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Treatment for Self-Harming Behaviors in Teens

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Teens outside together on the grounds of a Muir Wood Teen Treatment campus during a day in the life at the program.

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*Please note that at this time, we are not in network with Medicaid/Medi-Cal

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Dr. Ian Wolds Psy.D.

Clinically reviewed by

Dr. Ian Wolds Psy.D.

Last reviewed on July 16, 2026

If your teen’s cutting, or other forms of self-harm, have reached an emergency level of severity, please dial 911 to get immediate medical help. Apply pressure to the wound(s) until first responders arrive, and try to keep your teen as calm as possible. If you suspect your teen is suicidal, seek immediate attention from a mental healthcare professional. You can also call or text 988 for the US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

If the situation is non-life-threatening, you should still seek treatment for any teen engaging in self-harm behaviors. Medical attention addresses physical wounds, while mental health interventions allow teens to get support and healthy tools to deal with their underlying distress. What is Teen Cutting?

Treatment for Cutting and Other Self-Harming Behaviors

The best treatment for self-harm depends on an individual teen’s mental state and their underlying issues. The most common treatment approaches include psychotherapy and psychiatric intervention. These forms of treatment allow teens to talk about their mental and emotional difficulties, and they give mental health professionals the ability to assess the underlying causes of self-harm in teens. Group therapy is also effective, as teens can discuss their feelings in a safe, supportive environment with other adolescents experiencing similar challenges.

Whether you seek individual therapy or group therapy for your teen, the right therapist will help your teen develop a customized treatment plan for self-harm and help them develop coping skills they can use to regulate their emotions instead of engaging in self-harming behaviors. Learn more about finding the right therapist for your teen.

In some instances, counseling coupled with full-time observation, such as what’s provided by Muir Wood’s teen residential treatment programs, can help ensure long-term healing and recovery from teen cutting and other forms of self-harm.

Residential Treatment for Self-Harming Teens

At Muir Wood, our licensed, professional team of mental healthcare providers is highly experienced and motivated to render the right treatment teens need to overcome self-harming behaviors. We assess each teen individually to determine the underlying cause of the behavior so we can best support and treat them. In addition to critical assessments and psychotherapeutic treatment, we provide experiential therapies like art, music, meditation, physical fitness, and yoga.

2 Simple Ways to Get Started Today

  1. Speak With an Admissions Coordinator
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Call: 866-705-0828 Get Started

When you call Muir Wood, you will either reach me or one of my staff. Please know that we are 110% committed to helping you find the best treatment for your teen and will hold your hand through the entire process. And if we aren’t an ideal fit for your child, we’ll help you find a program that is.

Maura “Mo” Sangster Director of Admissions

What Is Cutting, Self-Injury, and Self-Harm?

Cutting is a type of nonsuicidal self-injury in which teenagers purposefully scratch or cut themselves using sharp objects such as razor blades or knives. In addition to cutting, teenagers may engage in other types of self-injury or self-harm, such as:

Burning

Biting

Hitting themselves

Binge drinking

Abusing drugs

Starting fights expecting injury

Having unsafe sex

Exercising to the point of injury or collapse

The Difference Between Teen Cutting and Suicidal Behavior

You might assume that cutting behavior is connected to suicide. While teenage cutting is potentially dangerous and requires treatment, the act of self-harm might not necessarily stem from a desire to end one’s life. In reality, cutting is a misdirected response in highly troubled teens who are seeking a kind of catharsis from intense mental strain or anguish. The behavior may be found in teens who feel overwhelmed, stressed, conflicted, or are experiencing mental health issues such as anxiety or depression.

Why Teens Harm Themselves

In many cases, cutting or self-harm is an attempt to shock themselves out of deeply consuming states of intense emotion. Inciting pain or injury causes endorphins to be secreted into the bloodstream. This chemical reaction causes a fleeting pleasurable or numbing effect.

