Mar 29, 2024 with Dr. Jonas Bjärehed Do Youth Self-Injure More Now Than 15 Years Ago? with Dr. Jonas Bjärehed 00:00 / 01:04 In this episode, Dr. Jonas Bjärehed from Lund University in Sweden walks us through his research on nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) that he began in 2007 as part of his dissertation project. For example, he shares high prevalence rates of NSSI in Sweden (~40%) and discusses gender differences of NSSI among adolescents in 2007 compared to 2023. He also explains the results of a 10-year longitudinal study in which he surveyed individuals as adolescents about their self-harm and then surveyed the same group as adults 10 years later. Learn more about Dr. Bjärehed's research here and connect with him on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/jonasbjarehed . Below are a couple of his publications along with a couple papers on " phubbing ." Wångby-Lundh, M., Lundh L.-G., Claréus, B., Bjärehed, J.,& Daukantaitė, D. (2023). Developmental pathways of repetitive nonsuicidal self-injury: predictors in adolescence and psychological outcomes in young adulthood . Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 17 (1), 116. Daukantaitė, D., Lundh, L.-G., Wångby-Lundh, M., Claréus, B., Bjärehed, J., Zhou, Y., & Liljedahl, S. I. (2021). What happens to young adults who have engaged in self-injurious behavior as adolescents? A 10-year follow-up . European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 30 (3), 475–492. Liu, S., Wu, P., Han, X., Wang, M., Kan, Y., Qin, K., & Lan, J. (2024). Mom, dad, put down your phone and talk to me: how parental phubbing influences problematic internet use among adolescents . BMC Psychology, 12 , 125. Lv, H., Ye, W., Chen, S., Zhang, H., & Wang, R. (2022). The effect of mother phubbing on young children’s emotional and behavioral problems: A moderated mediation model of mother–child attachment and parenting stress . International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19 , 16911. 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

Kirsty from New Zealand shares her story of lived experience of self-injury and how her experiences inform her work in advocating for, and instilling hope in, others with similar stories of self-harm. Season 2 | Episode 30 Podcast/ Season 2 | Episode 30 Lived Experience: Kirsty's Story of Self-Injury & Advocacy Oct 28, 2022 Lived Experience: Kirsty's Story of Self-Injury & Advocacy 00:00 / 01:04 In this episode, Kirsty Moore details her experience of engaging in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) beginning at age 14 and into her 30's. She discusses her training in psychology and how she integrates research on NSSI with her lived experience of self-harm as a form of advocacy when conducting workshops on NSSI for the community. Connect with Dr. Kirsty on Instagram at @dr_kirsty_coaching . 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