Nicholas Westers

Nicholas Westers is an Associate Professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center and a Clinical Psychologist specializing in children's health. He is board certified in Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology (ABPP) and hosts the podcast *The Psychology of Self-Injury*. His research focuses on non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), suicide prevention, and adolescent mental health.

Westers completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children's Hospital (2010-2012) and a predoctoral internship at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center (2009-2010). His work spans clinical practice, education, and policy advocacy, particularly regarding firearm violence prevention and media representation of mental health issues.

His research emphasizes evidence-based interventions for adolescents engaging in NSSI, including risk assessment frameworks (e.g., SOARS model) and clinician training curricula. He also investigates cultural and developmental factors influencing self-injury behaviors.

Westers has contributed to high-impact journals such as *J Adolesc Health*, *Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry*, and *Am J Public Health*. His recent work addresses media guidelines for responsible reporting of NSSI and interdisciplinary approaches to firearm safety advocacy.

No scientific awards were explicitly mentioned in the provided texts. His professional activities include leadership roles at UTSW and affiliations with organizations focused on adolescent health and violence prevention.