Self-Harm Discussion Activity with Mind and Body Practitioners
Channel: Pooky Knightsmith Mental Health
Date: 07/09/2018

At the end of a day of training on self-harm, a few of the Mind and Body team were kind enough to stay behind to share on camera their thoughts around the plenary activity questions we’d discussed as a group. These questions were designed to revisit key themes from the day and the team were drawing both on the day’s training and also their experiences working with young people as well as previous training we’ve done.  The questions are listed below – click on the time stamp to go straight to a specific question.  

Thank you to the Mind and Body team members who agreed to be filmed – from left to right they are: 

Sophie Beer, Team Leader - @MABSophieBeer
Tom DeBono, Family Worker
Cara Robinson, Senior Supervising Clinician
Rick Bradley, Operations Manager - @RickBrad1ey

Questions in order, click on time stamp to go directly to a question.

00:15 - If we stop a young person self-harming using one method, they’ll move onto another 
01:19 - “No decisions about me without me” – should this always apply in cases of self-harm? 
02:16 - The more severe the injury, the more distressed the young person is
03:03 - If a young person is self-harming, our aim is to work towards a time when they are no longer harming themselves 
03:52 - Some young people don’t want to stop self-harming.  They should have a right to choose
05:10 - If a young person can’t explain why they’re self-harming, there’s not a lot we can do to help them
06:32 - Reducing access to means is an important means of reducing risk & harm
08:04 - If a young person’s self-harm is superficial, controlled and their wounds are well managed, there is no urgency for them to stop
08:53 - If a child has been harm free for six months and they slip up; it’s back to square one
10:00 - Risk taking behaviour isn’t something we should be overly worried about
13:19 - If we want a young person to stop self-harming we should ALWAYS… 
14:02 - If we want a young person to stop self-harming we should NEVER…

The Mind and Body Programme is an evidence-based group intervention for young people at risk of self-harm.  If you'd like to learn more about the mind and body programme you can email MAB@addaction.org.uk or visit them online https://www.addaction.org.uk/help-and-support/young-persons-services/mind-and-body-programme

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