When a parent learns that their teen is cutting themself, they are typically as confused as they are heartbroken. They are often aware their teen is "having a tough year" or "is a little out of sorts." Some parents report they had thought their teen was experiencing typical teen angst, and describe the emotional challenges they faced during their own adolescence. Nearly all the parents I have worked with feel ill-informed or equipped to parent a child who has cut themself, and are eager to better understand why their child has begun to intentionally self-harm. 

A recent article in the New York Times, Why Teenagers Cut, and How to Help , interviews ...