SELF-HARM (It need not be a mystery) Diana Sharp Is somebody you know hurting? Are they hurting themselves? Is that somebody you? Self-harm may display itself on the surface, but the pain that goes with it is a feeling that comes from within. Secrecy, guilt, shame, fear and not knowing where to turn are some of the reasons why people smother the scars and don’t treat them. But if we can get beyond these obstacles, and look into where the behaviour stems from, we are on the way to helping the person and healing the harm… Self-harm is a general term for a condition that exhibits one or several of a variety of symptoms. Identifying these is a good place to start, and once we acknowledge what we are looking at, appropriate help can be pursued. We are delighted to introduce Diana Sharp. Diana can provide you with a presentation that is designed to explain this condition, develop a sense of awareness and a route forward for the self-harmer, and those who are watching and worrying on the sidelines – family, friends, teachers and colleagues. By providing a definition and looking at the way in which self-harm manifests itself, Diana’s presentation is constructive and offers practical advice for the audience to respond to. The points she will cover include: Forms of self-harm in males and females and the ways in which and why, these sometimes differ. Coming to terms with finding out that someone you know self-harms, and how you can help that person. Is self-harm simply a means of attention seeking? Is this an attempt at suicide (…or a means of staying alive)? How to cope if you yourself are self-harming, and where you can go for help. As a qualified psychotherapist who has worked extensively with schools over the years, Diana has established an exceptional reputation for her knowledge of her subject and her ability to touch the hearts of her audience. She provides reassurance and guidance for anxious friends, real hope for anyone who has fear around this issue and will freely receive questions from the audience throughout her presentation. As always we are offering you a service that is intended to be enlightening, encouraging and that does not preach. It educates – identifies the problem, and then concentrates on the solution. The focus is on prevention, intervention and healing the harm – so that hurt on the inside shown through hurt on the outside is replaced by happiness on the inside that unstoppably radiates out.