Self-injury can be as addictive as any drug, and the secrecy and shame many sufferers feel about this behavior can keep them feeling trapped. But if you're ready to replace self-harm with a set of healthy coping skills, this compassionate and practical book can help.

This complete guide to stopping self-injury gives you the facts about self-harm, corrects common myths about this behavior, and provides self-soothing techniques you can begin using right away for regulating difficult or overwhelming emotions. Freedom from Self-Harm also includes self-assessment worksheets, guidance for seeking professional help, and information about the most effective therapies and medications. Drawn from treatments such as dialectical behavior therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy, the tools in this book can help you cope with your emotions whenever you feel the urge to self-harm.

This book has been awarded The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Seal of Merit — an award bestowed on outstanding self-help books that are consistent with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles and that incorporate scientifically tested strategies for overcoming mental health difficulties. Used alone or in conjunction with therapy, our books offer powerful tools readers can use to jump-start changes in their lives.

Alexander L. Chapman's profile page

Kim L. Gratz's profile page

Barent Walsh's profile page

• ABCT Self-Help Book Recommendation

Alexander L. Chapman, PhD, RPsych, is professor and coordinator of the clinical science area in the psychology department at Simon Fraser University, BC, Canada, as well as a registered psychologist and president of the DBT Centre of Vancouver. Chapman directs the Personality and Emotion Research and Treatment laboratory, where he studies the role of emotion regulation in borderline personality disorder (BPD), self-harm, impulsivity, as well as other related issues. His research is currently funded by major grants from theCanadian Institutes of Health Research. Chapman has received the Young Investigator's Award from the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder, the Canadian Psychological Association's Scientist Practitioner Early Career Award, and a Career Investigator award from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research. He has coauthored ten books, three of which received the 2012 Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies' Self-Help Book Seal of Merit Award. Board-certified in cognitive behavioral therapy(CBT) (Canadian Association for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) (DBT(Reg TM)-Linehan Board of Certification), Chapman cofounded a large psychology practice, and regularly gives workshops and presentations to clinicians and community groups both nationally and internationally. He also has been practicing martial arts, Zen, and mindfulness meditation for many years, and enjoys cooking, hiking, skiing, and spending time with his wife and sons.

Kim L. Gratz, PhD, is professor and chair of the department of psychology at the University of Toledo, OH. Gratz directs the Personality and Emotion Research and Treatment laboratory, in which she conducts laboratory and treatment outcome research focused on the role of emotion dysregulation in the pathogenesis and treatment of borderline personality disorder (BPD), self-injury, and other risky behaviors. Gratz has received multiple awards for her research on personality disorders, including the Young Investigator's Award from the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder (NEA-BPD) in 2005, and the Mid-Career Investigator Award from the North American Society for the Study of Personality Disorders in 2015. She has been continuously funded since 2003 (with continuous federal funding as principal investigator since 2008), and has authored more than 145 peer-reviewed publications and six books on BPD, self-injury, and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).

“Alexander Chapman and Kim Gratz are two of the very best in this field.”
—Marsha M. Linehan, Ph.D., author of Skills Training Manual for Treating Borderline Personality Disorder