S.A.F.E. Alternatives - Self Abuse Finally Ends

Need Help? 800-DONTCUT

Who We Are

S.A.F.E. ALTERNATIVES® is a nationally recognized treatment
approach, professional network, and educational resource base,
which is committed to helping you and others achieve an end
to self-injurious behavior. Self-injury is known by many names,
including self-abuse, self-mutilation, deliberate self-harm,
parasuicidal behavior, and non-suicidal self-injury.

Philosophy

The S.A.F.E ALTERNATIVES® philosophy begins with the assumption that, although temporarily helpful, self-injurious behavior is ultimately a dangerous and futile coping strategy which interferes with intimacy, productivity and happiness. There is no "safe" or "healthy" amount of self-injury. We also believe that self-injury is not an addiction over which one is powerless for a lifetime, people can and do stop injuring, with the right kinds of help and support. Self-injury can be transformed from a seemingly uncontrollable compulsion to a choice.

The S.A.F.E ALTERNATIVES® philosophy respects the autonomy and choice-making capacities of the individual. It is not an authoritarian model; we don't believe that helpers can or should take all the responsibility for keeping the self-injurer safe. Ultimately, the self-injurer must be empowered to learn to keep themselves safe. In order to get well, there must be a shift in the locus of responsibility from the helper, to the one being helped. The helping relationship is a partnership, not a "parental" relationship. At S.A.F.E., we try to create a "culture of safety" in which the injurer comes to realize that self-injury destroys relationships, but safety brings people closer to them. We also do not employ infantilizing, restricting methods of behavior control, which reinforce the individual's sense of helplessness and powerlessness. More »

Seeking Research Participants

Please click here for more information.


S.A.F.E. Blog

We invite you to join us on our new, improved blog. Visit the Blog »


News & Updates 

Fall, 2008

Arriving later this fall is our School Protocol Manual for Educators and the accompanying Student Workbook to assist school personnel in working with students who self injure.  We invite you to preview a copy of the table of contents for this manual.


Please help us stop Burton Snowboards from selling an extremely insensitive product - their new Coalition line of snowboards.  This large national snowboard retailer has partnered with Playboy to create a pornographic line of boards and boards depicting self-mutilation.  Click here for more information and to get involved.

If you're in the Chicago area, you may be interested in an organization called "Cheryl's Dreaming Big" - they perform plays to educate people about issues like self injury and mental illness.
September, 2008

Lifestyle Magazine features an interview with Dr. Wendy Lader about the problem of self injury and its causes, symptoms and treatment. Excerpts from the documentary "Cut" share insights to the problem. Former patients are also interviewed. Watch the interview on line by clicking on the above link.

Summer, 2008

We are very excited to announce that "Daño Corporal" ("Bodily Harm" in Spanish) is now available in our store. The book is currently available for shipping.


Healing from Self-Injury Fundraiser Event
Ruby Lee Productions, Meaningful Media Present this event on July 20, 2008. Hosted By Amy Brenneman. Proceeds will in part benefit S.A.F.E. ALTERNATIVES® programs.  www.perfectionthemovie.com (caution - contents are graphic).


Check out the newly published article in the Cape Cod Times - "A Journey From Self-Abuse to Self-Love", Dr. Wendy Lader, Ph.D., M.Ed. is quoted in the article.

May, 2008

Comes the Darkness, Comes the Light- by Vanessa Vega is the Silver Winner, 2008 Nautilus Book Awards, Memoir/Personal Growth category.

     Congratulations to Ms. Vega!
April, 2008
S.A.F.E. Focus™  Would you like to start a self help group for Self Injury?  S.A.F.E. Focus™ is a voluntary support group which utilizes guidelines developed by the S.A.F.E. ALTERNATIVES® Program.   Follow the links to learn about Leader and Participant manuals.  Also coming soon, School Manuals to assist school personnel in working with students who are self injuring.
March, 2008
We continue to expand our Store, so please check back for new items.  If you're interested in helping support the services we provide, check out our "Partners" link.  Any items purchased through one of the many partners listed would help support our work.
February, 2008
Cosmopolitan Magazine:  Check out the February 2008 issue of COSMOPOLITAN magazine!  A former client of S.A.F.E. ALTERNATIVES® shares her struggles and story of recovery from self-injury as she encourages others to seek help.
January, 2008

"Cut:  Teens and Self Injury" DVD:  Now available.  Exploring the largely unspoken issue affecting thousands of young people.  Produced and directed by Wendy Schneider.  Featuring interviews with Karen Conterio, Shirly Manson, Tiffany Arbuckle Lee, Gina Young and teens sharing experience, artwork and poetry.   


Program Locations

S.A.F.E. ALTERNATIVES® Clinic located in Naperville, Illinois offers S.A.F.E. Choice™ groups, individual and family therapy. Contact us for an assessment.

University Behavioral Health of Denton, Texas houses the S.A.F.E. ALTERNATIVES® Adult Intensive™ and Adolescent Intensive™ Programs.

NorthPointe Family Center located in Carrollton,Texas houses the S.A.F.E. ALTERNATIVES® Adolescent Expressions™ program.  This is also a UBH owned facility.  For more information or to schedule an assessment please contact us at 800-DONTCUT® or our contact page. 

Featured Product

Customer Service


Phone: 800-DONTCUT®
708-366-9066
Fax: 708-366-9065
Email: Contact Us