The Adolescent & Young Adult Self-Harming Treatment Manual: A Collaborative Strengths-Based Brief Therapy Approach

A detailed treatment protocol for working with self-harming adolescents and young adults.

Self-harming behaviour in young adults and adolescents is one of the most intimidating and challenging presenting problems therapists and healthcare and school professionals face in their practice settings, yet the literature on this behaviour remains scant. This workbook, a companion to Selekman’s Working with Self-Harming Adolescents, provides a detailed treatment protocol for working with this challenging population. It is a user-friendly resource book for conducting individual, couple, family, and group therapy with young adult and adolescent self-harming clients. In addition, it presents a plethora of highly effective therapeutic strategies and interventions and practice guidelines. This manual will help both highly seasoned and beginning therapists feel more confident and competent working with young adult and adolescent self-harming clients.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

1. Introduction: Understanding the Territory of Young Adult and Adolescent Self-Harm
2. Invitation for Possibilities: Honoring Clients’ Stories and Establishing Successful Partnerships for Change
3. Collaborative Strengths-Based Brief Family Therapy with Self-Harming Young Adults and Adolescents
4. Collaborative Strengths-Based Brief Couples Therapy with Self-Harming Young Adults
5. Collaborative Strengths-Based Brief Therapy with Self-Harming Young Adults and Adolescents
6. Collaborative Strengths-Based Group Therapy Approaches for Self-Harming Young Adults, Adolescents, and Their Parents
7. The Pathways to Possibilities Program
8. The Summit Program
9. Challenging Treatment Dilemmas and Trouble-Shooting Guidelines for Co-Creating Workable Realities

References

Index

"Matthew Selekman provides an array of incredibly useful tools for therapists, parents, and professionals aiming to understand and positively intervene with self-harming youth. Well grounded in both science and practical wisdom, this book is a treasure chest of approaches, activities, and examples for helping individuals identify and use their strengths to overcome self-injury. Though written with clinical settings in mind, the ideas contained here are a gift to anyone endeavoring to help young people actively thrive."
- Janis Whitlock, PhD, MPH, Director, Cornell Research Program on Self-Injurious Behavior in Adolescents and Young Adults, Cornell University

"Clinically brilliant, rooted in up-to-date research, and deeply respectful of clients and their families, this book is a valuable toolbox for professionals. Matthew Selekman offers a creative and integrative approach for the comprehensive treatment of self-harm, but also a template for a truly collaborative practice with any troubled adolescent and his or her family. This is a must-read for any professional working with self-harming adolescents, and a valuable resource for any family therapy student or practitioner."
- Mark Beyebach, PhD, Professor, Systemic Therapy Master's Program, Pontifical University of Salamanca, Spain

"[A]n excellent source for up-to-date clinically and empirically validated treatment strategies….dispels myths, provides a thorough overview of the causes and mental disorders associated with self-harm, and offers highly applicable therapeutic approaches to understanding, and treating self-harming behaviors….Although written for mental health professionals and students, there is something for everyone."
- Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal