River View Christian Academy wants you to know how to help your daughter, as she struggles with Self-Harm, a condition in which she is deliberately causing injury to herself, more than only in the form of cutting–at times by burning, punching, head banging or breaking her own bones. It can also be characterized by her participating in high-risk activities.
Self-Harm (also known as self-abuse, self-mutilation or self-injury) can be the way in which she is able to express feelings she can’t put into words, divert herself from painful emotions, or gain power over, at least, her body if she feels she can’t control anything else in her life. It is also a cry for help.
Many girls who suffer with Self-Harm report some type of childhood abuse (sexual or physical), and almost all say they were discouraged from showing emotions. Self-Abuse is not generally seen as a cry for help, since girls usually do it in secret, and work to hide the actions, as well as the emotions that lead to it. Your daughter may feel alone or empty, frightened by the thought of intimate relationships.
Self-harming behaviors can be a sign of several different psychiatric illnesses or personality disorders. Your daughter should be evaluated by an experienced, licensed therapist and doctor for treatment as soon as possible.
Treating Self-Harming Teenage Girls
Because Self-Injury may be linked to a variety of mental disorders like depression or eating disorders, it is especially necessary to properly diagnose your daughter.
There is not a single treatment approved for this disorder, but a myriad of options, such as different types of therapy. Treatment might include helping her to understand destructive thoughts and behaviors, gaining skills in developing outside relationships, mindfulness-based therapies (which help her to live in the present and properly construe the behaviors of those around her).
River View Wants to Help Your Girl Improve Her Future
River View is not a residential treatment center, or therapeutic boarding school, but we have found that a structured and caring environment can make an enormous difference in correcting behavioral issues among teenagers. River View understands that parents want to send a girl to a safe, monitored environment where she receives personal care, and guidance that helps heal emotional issues–whether brought on by trauma, foster care, adoption or abuse.
One of the most important aspects of redirecting a teen girl who is struggling is for her to be in an environment that is structured with a routine schedule that she can count on. We believe in student boundaries in all areas of life. Another reason for our success over 25 years at River View Christian Academy is the high level of involvement of staff and parents.
Located on 45 acres in the beautiful hill country of central Texas, River View’s girl students are also responsible for garden and animal chores, in addition to school and homework. Of course, there are fun school activities, as well as amazing parks to enjoy in the area.
We also provide nutritious meals, and healthy exercise and practical activities. We want each girl student to experience positive benefits of learning boundaries and responsibility, as well as improve her daily life in a caring environment.
If you want to learn more about how we help young girls who have suffered with self-harm, and need a positive, structured environment for improving her academic and vocational skills, please call 1-800-494-2200 now to see if your girl would be a good fit at River View Christian Academy.
