MOVING FROM ‘WHAT’S WRONG’ TOWARD ‘WHAT’S STRONG’ A presentation by Gina Kaye Calhoun I would like to start out with an icebreaker… Now in order for this icebreaker to work, I am going to need everyone’s active participation… What I would like you to do is…when I ask you to raise your hands, I’d liked to you raise your hand as high as possible…let’s give it a practice round, everyone please raise your hand…$20 bill icebreaker End with like this $20 bill every person as worth and value…it took me a while to figure out every person meant me as well

Gina’s Story Once upon a time… Little bit about my story…and I am choosing to put my story in human terms not diagnostic terms… My story…short intro version… Today WRAP is living and active in my life…as I learn and grow my WRAP changes right along with me…

Mental Health Recovery and WRAP® Key Recovery Concepts Wellness Toolbox WRAP®: Wellness Recovery Action Plan Recovery Topics Values and Ethics The history begins way back in the late 40s…. End with…we also have a set of values and ethics that guide everything WRAP Facilitators do…because we believe the WRAP environment is to be one of exploring recovery through self-discovery and education…one of mutual learning where peers…people moving toward wellness come together to support each other…

Key Recovery Concepts Hope Personal Responsibility Education Self-advocacy Support So let’s take a look at the 5 key recovery concepts… First HOPE- Would anyone like to give me a one or two sentence definition of HOPE?

Hope I can get well and stay well for long periods of time. I can work toward and meet our goals. I can lead a happy and productive life. Hope as a belief… Brain to heart connections Good Good Good Vibrations

Personal Responsibility Willingness with intention to make choices Knowing I have the right to make a choice Willingness with intention to make choices for your own life… Sometimes it is not a matter of making the right choice; but knowing you have the right to make a choice! Personal Responsibility is a willingness with intention to make choices for your own life. This is difficult for some people, like me, who have been immersed in the traditional approach to mental health services…we were told that we lacked insight and couldn’t make good choices…we were told that other’s needed to take care of us. NOW you are changing the message. Chips and Choice Story Sometimes it is not a matter of making the right choice but knowing you have the right to make a choice.

Education Learn so I can make good decisions about: Treatment Lifestyle Career Relationships Living Space Leisure Time All Aspects of Your Life It it includes setting YOUR OWN goals and exploring the steps needed to reach your goals.

Self-Advocacy Believe in myself Know my rights Set personal goals Self-advocacy brings all the key concepts together…Begins by Believe in Yourself (Hope) Know Your Rights (Personal Responsibility) Set personal goals and work toward meeting them by: (Education) Getting the facts Planning your strategy Gathering support (Support) Targeting your efforts

Self-Advocacy “Going for it” with courage, persistence and determination; expressing myself clearly and calmly until I get what I need for myself. Take action…Go for it… This is not about throwing temper tantrums on top of a table…it’s about collaboration and negotiation with key supporters of your choice…

Support Support from family, friends and care providers Support from the community Having a feeling of connectedness Building partnerships Support from family, friends and care providers is essential for well-being Support involves being part of a community Having a feeling of connectedness Building partnerships as you move toward your hopes and dreams. Study done with children: 4 C’s- Count, Connect, Contribute and be seen as capable Don’t we want the same thing???

WRAP is intended to be an interactive, mutual learning process… Key Concepts WRAP® Wellness Toolbox How do you bring the key concepts to life in YOUR life…one way is by developing and living WRAP… WRAP stands for the Wellness Recovery Action Plan…so what is it? First of all it is a plan… WRAP is intended to be an interactive, mutual learning process… get ready to participate…

Creating a Wellness Toolbox Things I do to keep myself well Things I do to help myself feel better The cornerstone of WRAP is the Wellness Toolbox… The wellness toolbox is a brainstorm list of all the things you do to keep yourself well, and things you do to help yourself feel better when you don’t feel well. Most wellness tools are simple, safe, inexpensive or free. Rock Climbing (Left to Right Physical Activity) and drinking fluids… Ask audience… If we were in a WRAP group I would have a co-facilitator validating all your responses on an easel pad, so we can remember and learn from each other. We use our Wellness Toolbox to create the rest of our WRAP.

Creating a Vision for Wellness Begin a WRAP® by developing a Daily Maintenance Plan How do I feel when I am well? What do I need to do every day to stay well? Reminder list of things I might choose to do on any day.

Triggers and Action Plans Events or circumstances which may make me feel uncomfortable Things that may make me feel worse Identify some triggers and develop a plan Use my wellness tools Have a Plan A and Plan B

Early Warning Signs and Action Plans Subtle signs of change Signs that indicate things are not going well WRAP® encourages me to pay attention and take action

When Things are Breaking Down and Action Plans I may begin to feel worse, but I am still able to take action It is important to be assertive to prevent a crisis Plan needs to be clear with things I “must” do. When your EWS are coming in combination with each other, with greater intensity or for longer periods of time…things may be breaking down… You may begin to feel even worse – very uncomfortable, like the situation is serious – but you are still able to take some action in your own behalf. This is a very important time. It is necessary to take immediate, assertive action to prevent a crisis. Action plan needs to be clear and very directive, with things you “must” do and fewer choices and options.

Crisis Plan Proactively planning for the worst Planning for when I am temporarily unable to make good decisions Will help me learn and grow even in the worst of times Is about staying in charge Create the plan with supporters who will follow my plan Sometimes even with your best planning and assertive action, you may find yourself in a crisis situation where other’s need to step in and take over for your care.. Writing any part of a Wellness Recovery Action Plan is a hopeful act of personal responsibility, and this is especially the case when we start thinking proactively about planning for the worst It’s difficult to plan for a “crisis,” especially if you associate it with losing control, so it’s helpful to remember that crisis planning is about staying in charge By carefully developing a Crisis Plan through negotiation and collaboration with your supporters, you can create a plan that keeps you in control even when decision-making is temporarily turned over to supporters Your supporters will be following your plan There are nine parts to the crisis plan…and because you are encouraged to give this section only of the WRAP to others…it is written a bit differently. Before we get into the actual plan I would like to do an icebreaker…putting on a coat.

Crisis Planning What I’m like when I’m well Indicators others need to take over Supporters Medications Treatments Home, community and/or respite care Hospitals or treatment facilities Support from others Indicators that I can resume responsibility

Wellness Tools Wellness Daily Maintenance Plan Trigger Early Warning Signs When Things are Breaking Down Crisis Post Crisis Plan - Support Post Crisis Plan - Learning Post Crisis Plan – Resuming Responsibility

That’s a WRAP®! For more information, please contact: www.copelandcenter.com www.mentalhealthrecovery.com