70: Kirrilie Smout: Self-Harm in Teens: What Parents Can Do
10/01/18 • 26 min
What can parents do to reduce the chance of teens hurting themselves?
Kirrilie Smout
This is the title of an article (and today’s podcast) with Kirrilie Smout, clinical psychologist and founder of Developing Minds: Helping kids & teens learn life skills & manage tough times, located near Adelaide, Australia.
In a nutshell, Kirrilie says:
- We should do everything we can to help teens be connected with a peer group. (And she gives suggestions on how to do this.)
- We need to help teens learn strategies to cope when they are feeling agitated, stressed, hopeless and overwhelmed. (And she describes some of them.)
In the article, there is a link for some of these strategies:
Beyond Blue is in Australia, but the coping strategies are universal. She asked that I give several links in the United States:
https://www.newhavenrtc.com/self-harm-help/effective-therapies-for-adolescent-cutting/
https://www.aamft.org/Consumer_Updates/Adolescent_Self_Harm.aspx
Kirrilie has also written two books that are available through her website: www.developingminds.net.au
- When Life Sucks: ideas and tactics for teens in tough times
- When Life Sucks for Kids: ideas and tips for when you feel mad, worried or sad – or life gets kind of messy.
What can parents do to reduce the chance of teens hurting themselves?
Kirrilie Smout
This is the title of an article (and today’s podcast) with Kirrilie Smout, clinical psychologist and founder of Developing Minds: Helping kids & teens learn life skills & manage tough times, located near Adelaide, Australia.
In a nutshell, Kirrilie says:
- We should do everything we can to help teens be connected with a peer group. (And she gives suggestions on how to do this.)
- We need to help teens learn strategies to cope when they are feeling agitated, stressed, hopeless and overwhelmed. (And she describes some of them.)
In the article, there is a link for some of these strategies:
Beyond Blue is in Australia, but the coping strategies are universal. She asked that I give several links in the United States:
https://www.newhavenrtc.com/self-harm-help/effective-therapies-for-adolescent-cutting/
https://www.aamft.org/Consumer_Updates/Adolescent_Self_Harm.aspx
Kirrilie has also written two books that are available through her website: www.developingminds.net.au
- When Life Sucks: ideas and tactics for teens in tough times
- When Life Sucks for Kids: ideas and tips for when you feel mad, worried or sad – or life gets kind of messy.
Previous Episode
69: Dana Suchow: Eating Disorders – What Parents Can Do
Are you worried about an eating disorder in your child?
Then you’ll definitely want to listen to this podcast with Dana Suchow, national speaker and activist on eating disorders. Dana has personally overcome bulimia, binge eating, and exercise compulsion and has a firsthand understanding of how eating disorders can get started and what parents can do.
Dana has been seen on Good Morning America and ABC News; she’s been interviewed by Vogue, Marie Claire, and numerous other publications. Our interview includes her views on the contributions social media and the diet culture are making to the issue of eating disorders, how parents unwittingly contribute to the problem; and the fact that eating disorders are so often combined with other things.
If you have questions because your child has or you think they may have an eating disorder, Dana suggests contacting The National Eating Disorders Association at www.nationaleatingdisorders.org.
Dana’s focus is preventative, and she speaks to parents, teachers or anyone involved with raising kids. You can find Dana at www.danasuchow.com or on Instagram @danasuchow.
Next Episode
71: Kristi Hugstad: R U Ok?: Teen Depression & Suicide
R U Ok?: Teen Depression & Suicide is the title of a book by author Kristi Hugstad, Certified Grief Recovery Specialist and credentialed health educator.
After her husband completed suicide, Kristi bought every book on grief she found and says her living room looked like a recovery library; because of her experience and her new understanding of what she wished she had known, (the title of a previous book she wrote is What I Wish I’d Known), Kristi wrote R U Ok?, a book for parents, educators and teens.*
This interview with Kristi is up-lifting, enlightening and down to earth at the same time. Her presentation of the causes for the depression which can then lead to suicide are straightforward and thought provoking.
If you have not had “the talk” - and Kristi doesn’t mean the sex talk, she means the talk about suicide - with your teen, it’s just as important as the other talks from parents, like “don’t text and drive!”
*Through a grant, R U Ok? is available for schools and organizations, free of charge. Contact Kristi at www.thegriefgirl.com to ask for your copies.
If you like this episode you’ll love
Episode Comments
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/parenting-teens-the-biggest-job-well-ever-have-podcast-60484/70-kirrilie-smout-self-harm-in-teens-what-parents-can-do-3146248"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to 70: kirrilie smout: self-harm in teens: what parents can do on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy