ABSTRACT
This is a common scenario in counseling, in which clients self-injure but are unclear of the reasons. With non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) increasing in prevalence, resulting in a rise in clients who are self-injuring entering mental health treatment, the question becomes: Why? What leads an individual to engage in NSSI? Many different explanations have been developed in an attempt to understand NSSI behaviors. There are many different reasons why individuals self-injure. Ultimately, clients are human beings; therefore, they do not all fi t within the same box explaining the behavior. However, the models that have been proposed can be used to help better understand possible reasons why our clients engage in selfinjury. These models can help mental health professionals know what questions to ask, understand potential factors that may lead or be related to NSSI, or help conceptualize a client who self-injures more holistically.
