In Gloucester County, Workshop Focuses on Preventing Self-Harming Behavior in Minors
By David Madden
SEWELL, N.J. (CBS) -- More than a hundred school counselors and other professionals from throughout Gloucester County, NJ took part today in a workshop aimed at addressing an increasing problem among young people: intentionally injuring themselves.
The session, held at Rowan College at Gloucester County, featured psychologist Amy Hoch, who pointed out that hurting oneself is a cry for help.
"Frequently, people feel that this is attention-seeking and manipulative behavior," she notes. "It's really something that we want to assess fully and understand the function of, so that we can better help our students, given that this is happening very frequently in our middle schools, high schools, and colleges."
But too often, she says, the issues troubling a person that could lead to self-injury or worse are kept quiet, even from family and friends. That's why Hoch believes in asking the question out loud, rather than evading the issue if there are concerns.
That at least begins the conversation, she says.
