Understanding Adolescent Self-Injury and Accessing Help

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Understanding Adolescent Self-Injury and Accessing Help

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 ...

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Am I Creating a Validating Environment?

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Am I Creating a Validating Environment?

The emotional environment in which a child is raised impact’s their ability to manage their emotions, control their behavioral urges, and feel confident in their ability to accurately assess their environment. Children raised in an environment in which they don’t feel accepted or understood are at higher risk for mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety, oppositional behavioral disorders, and substance use.

Invalidation is when ...

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Choosing to Respond

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Choosing to Respond

Parents often feel ineffective at managing their children’s behaviors and, as a result, become increasingly agitated when trying to set limits or implement consequences. Becoming emotionally escalated during these interactions actually makes the parent less effective and exacerbates the parent’s sense of helplessness.

When an individual is making decisions from an emotionally reactive position ...

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