The author undertook a correspondence study with 6 women who regularly self-harmed. The women claimed that medical & nursing professionals viewed their self-harm as irrational & illogical. However, the author argues that a qualitative examination of the motivations & interests of all parties reveals that self-harm acts possess situated internal logic, whereas professionals tend to use rational logic in attempting to understand them. Differences between suicide & self-harm are discussed. (11 refs)