Non-Suicidal Self Injury (NSSI): Who, Why, When, How and Treatment Options

Dr. Lisa Cohen Bennett

Training Description

This course is designed to provide strategies for staff working with traumatized youth and families. The aim of the course is to assist adults working with severe emotional disturbance have some clarity about who self-injures, why they self-injure, and myths associated with self-injury.  Part 2 will delve deeper into non-suicidal self-injury testimonials and will spend time examining treatment options.

Learning Objectives

• Define the groups of non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors
• Identify main populations affected
• Describe reasons for participating in non-suicidal self-injury
• Examine testimonials from NSSI groups 
• Describe treatment options

Agenda

9:30 am – 10:00am  Introduction and Review Severe Emotional Disturbance

Welcome & Introduction of instructor, students/class objectives 

Overview:  Severe Emotional Disturbance Template:

Trauma along Development Stages

Trauma along Separation and Attachment Milestones

Trauma connected with Losses

External Stressors for Families of Origin

How Differences Affect Emotional Disturbance

The Abuse Spectrum

Socio-Cultural Oppression

Bio/Neuro/Physio Affects

10:00- 10:30  Discuss Personal Coping Strategies

1) Self Study

10:30 - 11:00  Revisit SED template with feelings and behaviors

1) Developmental Stages

    Separation and Attachment Milestones

    Losses

    External Stressors

    Differences

    The Abuse Spectrum

2) Discuss feelings associated with above SED template (e.g., confusion, anger, sadness, abandonment, self-hatred, etc.)

3) Discuss behaviors stemming from trauma and feelings (e.g., other harm or self-harm)

4) Examine why this continuum occurs (e.g., distraction of self and others from early trauma)

11:00 - 11:30   List possible non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors (NSSI)

Substance Abuse

Poisoning

Running Away

Prostitution

Eating disorders

Cutting, ETC

Self-Mutilation:

Burning

Choking

Biting

Skin picking

Branding

Hair pulling, ETC

11:30 pm – 12pm   Classifications

12:00-12:30.  Who, why and myths 

12:30 - 1:00 LUNCH (CEUs will not be issued for this time)

1:00 pm - 1:30 pm   Movie clip and discussion

1:30 – 2:30   Testimonials: In small groups, discuss testimonials from people who self- injure looking for who, why, how, impact, response from medical and therapy communities

2:30 – 3:00   Movie clip and discussion

3:00 – 4:00   Treatment Options

4:00 - 4:30.    Case Examples

Meet Our Trainer

DR. BENNETT has been training Foster Parents, Probation Officers, Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Social Workers, Teachers and Group Home Staff around the country and in the San Francisco Bay Area for twenty years.  She has worked in a variety of settings with Severely Emotionally Disturbed Youth and Families including Residential Treatment, Hospital, Juvenile Hall, Runaway Shelter and County Mental Health for over thirty years.  Dr. Bennett also currently has a private practice in Lafayette, CA. where she specializes in trauma. 

This course meets the qualifications for (6.5) BBS CEUs for LCSWs and MFTs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.