Exploring the impact of self-harm within the family : the perspective of various helping professionals

Abstract

This study is focused on exploring the helping professionals’ experiences in helping the parents deal with the situation of self-harm within the family. Semi-structured interviews were used to explore the experiences of five helping professionals in how they guide parents through the feelings they experience and how they help them to deal with the situation at hand. An interpretation of the findings was carried out through the use of Thematic Analysis, a qualitative method in which six global themes emerged, together with 15 sub-themes. The global themes outline the emotional reactions, dealing with family dynamics, establishing adequate communication, the stigma within society, the therapeutic setting, and facing the challenges and moving forward. Most of the participants argued that communication between family members is paramount to ensure a successful outcome when dealing with self-harm. The professionals also give the parents skills on how to accept the situation of self-harm. Furthermore, they also expressed a hope that parents would not be ashamed to come to therapy and talk about their feelings.