1st Edition

Women and Self Harm Understanding, Coping and Healing from Self-Mutilation

    174 Pages
    by Routledge

    174 Pages
    by Routledge

    Hundreds of thousands of women self-mutilate, yet very little is known about the reasons for this widespread phenomenon or the experience of self-harming itself. Now, this powerful and accessible book gathers together the personal testimonies of a broad range of women who self-mutilate, explores the causes and effects of self-harming behavior and offers strategies for understanding, overcoming and healing from self-mutilation.

    Foreword 1 What is Self-Harm and Who Does It? 2 Explanations for Self-Harm 3 Getting Access to Services 4 Conventional Treatments 5 Self-Help 6 Disrupting Self-Harm Patterns 7 Family and Friends

    Biography

    Gerrilyn Smith is a consultant and clinician in the field of child protection. Dee Cox is a former self-mutilator. Jacqui Saradjian is a clinical psychologist who regularly works with women who self-mutilate.

    "Giving voice to a silent anguish, this book should be read by all those incarcerated in the loneliness of self-harm. This book will appeal to those who self-harm, their friends and families, and their care providers. To each it speaks a unique message, but to each it also speaks of hope, providing a thorough understanding of what seems like a senseless behavior. The authors provide a framework for change, and practical recommendations to address this most difficult and confusing experience. For some, it will initiate the building blocks of empathy. For many, it will help them feel supported and not alone. But I hope for most it will serve as a guide, paving the return path for integration into our communities of those who feel the most isolated." -- Joseph A. Shrand, M.D., Director, Child and Adolescent Outpatient Clinic and Attending Psychiatrist, Acute Adolescent Residential Treatment Center