Stephen P. Lewis

Dr. Lewis’ research focuses on self-injury and related mental health concerns, with emphasis on understanding online self-injury communication, addressing self-injury in educational settings, understanding self-injury recovery, and advocating for individuals with lived experience. To this end, Lewis' research adopts an action-oriented approach that gives a voice to people with lived experience. The central goals of Lewis' work are: fostering resilience and recovery among people with lived experience, combatting stigma, and promoting a more compassionate understanding of self-injury.

Commensurate with this, Lewis has been involved in a range of advocacy initiatives, including sharing his own lived experience through a TEDx Talk, publishing narratives and commentaries, and engaging in interviews and speaking events. He is the past president of the International Society for the Study of Self-Injury (ISSS) and co-founder and co-director of Self-injury Outreach and Support (SiOS: www.sioutreach.org), which has been accessed in over 180 countries.