First of all .... sending hugs and positive thoughts your way .... cutting is a very serious issue and from my understanding is generally viewed as being something that you can be in recovery from (like alcoholism) but generally not "cured" from ... in other words, it will likely be a temptation to her for the rest of her life in times of high stress.

One of my two best friends is a "cutter", she's been doing it for years on and off, only started to get help for it a few years ago .... before that, no one knew it was happening, although she also deals with several other obsessive-compulsive behaviors.

When I've talked to her about it she has told me that it is hard to explain, but that when she cuts herself it is like a huge emotional release of the pain flows out of her along with the blood. Cutting is usually fairly superficial type of cuts, not suicide type cuts. I know the treatment that my friend has been receiving has been various types of behavior modification, knowing options that she can use instead, etc. But when she cuts on herself she is disassociated. I've called her once or twice just as she was getting ready to cut on herself and it takes about 30-45 minutes of just talking and joking, etc. before I can get much of a response back from her, until then it's me doing a dog and pony type one-man show with a zombie audience.

I do know that with all such issues, the earlier you begin to deal with it, the better and at her age it is good that you are dealing with it. I also remember seeing a program about this (long before I knew about my friend being a cutter) and they talked about how almost everyone of the teens they were treating (incidently almost all of them girls) seemed to have a VERY serious obsession with needing to be perfect.

Don't know if what I've said has helped, but feel free to PM me if you have any questions I might be able to help you with. Fzzy