Your Child Self-Injures – Now What?

Self-injury is a physical expression of emotional pain. Also called cutting, and “the bright red scream,” self-harm is increasingly prevalent in our society today. For parents, discovering that a child they have protected since birth is choosing to self-injure is bewildering and terrifying. Psychologist and adolescent specialist Dr. Tonja H. Krautter has the answers parents need to understand self-injury, and guide their child through intervention, treatment, and recovery including: (1) The most common reasons why individuals self-injure, (2) Risk assessment questions to determine whether your child needs professional intervention, (3) Insight into the thoughts and feelings associated with self-injury, (4) How to get a resistant child into therapy, and (5) a review of the most effective treatment options.

Combining clinical expertise with real-life examples, Dr. Krautter helps parents understand why their child is initiating this behavior, what needs it fulfills, and how to help them find healthy alternatives.

About the Author

Dr. Tonja H. Krautter is a licensed clinical psychologist as well as a licensed clinical social worker. She is dedicated to the mental health field and to providing people in need with the highest standard of care. She concentrates her work on extreme case matters, including eating disorders, self-mutilation, and sexual assault. Professionally, Dr. Krautter has served in the roles of clinical supervisor, program director, workshop leader, professor, and author. When not working, she devotes her time to her family. She has a supportive, loving husband and two beautiful sons.

Dr. Tonja H. Krautter is a licensed clinical psychologist as well as a licensed clinical social worker. She is highly dedicated to the mental health field, serving persons in need and providing them with the highest standard of care. Dr. Krautter has been in the role of clinical supervisor, program director, workshop leader, professor, and author. She is currently a private practitioner in Los Gatos where she provides individual, family, and group therapy to her patients. In addition, she is an adjunct clinical faculty member at Stanford School of Medicine. She provides informative seminars and written material to schools and professional agencies thoughout the bay area. Dr. Krautter published her first book, When Your Baby Won’t Stop Crying: A Parent’s Guide to Colic (Sourcebooks) in April 2006. All of her written with the sole purpose to educate, validate, and support individuals, families, and mental health providers on extreme case matters.