Self-harm
Self-harm counseling in Orange County
Enhance provides self harm counseling Orange County adults and teens can start in outpatient therapy, with DBT to build safer ways to cope.
(714) 862-19074.9 from 448 Google reviews
Clinically reviewed by Christina Khouie, MA, LMFT, our founder, on September 30, 2026. Enhance is accredited by The Joint Commission and certified by the California Department of Health Care Services.
Check your coverage
Send us three details and we’ll check what your plan covers, then call you back.
What it is
What is self-harm?
Self-harm is when a person hurts their own body on purpose to cope with emotional distress that feels too big to manage.
Clinicians also call it nonsuicidal self-injury, because the aim is usually to get through a feeling rather than to die. A clinician still checks for suicide risk in every self-harm assessment.
Self-harm
It is usually a way to cope with pain, not an attempt to die, but the effects of self-harm still build over time.
A suicide attempt
Some people who self-harm later attempt suicide, so thoughts of dying need help now. Call or text 988, or call 911 if someone is hurt.
If you are thinking about suicide, call or text 988 now. If someone is hurt, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Levels of care
Levels of care for self-harm
Many people get self-harm treatment in outpatient services, and PHP or inpatient care can help adults when staying safe at home is hard.
Inpatient
- Where you sleep
- On site, with clinical staff
- How much of your week
- All of it
- Who it suits
- Needs more than a day program
- What usually comes next
- PHP
Partial hospitalization (PHP)
- Where you sleep
- At home
- How much of your week
- Most of each day
- Who it suits
- Can sleep at home safely
- What usually comes next
- IOP
Intensive outpatient (IOP)
- Where you sleep
- At home
- How much of your week
- Part of the week
- Who it suits
- Keeping up work or school
- What usually comes next
- Outpatient
Outpatient
- Where you sleep
- At home
- How much of your week
- Regular sessions
- Who it suits
- Doing well with therapy
- What usually comes next
- Ongoing care
Teen programs are outpatient and involve the family, and admissions will tell you on the first call which level fits.
When to call
Signs and symptoms of self-harm
Symptoms of self-harm are often hidden out of shame, so treat these as possible signs rather than proof.
- Injuries they cannot or will not explain, or explanations that keep changing.
- Long sleeves or long pants, even in hot weather.
- Talking about feeling worthless, hopeless or like a burden.
- Pulling away from friends, family or activities they used to enjoy.
Call or text 988, or call 911, if
- Someone has talked about wanting to die.
- Someone has hurt themselves and may need medical care.
- Someone cannot keep themselves safe right now.
If there is immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. For a mental health crisis, call or text 988.
What self-harm treatment includes
Each part of your treatment plan works on the feelings behind self-harming behaviors.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
DBT was built for intense emotions and urges to self-harm, and it teaches coping skills such as distress tolerance and emotion regulation.
Individual and group therapy
A licensed therapist works with you one to one, and group therapy lets you practice skills with others.
Family therapy
Family members join sessions when it would help, so they learn how to respond calmly at home.
Medication management
A licensed psychiatrist prescribes medication when a mental health condition such as depression is part of your plan.
Related conditions
Conditions that often come with self-harm
Self-harm often comes with another mental health condition, such as depression, anxiety or trauma, and we treat them together.
What happens when you call
See what happens when you call admissions or send us the form.
You call, or send the form
You tell admissions what is happening and whether you think self-harm counseling might fit.
We check your benefits
With your permission, we contact your insurer and find out what your plan covers.
You hear what it means
Admissions explains your deductible, your copay and which level of care your plan supports, in plain terms.
You decide
If you want to go ahead, admissions walks you through what happens next.
Benefits vary from plan to plan, and checking them does not guarantee coverage.
(714) 862-1907Cost and coverage
What your plan may cover
What you pay depends on your deductible, your copay and the level your insurer approves. Admissions checks your benefits with the insurer and tells you the figures before you decide anything.
We're in network with most insurance plans. If your plan isn't listed, call us and we'll check it for you.
Some plans we accept
- Ambetter
- MHN
- CalPERS
- Covered California
Common questions about self-harm
If your question is not answered here, call admissions at (714) 862-1907.
Why do people self-harm if they are not trying to die?
Self-harming behaviors can bring brief relief from overwhelming feelings, and they are rarely about getting attention.
Who self-harms?
People of any age or background can self-harm, often starting in the teen years and alongside a mental health condition.
Why do clinicians screen for suicide risk when someone self-harms?
Self-harm and thoughts of suicide can occur in the same person, so screening helps plan care that keeps you safe.
When should someone call or text 988 about self-harm?
Call or text 988 whenever someone is thinking about suicide or cannot stay safe, and call 911 if someone is hurt.
What should I say when a loved one tells me they self-harm?
Thank them, stay calm and listen without judging, because anger adds to the shame that makes people hide it.
How can parents support a teenager who is self-harming?
Talk calmly and privately and ask whether they are safe right now. Our teen programs are outpatient and involve the family.
How does DBT help with self-harm?
DBT teaches skills for getting through a strong feeling or urge without acting on it.
What is a safety plan?
A safety plan is a short written list, made with a clinician, of warning signs, coping steps and people to contact, including 988.
Do therapists have to report self-harm?
What you share in therapy is confidential, and your therapist explains the limits at the start, such as when someone's safety is at risk.
Does insurance cover self-harm treatment?
Coverage depends on your plan, and admissions checks your benefits first, though checking does not guarantee coverage.
Talk with admissions about self-harm counseling
Call for yourself or for someone you love. If anyone is in danger now, call or text 988 or call 911 first.
Enhance Health Group14742 Newport Ave STE 208, Tustin, CA 92780