Personal Recovery and Mental Illness. a Guide for Mental Health Professionals

Description

Recovery is a concept which has emerged from the experiences of people with mental illness. It involves a shift away from traditional clinical preoccupations such as managing risk and avoiding relapse, towards new priorities of supporting the person in working towards their own goals and taking responsibility for their own life. This book sets an agenda for mental health services internationally, by converting these ideas of recovery into an action plan for professionals. The underlying principles are explored, and five reasons identified for why supporting recovery should be the primary goal. A new conceptual basis for mental health services is described – the Personal Recovery Framework – which gives primacy to the person over the illness, and identifies the contribution of personal and social identity to recovery. These are brought to life through twenty-six case studies from around the world.

· Identifies the meaning and importance of recovery, and describes a new Personal Recovery Framework
· Includes numerous case studies from international centres illustrating how recovery is achieved in practice
· Answers the question 'how can I work to support recovery?'

Reviews & endorsements

'This is probably the best single author overview of the field of recovery …' Mental Health and Social Inclusion

'This volume's modest title belies its importance for therapists and, indeed, for helpseekers themselves. … [Slade's] enthusiasm and dedication are evident.' The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease

'… a key text …' www.drinkanddrugsnews.com

'This book fills a vacuum for a broad publication on how recovery values can be translated into working services and concrete actions. … Perhaps Mike Slade should be awarded a … prize for his attempt to provide a rationale and path for mental health services in the 21st century.' The British Journal of Psychiatry

'… not only accurate and up to date in its description and analysis of the current Mental Health Services, but also a refreshing critical and constructive appraisal of their function and their intended goal. … uplifting, stimulating and thought provoking … offers a refreshing return to a humane and humanistic way of thinking about and approaching the problems faced by those who experience mental health problems and by those who are trying to help … Excellent.' BMA Medical Book Awards reviewer

Contents

Preface

Part I. Mental Illness and Recovery:
1. Overview of the book
2. The nature of mental illness
3. What is recovery?

Part II. The Primacy of Personal Recovery:
4. Epistemological rationale
5. Ethical rationale
6. Effectiveness rationale
7. Empowerment rationale
8. Policy rationale

Part III. Recovery-Focussed Mental Health Services:
9. The Personal Recovery Framework
10. Fostering relationships with a higher being
11. Fostering close relationships
12. Peer relationships
13. Professional relationships
14. Promoting well-being
15. The foundations of a recovery-focussed mental health service
16. Assessment
17. Action planning
18. Supporting the development of self-management skills
19. The contribution of medication to recovery
20. The contribution of risk-taking to recovery
21. Recovery through crisis
22. Recognising a recovery focus in mental health services
23. Improving social inclusion

Part IV. Challenges:
24. Concerns held by clinicians
25. Concerns held by consumers
26. Organisational transformation

Web resources
References
Index.

About the Authors

Mike Slade, King's College London
Mike Slade is a Reader in Health Services Research, Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London.