CRPSIR featured in International Innovation

June 2, 2014

The work of the Cornell Research Program on Self-Injury and Recovery (CRPSIR) and its director, Dr. Janis Whitlock, are featured in a recent volume of International Innovation, a publication dedicated to disseminating research findings, conducting interviews with leading scientists, and providing information on innovative funding streams. The piece consists of an interview with Whitlock followed by an overview of the definition and causes of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and ways to treat and support those who self-injure.

When asked about the program's emphasis on recovery and the direction that recovery takes, Whitlock noted,

Recovery from any entrenched habitual pattern is a long-term process involving many complex factors, though NSSI poses some unique challenges. One of these is that it most often occurs during adolescence or young adulthood, when the injurious person may be living with his or her family. The presence of self-injury in families can be hard for parents who may feel confused and guilty and for siblings who may be impacted by seeing blood around the house, by knowing that their sibling is in distress, or by having their parents’ attention consumed by their sibling. This is one of the reasons we are focused on family and NSSI right now.

Silent epidemic - International Innovation