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.
Go to posts on this site specific to self-injury
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
Focus on the Family – “I’m cutting myself. What do I do? – resources for the person who is self-harming, including links to more articles
Focus Adolescent Services – Self-injury Q&A, info for parents, and article and resource links
Helping Those Who Hurt Themselves – Tips for the support person from psychologist and author, Tracy Alderman
Secret Shame – Self-injury information and support (caution for those who are self-injurying and are easily triggered)
Restored by Love Ministries – Christian online ministry for teen girls ages 12-20 years old
ARTICLES
Indentifying Kids Who Cut Themselves – Updated (2011) article and video on the signs of self-injury
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
A Window Into A Cutters World – Article with a faith-based perspective
