Healing vs stopping

Link to the blog and "The Cutting Edge"

Hello Everyone,

I am beginning to get used to writing this blog and intend to post more frequently. First, I want to thank all of you who sent comments to the previous two posts. They are greatly appreciated. We are beginning to create the community I’ve been hoping for, especially as The Cutting Edge is coming to a close (the final issue of the newsletter is still being written and should be mailed in the next 4 weeks).

So many of your comments raised questions about
the difference between healing from self-injury and simply stopping the
behavior. Some of you are living with self-inflicted violence (SIV) while others are concerned for those you care about. While
I hope that you access the resources on the web site (I’d be greatly
interested in your opinions), I have a few thoughts to share.

From the past 20 years of speaking with people who
live with, or have healed from needing SIV, the teaching that I do, and
my own experiences, I believe that people heal from the need for SIV in
many ways. The healing journey is a personal one, yet I hope everyone has support along the way. Support is one of the goals of this blog and web site. Healing cannot be mandated. SIV, while obviously having its consequences, also serves some crucial purposes in the lives of the people who need it. When there are no (or few) other options, SIV can even help someone stay alive in the moment. For
many people who live in such emotional pain that they consider suicide
as a solution, SIV has been a temporary salve to that pain. The
goal is to attend to the profound discomfort that underlies the need
for SIV while expanding the options one has for dealing with life’s
very intense struggles