Introduction to the WRAP Wellness Recovery Action Plan By Richard Brabrook July 2006

2 What is the WRAP? The WRAP is a structured system for monitoring uncomfortable and often distressing symptoms and through planned responses, reducing modifying or eliminating those symptoms. The WRAP has sections for responses for others when symptoms have made it impossible for you to continue making decisions. A WRAP is individual for everyone and one person's WRAP will probably not work for someone else. Some people try so hard that they burn out. One way some people respond is to try harder – this is very likely to fail The WRAP can help anyone who wants to take control of their recovery, create positive change and increase their enjoyment of life.

3 What is Recovery? Capability that defines the process that service users and providers engage in to enable self-empowerment and self-determination. Recovery is about recovering what was lost: rights, roles, responsibilities, decision making, capacity, potential and mental well-being.” Recovery is what people experience themselves as they become empowered to achieve a meaningful life and appositive sense of belonging in the community. A return to a state of wellness Achievement of a personally acceptable quality of life A process of recovering A process of gaining or restoring something An act of obtaining useable resources for apparently unusable sources To recover optimum quality of life and have satisfaction with like in disconnected circumstances.

4 Recovery is….. To promote recovery you need to:  Understand that recovery is a process that is unique to each person  Understand the essential role of hope in the recovery process  Accept that recovery is not about the elimination of symptoms or the notion of cure  Understand that the key element to the recovery process is the service user is both the driver and coordinator of services Department of Health 2004 the Ten Essential Shared Capabilities

5 Recovery is….. Basically to help recovery, you need to be able to help service users and carers deal with their mental health problems and to keep a sense of hope for the future. Helping them to find a way of life that is rewarding to them whether or not they continue to have mental health problems. The Wellness Recovery Action Plan is part of the process of helping people manage their mental health & can help them start down the road to recovery.

6 Stages to the WRAP 3 Stages Daily Maintenance Plan Crisis Plan Post Crisis Plan  Incorporating the Wellness Toolbox

7 Daily Maintenance Plan When I feel well I am (or what I would like to feel when well) What I need to do for myself each day What I need to do for myself not necessarily every day Identify my triggers Manage / Avoid triggers Identify Early Warning Signs Manage / Avoid Early Warning Signs When I am reaching a crisis Ways to reduce the signs of a potential crisis

8 Crisis Plan What I am like when I’m feeling well Symptoms Supporters Medication Treatments Home / Community Care / Respite Centres / Hospital Treatment Facilities – GP, Hospital, Pub, Home, Neighbours Help from others If I’m in Danger I would like ……………. to happen Inactivating this Crisis Plan

9 Crisis Plan Advanced Directives – being used  Condensed version of the Crisis Plan  Covers: Where the Crisis Plan is, People to contact, Medication taking Important Notes  Signed on the reverse

10 Post Crisis Plan I know when I am out of crisis when….. How I would like to feel when I have recovered from my crisis; Discharge from Hospital Plan; What do I need to do each day? What might I need to do each day? What may I need to avoid while I’m recovering? Signs I may not be recovering as planned; Tools I can use to help me in my recovery; What can I do to prevent further crisis during recovery; People I need to thank, apologise and make amends to; Things I need to consider and make plans for; Timetable for resuming responsibility;

11 Wellness Toolbox

12 Further Information Richard Brabrook MIND Training 32 – 34 High Street Honiton EX14 1PU Launched at the 2nd Recovery Conference in April 2006 Created by the Partnerships in Mental Health Recovery Group

13 Support and Training STR Foundation Course – NHS Supporters WRAP Course – MIND Other training and support advertised on

Thank you for listening Any Questions??