Supporting young people who self-harm: effective interventions for safety and recovery

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Self-harm among young people represents one of the most pressing challenges in adolescent mental health care. This workshop, led by Professor Dennis Ougrin, examines evidence-based approaches for supporting adolescents following self-injurious behaviours. Drawing from his pioneering work in Therapeutic Assessment and extensive research in intensive community care, Professor Ougrin will guide participants through effective intervention strategies, including cognitive-behavioural therapy and problem-solving techniques.

Mental health professionals will gain practical tools for enhancing treatment engagement, implementing safety protocols, and supporting long-term recovery. The workshop combines research insights with practical demonstrations, enabling participants to strengthen their approach to working with young people who self-harm.

Self-harm, including suicide attempts and non-suicidal self-injury, presents a significant challenge in adolescent mental health care. This workshop explores evidence-based interventions designed to support young people following an episode of self-harm. Participants will review the latest research on the aetiology and epidemiology of self-harm, examine factors that influence treatment engagement, and gain an understanding of key interventions, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), problem-solving techniques, and a comprehensive approach to Therapeutic Assessment (TA). Through practical demonstrations, participants will learn how to collaboratively develop strategies that promote safety and long-term wellbeing.

Learning objectives
1. Review current views and evidence around the aetiology and epidemiology of teen suicide attempts and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI)
2. Consider the issue of engaging teenagers in treatment
3. Discuss evidence-based psychological interventions for adolescents presenting with self-harm
4. Understand the concepts of therapeutic assessment (TA) for teenagers presenting with suicide attempts and NSSI
5. Learn how to construct a TA diagram in practice, which forms the basis of TA, from which a range of possible “exits” deriveInteractive concept map

Take a look at our concept map, which gives an overview of the key elements of Professor Dennis Ougrin’s upcoming talk.

About the speaker

Professor Dennis Ougrin. I graduated from medical school in Ukraine in 1998 and came to the Maudsley Hospital in the UK to complete post-graduate child and adolescent psychiatry training. I worked as a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist, establishing and leading intensive community care services at the Maudsley. I also led the MSc in Child and Adolescent Mental Health at King’s College London. I acted as the Chief Investigator of major NIHR, MRC and charity-funded studies in the field of self-harm and intensive community care services. In September 2021, I was appointed to lead the Youth Resilience Unit at QMUL.