In recent years, the introduction of the World Health Organization’s and UNICEF’s sponsored Baby Friendly Initiative (UK) and the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (USA) into healthcare has aimed to increase breast-feeding rates among mothers in the developed and developing world. Having received UNICEF’s BFI training, together with ten years experience of working in a neonatal, I have had the… Continue reading BREAST-FEEDING AS A SURVIVOR
Author: Katy
Disclosing Self-Injury
For the vast majority of people, talking about self-injury for the first time is a very scary prospect. I’m sure, like me, you have all imagined the worst case scenario of what could happen if we were to tell someone about it. Of course we can never be certain about how someone is going to… Continue reading Disclosing Self-Injury
What actually is considered self-injury?
Many people question whether certain behaviour is considered self-harm. Self injury (SI) (also called Self-harm, self-inflicted violence, self-injurous behavior, self-mutilation) is a very broad term that can encompass a very wide variety of behaviours, and therefore it is unsurprising that many of us get confused when trying to ascertain exactly what self-injury actually is. Many… Continue reading What actually is considered self-injury?
Learning to Live Without Self-Harm
Most survivors who self-harm, at some point, ask the question “How do I learn to not SI?”. This discussion attempts make some suggestions that may assist you when moving away from self-harming behavior, although the use of a therapist during this time is strongly recommended. How can I prepare myself to stop self-harming? The very… Continue reading Learning to Live Without Self-Harm
Understanding Why You Self-Harm
Understanding why you self-harm can play a big role in learning how to deal without self-harm in your life. After all, knowledge is power, and power gives us control to make the choices that are right for ourselves. This discussion by no means attempts to encompass every explanation for self-harm, but focuses on several of… Continue reading Understanding Why You Self-Harm
Why child abuse can NEVER be your fault
As survivors of childhood sexual abuse, we often grow up blaming ourselves for the abuse that we suffered at the hands of others. I know I never even questioned that it wasn’t my fault. I was bought up to believe that the abuse happened because of something I did or didn’t do – and to… Continue reading Why child abuse can NEVER be your fault
…But why didn’t I tell?
Many of us, in response to being told that being abused as children was not our fault, respond with the line, “…But I never told anybody?”. We berate ourselves for not being able to tell, and somehow conclude that the fact that we “didn’t tell anyone” about the abuse, somehow makes us culpable for it.… Continue reading …But why didn’t I tell?