The Psychology of Self-Injury: Exploring Self-Harm & Mental Health

Tips for Supporting Those Who Self-Harm, with Dr. Nicholas Westers

Episode Summary

Nicholas J. Westers, Psy.D., ABPP from Children's Health and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas provides practical tips and considerations for supporting individuals who engage in self-injury and self-harm.

Episode Notes

In this episode, host and producer of The Psychology of Self-Injury podcast, Dr. Nicholas Westers, shares his own thoughts about what we should consider when supporting friends, families, clients, and patients who engage in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). This marks the first solo episode of the podcast, and Dr. Westers offers ways for listeners to have a bigger role on the podcast, including:

  1. Should you or someone you know be interviewed on the podcast? We want to know! Please fill out this Google doc form, and we will be in touch with more details if it’s a good fit.
  2. Want to hear your question and have it answered on the podcast? Please send an audio clip of your question (60 seconds or less) to @DocWesters on Instagram or Twitter/X, or email us at thepsychologyofselfinjury@gmail.com
  3. Want to be involved in research? Send us a message at thepsychologyofselfinjury@gmail.com and we will see if we can match you to an active study.
  4. Want to interact with us through comments and polls? You can on Spotify!

Below are a couple papers related to this episode with Dr. Westers:

  1. Westers, N. J., Rehfuss, M., Olson, L., & Biron, D. (2012). The role of forgiveness in adolescents who engage in nonsuicidal self-injury. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 200(6), 535-541.
  2. Westers, N. J., & Tinsley, B. (2023). Nonsuicidal self-injury risk assessment, intervention, and guidance for first responders and medical settings. In E. E. Lloyd-Richardson, I. Baetens, & J. Whitlock (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of nonsuicidal self-injury (pp. 873–893). Oxford University Press.

Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter/X (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter/X (@ITripleS).

The Psychology of Self-Injury podcast has been rated as one of the "10 Best Self Harm Podcasts" and "20 Best Clinical Psychology Podcasts" by Feedspot  and one of the Top 100 Psychology Podcasts by Goodpods. It has also been featured in Audible's "Best Mental Health Podcasts to Defy Stigma and Begin to Heal."

 

Goodpods Top 100 Parents Podcasts Listen now to The Psychology of Self-Injury: Exploring
Self-Harm & Mental Health podcast 

Goodpods Top 100 Research Podcasts Listen now to The Psychology of Self-Injury: Exploring
Self-Harm & Mental Health podcast