cover image Helping Teens Who Cut: Understanding and Ending Self-Injury

Helping Teens Who Cut: Understanding and Ending Self-Injury

Michael Hollander. Guilford Publications, $38 (213pp) ISBN 978-1-59385-705-9

Hollander, Michael. Helping Teens Who Cut: Understanding and Ending Self-Injury. Guilford. 2008. c.204p. index. ISBN 978-1-59385-705-9. $38; pap. ISBN 978-1-59385-426-3. $14.95. PSYCH~A reassuring, well-written resource for parents seeking answers, information, and help for a child who self-injures through cutting. While parents of teens who cut is the intended audience, teachers, health-care practitioners, and parents of teens in general may also benefit from the information and sound advice Hollander presents. Background: There is an abundance of information available on cutting behavior, but most of it targets teens or professionals. Hollander, director of Adolescent Services at a renowned psychiatric facility in Massachusetts, has filled a void in the literature by offering this resource specifically for parents. In a sympathetic tone, he acknowledges the emotions and difficulty both parents and teens may face as they struggle to understand and overcome the injurious behavior. Hollander offers practical advice to help parents better understand and communicate more effectively with their child. He clearly explains what is known about cutting behavior, addresses it causes, and identifies effective treatment options.--Susan E. Thomas, Schurz Lib., Indiana Univ. South Bend.