News

BREAKING NEWS!!!!

On 1st December 2011, harm-ed - in conjunction with the University of Central Lancashire - will be hosting a major national conference, "Recovery and self-harm: maximising hope; minimising harm". This groundbreaking event will bring together the leading UK speakers, academics, practitioners, activists - and performers - and the field of self-harm It promises to be a day of unparalled importance. Watch this space for more details, and for information on how to book your place.

harm-ed have confirmed that they will be delivering the opening speeches at the international conference of the Association for Protection against Psychiatric Violence in Berlin on September 3rd 2011

harm-ed have a series of conference dates fast approaching: you can see us at 

"Self-Harm and safety in the criminal justice system", in London on May 17th

http://www.pavpub.com/p-317-self-harm-and-safety-in-the-criminal-justice-system.aspx?s=1

"Self-harm: developing a better understanding for professionals" in Glasgow on May 19th

http://www.pavpub.com/p-381-self-harm-developing-a-better-understanding-for-professionals.aspx

Guild Lodge/LCFT conference in Preston on June 13th

Manchester women's conference: "promoting mental health and wellbeing for mothers and families" in Manchester on June 24th

http://www.iop.kcl.ac.uk/events/?id=1295

"Minimising self-harm: preventing suicide" in Cardiff on June 30th

http://www.pavpub.com/p-389-minimising-self-harm-preventing-suicide-cardiff.aspx?s=1

harm-ed are now on facebook! please feel free to join in our discussion forums and add to our play list. You can join in the fun at

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Harm-ed/101388506609371 

Clare featured on a recent Open University audio CD - "Sounds Mental" - produced to accompany their excellent series Mental: a

History of the Madhouse. The CD, which features the voices and stories of several prominent artists who talk about their experiences of the mental health system and the importance of creativity. To hear Clare talk, click here  

Clare was recently filmed in interview by Flexible Films for a forthcoming DVD which will accompany a training manual for staff working with clients who have been sexually abused, written by Clinical Psychologist Sam Warner. For more details, click here  

will be used as the basis of an article to be published in the November 2010 issue of Open Mind.  

"Beyond Fear and Control",  is one of the newest and most innovative books on self-harm, available from April 2007, edited by Sam Warner and Helen Spandler and published by PCCS Books. It brings together practitioners, activists and service users from a wide range of service contexts who have developed new and innovative ways of effectively supporting young people who self-harm. Authors include Louise Pembroke, Vera Martins, Eamon Kirk - and harm-ed's own Terri Shaw and Clare Shaw, who have co-authored the opening chapter, "A Dialogue of Hope and Survival", which draws from experience, research and theory to discuss the user and carer experience of self-harm; service responses to self-harm; and harm-minimisation practice.

"Biological reductionism of self-harm" - in an article published in Mental Health Practice; the journal for mental health nurses and others involved in the mental health field (May 2007, Vol 10, No 8), Clare Shaw, Louise Pembroke and Phil Thomas argue that the theory that self-harm is linked to the production of the body's natural painkiller (endorphins), is doing more harm than good.

Watch out for the next groundbreaking book edited by Louise Pembroke, bringing together writing from leading practitioners and activists on the issue of harm-minimsation. Chapters address issues such as "Practical harm-minimisation - imparting the basics to service users", as well as other practical, legal and ethical aspects of harm-minimisation. Terri Shaw will be writing about her research with mental health nurses and service users on the issue of harm-minimisation in inpatient settings; whilst Clare Shaw's chapter looks at the need for user-led training, drawing on the example of harm-ed.

Listen to Clare Shaw speaking about her experiences of self-harm and using services, as well as her opinions on the issue of harm-minimisation, in the recent "Woman's Hour" debate. The programme, broadcast on 23rd May 2007, "Is too much emphasis placed on the "symptoms" of self-harm rather than the causes?" and featured a live discussion between Dr. Sam Warner and Tim McDougall. Downloadable from www.bbc.co.uk/radiofour/womanshour/listenagain