Working with Self Harm Cutting, burning, poisoning and self-mutilation are all common forms of self harm. Although not a mental disorder in itself, self harm is one of the most difficult and distressing behaviours which care workers have to face, and this is unsurprisngly one of our most frequently requested subject areas. Self Harm is regularly practised by many thousands of people in the UK. Many people who self harm see their cutting or burning as a 'release' or coping mechanism which has little impact on an otherwise normal way of life. Nonetheless, for those care workers who support clients in shared accommodation or special needs housing, self harm can present as an insurmountable problem, particularly in situations where clients are injuring themselves frequently and/or to a significant degree.
This 1-day course aims to provide participants with some understanding of the cultural, gender and clinical context of self harm, and introduces the Self Harm Toolkit to help mental health workers develop skills and strategies to support this client group (when help is sought!), understand their behaviour, assess risk, and manage situations in a safe and effective way. Trainer Connor Kinsella RMN BA(Hons.) Learning Objectives · To examine the clinical and cultural context of self harm and develop skills and strategies in working with self harming residents · To determine the differences between Self Harm, Suicide and Attempted Suicide · To introduce some of the key concepts of risk assessment and management · To encourage analysis of ours and others personal response to self harm Time 1 Day (9.30am-4.30pm)
Programme INTRODUCTIONS Introducing the Trainer About the Day Some 'House Rules' THE CONFIDENCE TEST A warm-up exercise to allow participants to outline their prior knowledge and experience of the subject, and to express their expectations of the day WHAT SELF-HARM IS (AND WHAT IT IS NOT) Small Group Exercise: Using typical scenarios, some key facts and common myths A BEGINNER'S GUIDE... Small Group Exercise: Preventing Self Harm: can we do it, and is it always necessary? "OH BLOODY HELL ..." Small Group Exercise: Attitudes and reactions to self-harm THE TOOLKIT A series of tips and techniques for everyday use CASENOTES Small Group Exercise: Assessment and planning with a variety of difficult scenarios SUMMARY, EVALUATION AND CLOSE
