Therapy for Self-Harm

in Guildford and Online

There is no single reason why people self-harm. It’s often a response to emotional pain, trauma or distressing experiences, including:

• Mental Health Conditions: Depression, anxiety, borderline personality disorder (BPD) or PTSD.
• Past Trauma or Abuse: Physical, emotional or sexual abuse can lead to self-harm as a coping mechanism.
• Stress & Overwhelming Emotions: Work, school or relationship difficulties can trigger self-harming behaviours.
• Need for Control: Self-harm provides a sense of relief when emotions feel out of control.
• Difficulty Expressing Emotions: Some people use self-harm as a way to externalise inner pain.

Understanding the root causes of self-harm is key to addressing it and finding healthier ways to manage emotional distress.

Therapy is beneficial for anyone struggling with self-harm or those who experience distressing emotions that lead to self-injury.

You might benefit from therapy if you:

• Struggle to manage emotions and use self-harm as a coping mechanism.
• Feel isolated or ashamed about your self-harm.
• Experience distress, anxiety or depression alongside self-harming behaviours.
• Have difficulty communicating your emotions and feel overwhelmed.
• Want to develop healthier ways to cope with stress, pain or trauma.

Therapy helps you understand your triggers, develop emotional resilience and find new ways to express and process difficult feelings.

Our therapists use evidence-based approaches tailored to your needs, including:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Helps reframe negative thought patterns and manage triggers.
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT): Focuses on emotional regulation, distress tolerance and healthier coping strategies.
• Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT): Encourages self-kindness and reduces shame and self-criticism.
• Mindfulness-Based Therapy: Helps increase emotional awareness and develop alternative coping mechanisms.

Through therapy, you can learn to manage distress in healthier ways, break free from self-harming behaviours and regain emotional balance.