Teenage Kicks: Recovery from Self-Harm

“How I Overcame Self-Harming”

*Trigger warning: this podcast episode features a discussion around Rosie’s experience of self-harm as a teenager*

Rosie Mullender had a long career as Content Director at Cosmopolitan magazine before she went freelance as a journalist in 2018. You might think that nailing her dream job on a glossy mag would mean that she had a straightforward path to success, but nothing could be further from the truth.

As a young girl, Rosie struggled to fit in at school, and she began to self-harm at the age of 14.

I had an incredibly frank – and very moving chat – with Rosie. I found her stories of alienation at school heartbreaking, and her description of how she transformed her life to what it is today hugely inspiring.

Helen interviews Rosie, who self-harmed for 10 years from the age of 14

Now a successful journalist, with a fab fiancé, and the most fantastic flat (listen to our chat to find out more about the amazing space she’s created!) Rosie couldn’t be more of a role model for teenagers everywhere.

“There’s always light at the end of the tunnel…”

If you are self-harming and want to get help, Rosie’s key advice is to talk. Although that may feel scary, she said that once the first sentence is out, it gets much easier. She also had a message for 14 year-old Rosie, that she wishes she could tell to young people everywhere who might be experiencing something similar to what she did. Take a listen to the podcast to hear what she has to say.

You can also find advice to help you stop self-harming on the following websites:

If you’re considering self-harm or suicide, talk to someone as soon as possible. The Samaritans is a good place to start if you can’t face telling someone you know.

Parents – if you’re worried about your child you can also talk to your GP, or use any of the resources on the OLLIE website.

You can find the episode in your usual podcast app, or if you prefer, you can listen online below.

View on Zencastr

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A heartwarming story of how one teenager recovered from self-harming

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Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe now to the Teenage Kicks podcast to hear about the new series when it begins. I’ll be talking to some fabulous guests about difficult things that happened to them as teenagers – including losing a parent, being hospitalised with mental health problems, and battling an eating disorder – and how they overcame things to move on with their lives.

I’d love to hear from you if you have any suggestions for future topics on the Teenage Kicks podcast. Contact me here, or you can find me on Instagram and Twitter at @iamhelenwills. I appreciate every message, and love to hear from my listeners.

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For information on your data privacy please visit Zencastr. Please note that I am not a medical expert, and nothing in this blog or in the podcast should be taken as medical advice.

Join me in the Teenage Kicks Facebook group!

If you’re a parent of teens it can be difficult to know where to go for advice, to vent, or just to talk. So I’ve made the Teenage Kicks Facebook group, for all parents of teenagers to chat in a safe space. It’s a private group and everyone in there will be a parent of teenagers.

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