CHERISH (Caring for Self-Harm, Resources & Information for Supporting Students in Higher Education) is a website that has been developed alongside individuals with direct experiences of providing support to another individual for self-harm. For many, this can be an overwhelming experience, with people often feeling isolated and lonely during their journey as a supporter. This website aims to share helpful information and experiences of others in order to allow you to feel more supported during this time.
Participants so often mentioned how stressful it can be to try and find information across lots of different platforms, and the challenge of looking after themselves during this time. CHERISH really aims to create a space for all that information to try and aid your journey as a supporter, no matter what your level of experience may be. The real message from CHERISH is that even though you may be supporting someone else, it’s okay for you not to feel okay too. Supporters often carry a lot of guilt about finding things too much and needing time out for themselves, but in order to be able to support someone else, you have to take care of your own well-being.
This website is aimed at all individuals who may be providing support for self-harm, including:
We have also put together some helpful resources for those who may have:
We realise that everyone has different experiences and backgrounds, and that you may be feeling a variety of different emotions at this time. Please do explore our website and we hope that you will find what you are looking for!
If you would like to know more about our research and website – this can be found here.