Self-Harm Counseling for Teens & Young Adults in Fort Wayne, IN
Self-harm is a way of coping with emotions that feel too big to manage, and it's more common, and more treatable, than most people realize.
At Unwilted Counseling, teens and young adults (ages 13–25) receive compassionate, trauma-informed counseling that addresses both the immediate need for safer coping and the deeper emotional patterns driving the urge to self-harm.
Sessions are available in person in Fort Wayne, Indiana, or virtually across Indiana and eligible parts of Ohio.
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to talk through what's going on and find out if Unwilted Counseling is the right fit.
What Is Self-Harm + Signs
Self-harm (sometimes called self-injury) is any deliberate act of hurting one's own body as a way to cope with distress, numbness, or emotions that feel overwhelming. It is generally a coping mechanism rather than a suicide attempt, though the two can be connected, and both deserve to be taken seriously. Self-harm is often kept hidden out of shame, which is part of why it can go unnoticed for a long time.
Self-harm is not a character flaw, a phase to be ignored, or a bid for attention. It is a sign that someone is struggling to manage emotional pain and hasn't yet found a safer way through it, and that is exactly what therapy helps build.
Signs a Teen or Young Adult May Be Struggling
Self-harm often happens privately, so signs can be easy to miss. What to watch for includes:
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Unexplained marks or injuries, often in places easily covered by clothing
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Wearing long sleeves or pants regardless of weather, or avoiding situations that expose skin
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Finding sharp objects, lighters, or first-aid supplies in unexpected places
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Increased secrecy, irritability, or emotional withdrawal
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Difficulty talking about feelings, or describing feeling emotionally “numb”
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Statements expressing self-hatred, worthlessness, or feeling like a burden
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A recent increase in stress, conflict, bullying, or a major life change
These signs often overlap with depression, unresolved trauma, or broader difficulty managing emotions. If intense emotions are the main concern and self-harm isn't part of the picture, Emotion Regulation Therapy may be the better starting point. Noticing these signs is not about assigning blame; it's the first step toward getting the right support in place.
Why Self-Harm and Emotional Dysregulation Happen
Self-harm is almost always about managing an internal experience that otherwise feels unbearable. Common underlying drivers include:
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Intense emotions, such as anger, shame, grief, or anxiety, that feel too large to express any other way
Emotional numbness, and a need to feel something real or in control
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A history of trauma, invalidation, or an environment where emotions weren't safe to express
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Difficulty identifying or putting feelings into words before they become overwhelming
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Major stressors: bullying, family conflict, academic pressure, identity struggles, relationship loss
Because self-harm is typically a symptom rather than the core problem, treatment works best when it addresses what's underneath it, not only the behavior itself.
Our Approach to Self-Harm Counseling
Unwilted Counseling treats self-harm and emotional dysregulation through a trauma-informed, skills-based approach:
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DBT-informed skills training: builds concrete, sustainable tools for tolerating distress, managing intense emotions, and reducing urges to self-harm. For a deeper look at these skills, see Emotion Regulation Therapy.
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Safety planning: a collaborative, individualized plan developed early in treatment, naming warning signs, people to reach out to, and steps to stay safe between sessions.
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Emotion-focused therapy: helps build the capacity to identify, express, and move through emotions before they become overwhelming.
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Trauma-informed care, including EMDR: addresses underlying trauma or invalidating experiences that often drive self-harm.
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IFS-informed work (Internal Family Systems): supports understanding and working with the internal "parts" connected to shame, self-criticism, or the urge to self-harm.
The goal is not just stopping a behavior. It's helping clients build a genuinely safer relationship with their emotions, so the underlying distress has somewhere real to go.
If You've Found Out Your Teen Is Self-Harming
Discovering that your teen is hurting themselves can bring up fear, guilt, anger, and confusion all at once. Those reactions are normal. How you respond in the first conversations can make it easier for your teen to accept help.
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Stay as calm as you can. Your teen needs to know you can handle hearing the truth.
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Listen more than you talk. Try "I noticed, and I care about you. I want to understand what you're going through" rather than demanding explanations.
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Avoid punishment or ultimatums. Shame and pressure tend to push self-harm further into hiding.
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Ask directly about suicide. Asking "Have you had thoughts of ending your life?" does not put the idea in their head, and it helps you know how urgent things are.
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Make sure any injuries are cared for. Seek medical care if a wound looks serious or infected.
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Make home safer. Store medications and other items that could be used for harm securely, especially during a hard stretch.
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Reach out for professional support. A free consultation is a good place to ask what to do next.
If your teen is in immediate danger or talks about wanting to die, call or text 988 or call 911.
Parents of minors are part of the intake process and are supported with guidance on how to respond at home, while your teen keeps a confidential space to talk. Parent-Teen Relationship Counseling may also help repair communication.
How Unwilted Counseling Can Help
Talking about self-harm often comes with a lot of shame, which can make the first step toward help feel especially hard. Unwilted Counseling is structured to meet that with care, not judgment:
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Consistent, one-on-one care. Unwilted Counseling is a solo, private-pay practice, so clients work with the same licensed therapist every session, building the trust this work requires.
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A nonjudgmental, shame-free space. Self-harm is treated as a coping response to understand, not a behavior to punish or shame.
