A Smile on her Lips, and Cuts on her Hips

An approach to self-injury.

Self-injury is currently on the rise, which has many agencies, parents, and schools concerned. Self-injury is associated with suicidal thinking and behaviour yet recent research and investigation have revealed it to be quite different. What is self injury, and how common is it? Why do youth so often choose to use self-injury? What does self-injury mean for a child's long-term health? Join Dr. Tyler Black, director of the CAPE Unit at BC Children's Hospital as he explores these issues and more. There will be ample time for discussion after the presentation.

Please note: for some, descriptions, images, or discussions about self-injury can be triggering or distressing. Please be aware that an open discussion of self-injury is a part of this presentation.

The learning objectives:

Through the presentation, the learner will gain an understanding of the scope of self-injury in youth, understand the biological and behavioural pathways that lead to self-injury, and understand the treatment strategies for self-injury

This presentation was given in Ottawa at the Royal on October 17th, 2013.

Download the Presentation (PDF)

About the Author

Dr. Tyler R. Black graduated completed his Bachelor of Science with Honours in Pharmacology at the University of Alberta in 1999, and completed medical school at the same university in 2003. He completed residency training in Psychiatry at Dalhousie University and the University of British Columbia in 2008, and completed his Child and Adolescent Psychiatry subspecialty that same year. He works primarily at BC Children's Hospital on the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Emergency (CAPE) Unit where he is currently the Medical Director. He is also an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia.

Dr. Black's primary research and clinical interests include: emergency psychiatry, suicidology, violence and video games, and cross-cultural psychiatry.

Contact Dr. Tyler Black.