Note: Many of the resources and links below are commonly recommended, but it’s always a good idea to carefully—or prayerfully—consider anything you read, even in deciding if you should read it or not. If you are someone who is engaged in self-harming behavior, the information below can be helpful but will never be a substitute for finding people you can talk to and share your story with—people who will listen and care. For those who are encouraging and supporting someone who is self-injuring, the information will help you understand more about what is happening and how you can help. Still, don’t hesitate to get others involved from your community—pastors who understand self-injury or professional counselors.

BOOKS

General Market:

The Scarred Soul—Understanding and Ending Self-Inflicted Violence
by Tracy Alderman

See My Pain! Creative Strategies and Activities for Helping Young People Who Self-Injure
by Susan Bowman, Kaye Randall

Cutting—Understanding and Overcoming Self-Mutilation
by Steven Levenkron

A Bright Red Scream: Self-Mutilation and the Language of Pain
by Marilee Strong

Healing the Hurt Within—Understand and Relieve the Suffering Behind Self-Destructive Behaviour
by Jan Sutton

With a Christian faith slant:

Scars That Wound, Scars That Heal—A Journey Out of Self-Injury
by Jan Kern

Inside a Cutters Mind—Understanding and Helping Those Who Self-Injure
by Jerusha Clark, with Dr. Earl Henslin

No More Pain! Breaking the Silence of Self-Injury
by Vicki F. Duffy

Self-Injury—When Pain Feels Good
by Edward T. Welch

LINKS

Jan’s Blog – Tips for those in the Christian faith community on helping someone who self-injures

Choose 2 Live Free – Jan’s site for teens and young adults, talking about “living free”; more resources about self-injury are being developed for the C2LF Amplified page

Focus Adolescent Services – Self-injury Q&A, info for parents, and article and resource links

Breaking the Silence of Self-Injury Vicki Duffy’s site, includes helpful encouragement for those involved in self-injury

American Self-Injury Information Clearinghouse – Self-Injury Fact Sheet

Helping Those Who Hurt Themselves – Tips for the support person from psychologist and author, Tracy Alderman

Lysamena Project – A Christian-based site with information, resources, and links

Secret Shame – Self-injury information and support (caution for those who are self-injurying and are easily triggered)

SIARI – “Self-Injury and Related Issues,” information, resources, support (also potentially triggering)

Speak Don’t Bleed – Christian online ministry for teen girls ages 12-20 years old

ARTICLES AND DOWNLOADS

Indentifying Kids Who Cut Themselves – Article and video on the signs of self-injury
Understanding Self-Injurious Behavior Thorough article on teen self-injury
LifeSigns Fact Sheets – One-page fact sheets for students, health-care professionals, teachers, and parents, and 50-page booklet (a UK site)
LifeSigns Help Pack and Halt Page – Resources for the person who wants to stop self-harming (Note: help-lines in pack are for the UK)
Teen Self-Injury May Be Common – Includes July 2007 statistics on teen self-injury
One In Six Teens Inflict Self-Harm - A January, 2008 article explaining current research (Canada) that indicates the frequency of self-injury among teens
Conquering Cutting and Other Forms of Self-Injury – A series of articles for the person who is self-harming and those who want to help
Tough Issues, Tender Hearts – A Brio article on self-injury, including an interview with ZOEgirl and the story behind the song, “Scream.” Also includes some alternatives to self-injury.

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