About this course
Dates:
- Session 1: May 8, 2026 | 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ET
- Session 2: May 11, 2026 | 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ET
This course is delivered as two separate webinar sessions. Participants may register for either session individually or attend both sessions to gain a more comprehensive clinical understanding of the continuum from non-suicidal self-injury to suicidal behaviour in adolescents.
Facilitator: Marshall Korenblum, MD, FRCP(C).
CE hours: 3 per session
Can't attend the live webinar? Register for the on-demand version and access the training at your convenience: https://cvent.me/5oeEVa
This training is suitable for:
- Mental health professionals (psychotherapists, counsellors, psychologists, social workers)
- Medical professionals (nurses, psychiatrists, pediatricians, family doctors)
- Direct service workers (child and youth workers)
- Educators (teachers, ECEs, school administration, support staff)
Client age category: Professionals working with clients aged 12 years to adulthood
Level of training: Introductory/Intermediate
Trigger warning: Participating in our programming may evoke powerful feelings and can trigger participants who have experienced personal trauma or loss of a client or loved one by suicide.
Overview
Self-harm in teenagers - The spectrum from non-suicidal self-injury to suicidality
Explore self-harm and suicide in teens to learn recognition, red flags and management approaches. This course is delivered as two separate webinar sessions offered on different dates. Participants may register for either session individually or attend both sessions to gain a more comprehensive clinical understanding of the continuum from non-suicidal self-injury to suicidal behaviour in adolescents.
As cited by research from The Hospital for Sick Children, there has been a sharp increase in emergency department visits for attempted suicide and suicide ideation among children and adolescents. This course is designed to support professionals in understanding, assessing, and responding to this growing clinical need.
Together, these sessions provide a structured exploration of:
- the function and drivers of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI)
- the relationship between NSSI and suicidal behaviour
- risk factors, warning signs, and intervention strategies
Session Overview
May 8, 2026: Non-suicidal self-harm in teenagers - The role of emotion regulation in understanding and treating this urgent problem
Focuses on understanding the function, prevalence, and underlying mechanisms of non-suicidal self-injury, including emotion regulation, social media, and attachment.
May 11, 2026: Suicide in teenagers - Signs, symptoms and risk factors
Focuses on identifying risk factors, recognizing warning signs, and understanding intervention and prevention approaches for suicidal behaviour in adolescents.
Participants may choose to attend one or both sessions depending on their learning goals.
Individual session overview
Session 1: Non-suicidal self-harm in teenagers: The role of emotion regulation in understanding and treating this urgent problem
May 8, 2026 | 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET | CE hours: 3
Cutting. Burning. Extreme risk-taking. There has been an explosion of self-harm among teenagers in the last 10 years. Why? What could possibly drive young people, in the prime of their lives, to hurt themselves in such dramatic and widespread ways?
This training will define a DSM-V syndrome called Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Disorder. The epidemiology and prevalence will be described, along with an explanation of the underlying root causes of self-harm. The central roles of social media, emotion dysregulation, and insecure attachment will be outlined. NSSI has a complex and nuanced relationship to actual suicide attempts, along with borderline personality disorder and these relationships will be clarified. The evidence for various treatment approaches will be explained so that clinicians can feel empowered to make rational decisions when encountering a distressing problem.
Learning objectives
- Define the criteria for Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Disorder and describe its prevalence/epidemiology
- Understand the reasons why teenagers hurt themselves
- Describe the role and function of NSSI
- Clarify the relationship between NSSI and suicidal behaviour; between NSSI and BPD
Session 2: Suicide in teenagers: Signs, symptoms and risk factors
May 11, 2026 | 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET | CE hours: 3
The prevalence rate of suicide in teenagers remains unacceptably high. Why? What are the warning signs and risk factors for suicidal behaviour in teens? What can be done to intervene? What role does mental illness play? What role does media (social media, television, movies, and etc.) play? This training will elucidate a clear understanding of how to recognize the signs of suicide in teenagers and what to do about it.
Learning objectives:
- Describe the differences between “normal” sadness and clinical depression
- Identify risk factors and red flags for suicidal behaviour in teenagers
- Describe options for managing suicidal behaviours
- Describe protective factors and components of resilience in teenagers
Please note: Once the online registration is complete, any modifications to a registration must be done by contacting Mary Anne Van Rooyen via email at mvanrooyen@sickkidscmhlearning.ca
Accessibility
We strive to ensure our online learning programs are easy for everyone, everywhere. If you have any accessibility requirements (automatic transcripts, closed-captioning, ASL interpreters, advanced access to program materials), please email Mary Anne Van Rooyen at mvanrooyen@sickkidscmhlearning.ca to let us know how we can best support your learning experience.
Photography is being used for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted in the content is a model, except where indicated.
Continuing Education (CE) Information: SickKids Centre for Community Mental Health Learning Institute is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) to offer continuing education (CE) hours. Full-day programs equal six CE hours; half-day programs equal three CE hours; for less than half-day programs, one hour of programming equals one CE hour. SickKids Centre for Community Mental Health Learning Institute maintains responsibility for the programs.
Other licensing boards and professional organizations will grant continuing education credits for attendance at their own discretion; participants will need to submit the course outline and Certificate of Participation for their consideration.