Self-harm is a significant issue for adolescents and young adults, and most do not seek help due to stigmatization, fear of the loss of privacy if the practitioner reports them, and fear of being considered attention-seeking. Trauma and shame are associated with self-harm and complicate young people’s ability to seek help. This workshop will examine how to assess self-harming behavior and provide intervetions that have been proven to be effective. Additionally, we will examine the link between shame and trauma and how that increases the likelihood of self-harm. We will discuss cognitive and other types of therapeutic strategies to decrease shame.

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

• Identify and assess the signs of self-harm and its level of risk in adolescents and young adults.
• Analyze the relationship between trauma, self-harm, and shame and how that might influence behavior.
• Compare treatment protocols that are useful in treating self-harm, shame, and trauma.
• Recognize the role of adolescent and young adult development when considering shame and self-harm and how that might impact the therapeutic relationship.