Self-Harm or Suicidal Ideation

Coping Shouldn’t Have to Hurt

Self-harm and suicidal ideation stem from intense emotional pain. When life feels too hard to bear, you might think about harming yourself as a way to cope or feel in control. We understand that facing these feelings can be incredibly difficult. Therapy offers a space to process and heal, helping you learn to lessen the intensity and move through painful emotions in a way that feels more present and mindful, rather than impulsive and desperate.

Signs Of Self-Harm And Suicidal Ideation:

Persistent feelings of hopelessness and despair, sometimes leading to thoughts of ending your life.

Chronic emotional pain that doesn’t seem to end, making you feel stuck in a cycle of despair.

Difficulty managing overwhelming emotions, often resulting in impulsive and dangerous actions

Feelings isolation or disconnect, believing no one can understand or help.

Thoughts of hurting yourself or feeling like it’s the only way to deal with emotional distress.

Why It Matters To Get Support Now

Physical harm: Self-harm can lead to serious physical injury, scarring, or infection.

Emotional damage: The more you engage in self-harm, the deeper the emotional wounds can become, reinforcing feelings of hopelessness and shame.emotions can accumulate, increasing mental and physical tension.

Strained relationships: Suicidal thoughts or self-harming behaviors can lead to isolation or distance in relationships, causing others to feel helpless or rejected.

Long-term mental health effects: Without support, self-harm and suicidal ideation can contribute to chronic mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

Loss of opportunity for growth: Suicidal thoughts and self-harm can make it harder to see any future potential, limiting the chance for healing and personal growth.

Finding Your Way Back To Safety And Self-Compassion:

Safety Planning: We’ll create a step-by-step plan for crisis moments, ensuring you have tools to get through incredibly difficult times without harm.

Addressing the Root Causes of Pain: We’ll examine the underlying causes of your self harm and suicidal thoughts, whether they’re related to past trauma or current life stress.

Developing Healthier Coping Mechanisms: We’ll introduce more sustainable ways to cope with intense emotions. From mindfulness and grounding techniques to self-soothing methods, we’ll build your emotional toolkit.

Rebuilding Hope & Purpose: We’ll help you reconnect with a sense of purpose and find reasons to keep moving forward.

Building Emotional Resilience: We’ll work on strengthening your emotional resilience so you can face life’s challenges and the toughest emotions without feeling overwhelmed by them.

What You Might Be Afraid To Ask About Therapy

Will therapy just make things worse?

Therapy won’t make things worse—in fact, it’s a space where you’ll be supported as you face these emotions head-on. We’ll go at your pace, gradually addressing the underlying pain while equipping you with tools to manage it, so you don’t feel overwhelmed.

What if I can’t stop these urges?

It’s common to feel like the urges won’t stop, but it’s absolutely possible to eventually stop them. We’ll work together on immediate, actionable strategies to get through those intense moments. With time and practice, you’ll build stronger coping mechanisms to regain control and reduce the frequency of these urges, rewiring your brain until you ultimately no longer find yourself acting on them.

I’m scared of being judged, punished, or sent somewhere against my will for having these thoughts.

Therapy isn’t about blame or shame—it’s about understanding. Our job is to hold space for your pain, not to react with fear or judgment. You can talk about what you’re feeling without automatically triggering a crisis response.

Thoughts of suicide or self-harm don’t mean you’ll be automatically hospitalized. We assess for imminent risk—not just whether you’ve had these thoughts, but whether there’s a current, actionable plan and intent. If you’re not in immediate danger, you won’t be sent away just for being honest. In fact, speaking your truth can be a powerful first step toward relief and healing.

Self-Harm & Suicidal Ideation