Preventing Self-Harm

Two trainee counselors from a public university, Miss Kerin and Miss Peh, conducted the talk on the theme ‘It’s Ok to Not Be Ok’ organised by Students Affairs Office of MPI.

Miss Kerin, who is pursuing her Degree in Counselling, is currently completing her internship at MPI, while Miss Peh is completing her practicum for her Master’s in Counselling.

“Our aim is to raise awareness about self-harming and its prevention.  We want the students to understand that whenever they have negative emotions or negative thoughts, it is okay to seek help and not to self-harming,” Miss Peh said.

During the presentation, the presenters shared that self-harming is a coping mechanism for pain, stress, or difficult feelings. It is an act of hurting oneself on purpose.

However, those who had the tendency to self-harm do not necessarily wish to take their own lives.

“Most people who self-harm do not want to die; they are trying to handle pain in the only way they know“.

“However, prolonged self-harm can increase the risk of suicide,” Miss Kerin shared in her presentation.

Thus, she pointed out that these students must understand the signs and seek help to cope with their difficulties.

They also listed 10 types of self-harm, with the most common being cutting, burning, punching or knocking, scratching or picking the skin, and pulling out one’s hair.

Therapy or counseling, medicines, and support groups are among the recommended assistance.

Through role plays and listening exercises, the students were able to gain more understanding of the issue and ways to prevent self-harm.

In MPI, in addition to student counselors, there is also a chaplain who helps and guides the students in dealing with their negative emotions.

As part of the commitment to supporting MPI students, students could also walk into the Students Affairs Office or seek help from other MPI staffers.

MPI strives to provide a thriving academic environment for the students and build their character through various programmes and activities on campus.

To learn more about MPI and its program, visit the campus on April 12 during MPI Open Day and take part in various activities conducted by different departments.

The Open Day which starts from 9am until 3pm will provide school leavers with Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) and Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) career and course counseling as well as campus tour.

There will also be information on scholarships, loans, and aptitude tests for the students to find courses that suit them.

Full-time students who need financial aid to start their programme with MPI can tap into the national higher education fund (PTPTN).

As part of MPI’s commitment to delivering industry and community-relevant programmes, two new programmes, Diploma in Nursing and Diploma in Special Education (Early Years), are being developed and will be offered soon. There will also be an introduction of a new short course – Patisserie, for youths with keen interest in baking and pastry arts.

Also in the pipeline is programme counseling for Early Childhood Education (ECE) Programme Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), ACCA Foundation in Accountancy (ACCA FIA), Accounting, Taxation, Marketing MUET 1, Social Work, Business Management, Computer Science, Finance and Investment, and Intensive English.

For enquiries, contact MPI at 084-322268, send a WhatsApp enquiry message to 011-55568806, or access our website (www.pilley.edu.my) and social media platforms.