The act of cutting can also distract, alleviate, or even depressurize intense feelings many teens have difficulty processing in healthy ways. Teens might also resort to cutting as a way to feel “something” if they are experiencing emotional numbness or apathy. In this scenario, causing themselves pain is a way to grasp onto some semblance of emotion or feeling. Furthermore, cutting may be the last resort for teens who need to feel more in control if their lives feel confusing or chaotic. Learn more about why teens engage in self-harm behaviors.

Warning Signs of Teen Self-Harm

It can be challenging to know if a teenager is involved in cutting or other self-harming behaviors. While it’s true that some teens engaging in self-harm behaviors can appear impulsive, withdrawn, or overemotional, they may also appear successful, composed, and highly organized.

Because all teens are different, identifying signs of self-harm can pose challenges. You may, however, notice these warning signs:

Having cuts, scrapes, or burns that continually appear on the body (particularly on the wrists, arms, torso, or thighs) or that do not heal (this might be a sign of re-cutting or picking at scabs)

Hiding potential wounds by wearing long pants or long-sleeved shirts, especially in warm weather

Seeing unusual blood stains on sheets, towels, or clothing

Possessing sharp objects or a “cutting kit” in which cutting tools are kept hidden

Spending an inordinate amount of time alone (particularly in the bathroom), or becoming increasingly more withdrawn socially

Giving evasive responses when asked about wounds

Avoiding environments where wounds might be revealed (such as locker or dressing rooms, swimming pools, etc.)

Struggling with relationships

Abusing alcohol or other substances

Behaving erratically

Being unable to control emotions

Expressing feelings of helplessness, being overwhelmed, or a lack of control

These warning signs aren’t definitive indications of whether or not a teen engages in self-harm. However, if you suspect your teen is hurting himself or herself, talk to your teen about your concerns. Approach them with compassion and empathy. After establishing an honest dialogue, you and your teen are far better positioned to find solutions. Our guide to talking about self-harm can help you initiate a conversation.

Learn More About Muir Wood’s Teen Treatment Programs

If you’re ready to explore Muir Wood for your teen’s residential treatment, read about our programs and fill out a pre-assessment form. You can also call our admissions counselors at:

Call 866-705-0828 Get Started

Muir Wood Treatment Center Reviews

Read about Muir Wood experiences from a parent who has been through it. Read these and other reviews from real parents of Muir Wood alumni. If you would like to speak to an alumni parent, contact us and we’ll arrange it.

  • Muir Wood was transformative for our son. The care given is exceptional. We felt very comfortable knowing he was safe and getting the help he needed. The setting is also very beautiful and restorative. This is a very special place.

    N

    Jul 2026

  • The staff was incredibly great with communication. They were very caring with my son.

    Caring staff communicated well about our son

    Jul 2026

  • Our son spent 36 days at Muir Wood in 2017. We had a very positive experience. Amazing staff and very caring. The environment is perfect to take a step back and reflect about life challenges. Actually a place you would consider to spend a family summer vacation.

    ED

    Jul 2026

  • Muir Wood is a top notch facility that goes well above and beyond for their Clients and Families. As a Therapist for the last 17 years, I often refer my Families to Muir Wood. Scott Sowle and the rest of his entire Team work magic with their Clients and Families.

    LS

    Jul 2026

  • The entire process has focused on helping us all understand how to manage our child's OCD. It's been incredibly grounding, and supportive, for all of us.

    Learning to manage our teen’s OCD together

    Jul 2026

  • The care felt personal and custom and we felt heard at all times. Lia is AWESOME

    KS

    Jul 2026

  • We felt this was a safe and very structured environment for our daughter. We felt comfortable with the staff and thought Lily did a fantastic job opening the lines of communication with Allison.

    JM

    Jul 2026

  • Provided incredible support for my child

    MN

    Jul 2026

Accreditations

*Please note that at this time, we are not in network with Medicaid/Medi-Cal

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