We're pleased to be able to enable members to attend this specialised workshop, with a maximum of 12 attendees. 

About Battle Scars

Battle Scars is a 100% survivor led and run charity supporting anyone affected by self-harm. We support people of all ages and genders as well as their families and the professionals who work with them. Even though we’re based in Leeds, we operate nationally and offer online support to people anywhere in the world. 

Our definition of self-harm

We include both physical and psychological forms of self harm:Self-harm inflicted on the body with immediate and longer term effect such as cutting, burning, scratching, pulling hair, hitting, inserting objects, overdosing, poisoning, eating disorders - or any food related self-harm, e.g. overeating, as well as restricting liquids, taking risks etc. but not including alcohol or drug abuse unless combined with self-harm as described above. We recognise that alcohol and drug abuse can be considered as self-harm but we lack the capacity and expertise to provide support with these. 

Psychological harm to the self (e.g. self-neglect, obsessive negative thinking, sabotaging relationships, maintaining a pattern of creating similar damaging relationships etc.)

The workshop

This Q&A-style training on self-harm will be delivered by the Battle Scars founder and CEO, Jenny Groves, who has trained hundreds of professionals since Battle scars was formed in 2016. In this session, apart from covering the definition of self-harm, understanding the reasons behind self-harm and supporting someone who self-harms, the content will be shaped by the attendees’ needs. This is a rare opportunity to ask those awkward questions and gain insights only those with lived experience can provide.

These sessions are delivered with honesty and openness, please be aware that some may find them triggering.

Here is some very recent feedback: “Thank you, it was quite eye-opening to hear views from another perspective”; “I am used to attending formal training with practitioners who are concerned about asking certain questions through fear of saying something wrong. This session was completely different, it felt very informal and a genuine opportunity to ask questions about the real issues we face as practitioners as well as hear about how self-harm really does affect people”. 


We're pleased to be able to enable members to attend this specialised workshop, with a maximum of 12 attendees. 

About Battle Scars

Battle Scars was formed because of the need of one person to find support for her self-harm. Starting as a peer support Facebook group in January 2015, we formed the Battle Scars community group (Unincorporated Association) in April 2016. Fast growth resulted in Battle Scars becoming a registered charity (CIO - Charitable Incorporated Organisation) in England and Wales on February 6th, 2018. 

We are based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, running face-to-face services in Leeds and Wakefield alongside our ever-growing worldwide Facebook group and since June 2020 our virtual services are available UK-wide.

Our definition of self-harm

We include both physical and psychological forms of self harm:Self-harm inflicted on the body with immediate and longer term effect such as cutting, burning, scratching, pulling hair, hitting, inserting objects, overdosing, poisoning, eating disorders - or any food related self-harm, e.g. overeating, as well as restricting liquids, taking risks etc. but not including alcohol or drug abuse unless combined with self-harm as described above. We recognise that alcohol and drug abuse can be considered as self-harm but we lack the capacity and expertise to provide support with these. 

Psychological harm to the self (e.g. self-neglect, obsessive negative thinking, sabotaging relationships, maintaining a pattern of creating similar damaging relationships etc.)

The workshop

The aim of our training is to provide delegates with insights and knowledge to increase their confidence in dealing with people who self-harm or have an eating disorder as well as provide the setting to ask the questions they don’t often have a chance to ask. Battle Scars is a survivor led organisation and all training is delivered by survivors. Battle Scars founder and CEO, Jenny Groves, runs all self-harm training.

"This was by far the most informative session I have done around self-harm in a very long time. I am used to attending very formal training with practitioners who are concerned about asking certain questions through fear of saying something wrong. This session was completely different, it felt very informal and a genuine opportunity to ask questions about the real issues we face as practitioners as well as hear about how self harm really does affect people"

We have a small number of tickets available for UMHAN members on a low income. Please use your own judgement here, but we would expect these places to go to members who do not have access to any separate training budget, and who are not able to work full time. This may be because of disability/health reasons, or caring responsibilities. 

Book tickets

You cannot book tickets for past events.

University Mental Health Advisers Network (UMHAN). c/o The Moseley Exchange, 149-153 Alcester Road, Moseley, Birmingham B13 8JP Tel: 07510 734544 Registered charity number: 1155038. We use cookies to improve your experience using this website.
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