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Collaboration with parents, when appropriate. For minors, caregivers are supported with guidance on how to respond, while respecting the teen's need for a confidential therapeutic space.
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Treatment that targets the root cause. Skills training happens alongside deeper trauma-informed and emotion-focused work, so change holds up long-term.
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A low-pressure first step. A free 15-minute consultation allows prospective clients or parents to ask questions before committing to ongoing care.
About Your Therapist
Clients work directly with Destina Rekeweg, LMHC. Destina holds a Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with over three years of experience, trained in EMDR and Internal Family Systems (IFS), specializing in trauma, intense emotions, and self-harm for teens and young adults.
Her approach is grounded, calm, and non-alarmist, creating a space where clients can be honest about self-harm and difficult emotions without fear of overreaction or judgment.
Because Unwilted Counseling is a solo practice, every client receives consistent, one-on-one care from the same therapist throughout treatment.
In-Person Counseling and Virtual Counseling Across Indiana and Ohio
Self-harm counseling is available in whichever format best fits a client's comfort level and safety needs.
In-Person Counseling in Fort Wayne
In-person sessions take place in a private, comfortable office at 3514 Stellhorn Rd., Fort Wayne, IN 46815, serving clients throughout Fort Wayne and Allen County.
Virtual Counseling Across Indiana and Ohio
Secure, HIPAA-compliant virtual therapy is available across Indiana and, through the Counseling Compact, in eligible parts of Ohio. Sessions are not recorded and can be attended from home, campus, or another private space.
For clients whose safety needs are more acute, in-person sessions or a hybrid approach may be recommended as part of the initial assessment.
What to Expect: The Treatment Process
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Free 15-minute consultation: a low-pressure conversation to ask questions, with no obligation to continue.
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Initial assessment (50 minutes): a thorough, compassionate look at history, current safety, triggers, and goals.
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Collaborative safety plan: developed together early in treatment to support safety between sessions.
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Ongoing weekly sessions (50 minutes): combining skills training with deeper trauma-informed and emotion-focused work.
Investing in Self-Harm Counseling
Unwilted Counseling is a private-pay practice and does not bill insurance directly, which allows treatment to be guided by clinical need rather than what an insurance panel will authorize. Clients may use out-of-network benefits for possible reimbursement.
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Initial intake assessment (50 min): $160
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Ongoing sessions (50 min): $135
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Intensive sessions: $202.50 (75 min) / $270 (100 min) / $405 (150 min)
Consistent therapy is an investment in real safety and long-term emotional resilience: not just the absence of a behavior, but a sustainable, healthier relationship with difficult emotions. Full details are available on the fees and policies page.
Related Concerns We Treat
Self-harm rarely occurs in isolation. Depending on individual circumstances, the following related services may also be relevant:
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Emotion Regulation Therapy - for broader difficulty managing emotional intensity, with DBT-style skills
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Trauma Therapy - when self-harm is connected to past painful experiences
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Complex Trauma & Childhood Abuse Therapy - when self-harm grew out of long-term or childhood harm
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Depression & Mood Disorder Counseling - for the low mood and hopelessness that often co-occur
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Self-Esteem & Identity Counseling - for the shame and self-worth struggles that often underlie self-harm
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Anxiety Counseling - for co-occurring anxiety
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Teens & Young Adults Counseling - the core age-specific care model behind every specialty at Unwilted Counseling
Frequently Asked Questions
Self-harm refers to any deliberate act of hurting one's own body as a way to cope with overwhelming emotions, distress, or numbness. It is generally not a suicide attempt, though the two can be connected and both deserve serious attention. Self-harm is a coping mechanism, and it is treatable.
Most often, to cope with emotions that feel too intense to manage, such as anger, shame, sadness, or anxiety, or to break through emotional numbness. Underlying factors can include trauma, bullying, family conflict, academic pressure, identity struggles, or never having learned other ways to handle big feelings.
Treatment usually starts with a collaborative safety plan and practical skills for getting through intense moments, often drawn from DBT. Alongside that, therapy explores what's driving the urges, such as trauma, shame, or difficulty expressing emotions, so the need to self-harm decreases over time.
Stay as calm as you can, listen without judgment, and avoid punishment or ultimatums. Ask directly whether they've had thoughts of suicide, make sure any injuries are cared for, and reach out for professional support. If there is immediate danger, call or text 988 or call 911.
Not usually. Self-harm is most often a way to cope with pain rather than to end one's life. However, people who self-harm are at higher risk of suicidal thoughts, so any self-harm should be taken seriously and assessed by a professional.
Yes. Unwilted Counseling provides outpatient self-harm counseling for teens and young adults ages 13–25, including safety planning, DBT-informed skills, and trauma-informed care. If someone needs a higher level of care, such as intensive outpatient or hospital treatment, Unwilted Counseling will help connect them with the right resources.
Unwilted Counseling is private pay and does not bill insurance directly. Clients may use out-of-network benefits for possible reimbursement. The initial assessment is $160 and ongoing 50-minute sessions are $135.
Good Faith Estimate: Clients paying privately have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate explaining expected costs of care. You may request this prior to scheduling.
Start Self-Harm Counseling in Fort Wayne Today!
Reaching out is often the hardest and most important step. A free 15-minute consultation is a low-pressure way to start the conversation and find the right support.
Call or text (260) 255-6432 or request your free consultation.
