Sarah J. Brecht is a self-injury awareness advocate, educator, peer-support leader, speaker, and lived-experience representative with more than 30 years of personal experience with self-injury, recovery, and emotional healing. She has dedicated many years to transforming that lived experience into education, peer support, advocacy, and community collaboration focused on improving understanding and responses to nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI).
Sarah has more than nine years experience leading self-injury support groups utilizing principles of the S.A.F.E. Alternatives program, a nationally recognized model focused on recovery from self-injury through emotional awareness, accountability, skill-building, and support. Through this work, she has developed extensive experience supporting individuals while maintaining the important distinction between peer support and clinical treatment.
Sarah currently serves as a Lived Experience Representative At Large on the Council of the International Society for the Study of Self-Injury (ISSS) and is a member of the ISSS Executive Board. ISSS is an international organization bringing together researchers, clinicians, students, and people with lived experience to advance understanding, research, care, support, and education related to self-injury. As a member of the Executive Board, Sarah is working to develop a Lived Experience Committee that will help ensure that the perspectives of people with lived experience are meaningfully represented in the organization's leadership and work.
Mental Health Education and Peer Support
Sarah holds certifications in Youth Mental Health First Aid and Adult Mental Health First Aid through the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. She is also certified through the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in Hearts & Minds, Sharing Hope, and Ending the Silence.
She collaborates with Coleman Health Services to provide community mental-health education and training opportunities, including Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid programs.
Sarah is an active member of NAMI Summit County and the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation's Summit County chapter. She also participates in community initiatives including the Medina County Share Coalition and Better Together in Summit County.
Working with Schools and Youth
Sarah has a particular interest in helping schools better understand and respond to students who engage in self-injury.
She recently collaborated with the Wadsworth City School District to provide educational and support sessions for at-risk youth. As part of that initiative, Sarah developed a self-injury resource handbook for students that was positively received by students, faculty, and school administrators. Following that work, she was invited to return to the district to participate in teacher in-service training focused on youth mental health and self-injury awareness.
Sarah also provides educational outreach to schools, professionals, and community organizations throughout Ohio and is developing partnerships with school districts to serve as a lived-experience resource on self-injury awareness, appropriate response, intervention, and support for students, educators, and families.
She has provided educational presentations to CASA volunteers in Medina County on self-injury, trauma, and youth mental health, as well as to the Barberton Rotary Club, mental-health professionals at Summa Barberton Hospital, and Beyond in Fairlawn.
Advocacy and Community Leadership
Sarah is the founder of A Safe Space for Self-Injury Support, a 501(c)(3) organization providing peer support, education, advocacy, and community resources for individuals and families affected by self-injury.
She is the co-author of Beyond the Razor's Edge and has produced educational YouTube content focused on self-injury awareness, coping, and emotional recovery. Her advocacy and educational work have been featured in magazine articles and national media, including Good Morning America.
Sarah also serves on the Ohio Medicaid Advisory Committee and the Ohio Beneficiary Advisory Council under the Ohio Department of Medicaid, bringing a lived-experience perspective to discussions concerning behavioral health and the delivery of health-care services.
Through her combination of lived experience, peer-support leadership, education, advocacy, and community collaboration, Sarah works to help individuals, families, schools, and professionals develop a more informed, compassionate, and effective response to self-injury.
About our Group Leader
It is my honor to be writing on behalf of Sarah Brecht and I am so excited for her to be starting a self-injury group for teens. I have been fortunate enough to observe her growth over the last few years, while managing some complex stressors. Sarah has walked a similar path as some of the adolescents and teens coming to her group, giving her not only credibility, but also deep empathy. Her scars from self-injury tell a story that she has worked hard to have power over and this is something she wants to share with her group—the ability to re-author your stories and to find coping skills that work for each individual. Sarah is kind and is a hard worker. She is creative with a sense of silliness and sarcasm that is relatable to teens. She cares for others and goes above and beyond to make those around her feel validated and supported. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge and giving back to teens in a way that is meaningful while also giving them tools to set them up for life. Safe Steps for Teens is a much needed service for the community and will provide a safe environment for those who struggle with self-injury to feel less alone and supported.
Molly McDowell-Burns PhD,
MFT-S, LPCC-S, RPT, AAMFT Approved Supervisor
I have known Sarah for many years. She is dedicated to recovery, and has always been a strong advocate for those facing mental health challenges. She provides a safe place for individuals to discuss their struggles, and is trained in several of our NAMI National programs. Thank you Sarah for all that you do.
Leslie Powlette Stoyer
Former Executive Director NAMI Summit County
When my daughter was 15, she went through some very difficult times. Depression and anxiety drove her to start self-injuring as a coping strategy. In spite of our efforts to keep her safe, her self-injury behaviors persisted. I sought information on how to help my daughter from a book called “Bodily Harm: The Breakthrough Healing Program” by Karen Contrerio and Wendy Lader, et al. The authors had developed a website, www.selfinjury.com for their organization S.A.F.E. Alternatives® . On that site was a listing of support groups for those dealing with self-injury (and there were very few at that time). Sarah Brecht was leading a peer support group in Akron, OH, about 45 minutes from where we lived. Although my daughter was hesitant at first to try the group, she went and met Sarah. She recognized in Sarah a true understanding of what those who self-injure experience and Sarah’s heart of compassion to help others find freedom from the vicious cycle of self-injury. My daughter attended Sarah’s group for a couple years and learned many great coping skills and found understanding, compassion and hope among this group of peers. My daughter is now 30 and raising a daughter of her own. Life is hard, but what she experienced in Sarah’s group has stuck with her, helped her cope, take care of herself and demonstrate compassion to others who struggle with self-injury.
Amy, parent of a former group member
Sarah Brecht is a passionate advocate for mental health and self-harm recovery. The Self-Injury Support Group takes an evidence-informed approach to reducing risk for self-injury, provides teens with a safe and supportive environment, and is a valued program in Northeast Ohio. This is truly a much needed resource for both youth and their parents.
Daniel Bennett
Chair Summit County Suicide Prevention Coalition
Sarah‘s non-judgmental and compassionate approach to recovery has helped me during some of the most difficult times in my life. I can truly say I wouldn’t be where or who I am without the skills, knowledge, and support she’s given me.
Tess, former group member
Testimonials for Sarah Brecht
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