Self harm refers to the direct, deliberate, self-inflicted damaging of a moderate or superficial amount of bodily tissue performed without social sanction and without the intention to die. It can present as cutting, burning, punching oneself, head banging, pulling hair out, scratching and picking scabs. 13% of high school students, 8% of 6th-8th graders and 11-17% of college students have engaged in some form of self-harm.
Best Treatment for Self Harm in NJ
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a structured therapeutic treatment that emphasizes balance between acceptance and change.
The core skills of DBT are zen mindfulness-based, teaching clients how to increase awareness by noticing thoughts, feelings, and body sensations and then strengthening attention back to the present moment. Over time, this helps clients cultivate the experience of living life from a place of “wise mind” or centered intuition instead of reacting to life through behavioral patterns, emotional impulses, and black and white thinking.
Developed in the 1970’s, DBT is one of the most successful and effective treatments for Borderline Personality Disorder. DBT also helps reduce impulsive behaviors, such as suicidality, self-harm, substance abuse, eating disordered behavior, aggression, isolation, rumination, dissociation, anxiety, depression and panic attacks. DBT teaches skills to control these behaviors by helping clients build a life worth living through tolerating distress, learning how to bear pain skillfully, regulating emotions, and improving relationships with others.
Distress Tolerance
Distress Tolerance is an imperative unit which helps clients when they are experiencing their most intense levels of suffering and is where clients will learn to cope with urges to self harm. Clients learn the importance of radically accepting things that cannot be changed in life as well as how to tolerate intense pain and distress. Skills are learned that help the client cope with behavioral urges that if left untreated, can lead to making the situation worse.
Where to Seek Treatment for Self Harm in NJ
There are programs available to treat both adults and adolescents within a rolling twelve week skills training cycle. GenPsych is unique because we are dedicated to implementing the philosophies and strategies of DBT not only within our fully structured DBT program but in our Mental Health and Substance programs as well. At intake, a psychiatrist and clinician will help to evaluate which program will fit your needs, whether that is a partial level of care, an intensive outpatient level of care and whether you will receive the best treatment in the full DBT program or within the Mental Health program with a DBT informed track.
GenPsych PC Provides Mental Health Services in New Jersey
GenPsych, PC is a NJ outpatient treatment provider with various levels of care. We offer a Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), and Individual Outpatient services at four different locations across NJ. We treat adults, adolescents and children through such modalities as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Art Therapy, Pet Therapy, Music Therapy and Reality Based Interventions. Diagnoses such as Depression, Anxiety, Borderline Personality Disorder, Schizophrenia, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, Eating Disorders and Substance abuse are all treated by a highly trained staff in a warm, non-judgmental atmosphere.
Learn more about GenPsych’s mission and Mental Health services in New Jersey by clicking here.
Call 1-855-436-7792 or Click Here to schedule an assessment.
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