Understanding Self-Harm

Self-harm occurs for a number of reasons but tends to be used as a way of coping with severe emotional pain when young people can’t find the words to express or process how they are feeling. For parents it is incredibly worrying and not knowing how to support your child can leave you feeling helpless and distressed.

We believe it’s important to get people talking about self-harm and as part of this presentation we aim to open discussions up around the issue to further our understanding and dispel some myths around self-harm, we also briefly discuss links to suicidal ideation, how to support someone experiencing these thoughts and how to get further help.

This 2-hour presentation is aimed at parents and teachers who would like to be proactive in gaining a better understanding of what self-harm is and why it occurs. We will look at:

· A brief overview of Depression and how this links to self-harm

· We explore what Self harm is and how it presents in young people

· Why self-harm occurs and what it means to a young person

· A brief exploration of suicidal ideation and how to support someone experiencing these thoughts (further external course details for suicide prevention will be given here)

· Ways we can support adolescents who are self-harming

· How to approach your child who you suspect is self-harming