Stop Self-Harm: DBT Therapy for Teens Struggling with Self-Destructive Behaviors
Help Your Teen Manage Intense Emotions and Break Free from Self-Harm
with Structured, Evidence-Based Care
As a parent, it’s terrifying to watch your teen, who was once happy and expressive, now overwhelmed by intense emotions and turning to self-harm to cope. They may be what we call a “Fire Feeler”—biologically sensitive, and managing their pain through self-destructive behaviors like cutting, bingeing and purging, substance abuse, or other dangerous impulses.
While you might see their self-harm as the problem, it’s actually their solution—the strategy their brain has come up with to regulate overwhelming emotions. That’s why we don’t just focus on the behavior or the triggers; we work to understand and change the patterns driving and reinforcing these behaviors.
When your teen is showing behaviors like:
Intense emotions
Impulsive urges
Cutting
Binge-eating
Purging
Substance use
Suicidal thoughts
...it’s hard to know how to help them or where to turn. Without the right support, these behaviors can become deeply ingrained and harder to stop.
Imagine what life would be like if your teen could break free from self-harm.
Picture your teen...
✔️ Managing their emotions without turning to self-harm
✔️ Communicating openly about their feelings and urges
✔️ Using healthy coping skills in all situations, not just at home alone in thier room
✔️ Finding relief from overwhelming emotions without acting impulsively
✔️ Building a life so good that self-harm no longer fits as a viable solution
It is possible. And we can help.
Our teen self-harm specialists provide a step-by-step framework to help your teen stop self-harming and develop healthier, more effective coping skills. This is not just talk therapy—it’s a structured, skill-based therapy designed to create real change, giving your teen the tools they need to manage emotions and stop acting out.
Our Proven Process
At Creative Healing, we specialize in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), the gold standard for treating self-harm and suicidality. With over a decade of experience, our program has a proven track record:
Most teens stop self-harming within two months of starting treatment.
Less than 1% of our clients are hospitalized after working with us.
Our Director is one of only 11 Linehan Board-Certified DBT therapists in Pennsylvania.
By committing to this program, you can expect your teen to make significant progress in a relatively short timeframe, giving them the tools to not only stop self-harming but also regain their emotional stability.
Our six-month program is designed to help teens stop self-harming and create lasting change through a combination of individual therapy, group therapy, and on-demand skills coaching. We provide the tools and support your teen needs, both in and out of sessions, to ensure their success.
What Your Teen Will Get
Individual Therapy: Weekly one-on-one sessions designed to help your teen tackle the underlying causes of self-harm and apply coping skills in real-time.
Group Therapy: A safe space where your teen can connect with peers and practice their skills with support from others who understand their struggles.
On-Demand Skills Coaching: Real-time access to help your teen manage urges and emotions as they arise, ensuring they have support when they need it most.
Proven Tools and Techniques Your Teen Will Learn
Coping Skills Blueprint: Your teen will learn which skills to use and when to use them, with a clear plan for navigating emotional overwhelm.
Impulsivity Awareness Activator: Training to help teens recognize their urges and stop self-harm before it happens.
Root Cause Identifier: We work with your teen to understand the real reasons behind their self-harm and use targeted skills to address those root causes.
Consistent Practice Protocol: Your teen will practice coping skills both in and out of sessions, ensuring they become automatic when the pressure is on.
Parent Communication Scripts: Tools to help your teen communicate openly about their feelings and needs, eliminating secrecy and misunderstandings.
Urge Management Mastery: We teach teens how to manage intense urges without acting on them, no matter how long they last.
Life Worth Living Roadmap: Your teen will create a healthier, more fulfilling life where self-harm no longer fits.
This is not talk therapy—this is a structured, evidence-based program
that ensures real results within six months.
Help Your Teen Break Free from Self-Harm
Your teen’s behavior patterns are forming right now. Without intervention, self-harm may become their automatic response to stress, making it harder to change in the future. This is a critical time to help them shift their behavior and mindset away from self-destruction and toward healthier emotional regulation.
We know investing in your teen’s mental health can feel like a big step, so we’ve added extra support to ensure success:
Comprehensive 360 Mood Assessment: A complete picture of your teen’s emotional well-being, using our signature assessment process.
Parent Partnership Sessions: Dedicated sessions for caregivers to discuss concerns, set goals and ensure alignment, providing you with the support and guidance needed to help your teen succeed.
Illustrated Printout of Progress: Regular assessments and parent checkpoints throughout the program to track your teen’s progress and make adjustments where needed.
Coping Skills Tracker: A tool to monitor which coping skills are working for your teen and identify areas for improvement.
Written Plan of Care: A customized treatment plan that outlines specific goals and action steps from the start, ensuring the entire treatment process is structured and on track for success. You’ll know exactly what we’re working on and how it’s working every step of the way!