Mental Health Connect

Resilience and it’s relationship to living a good life outside of the impacts of mental illness.
The x factor we all have it some have lost sight of it -not a special quality that some people have and others don’t but something we all have.
What is it about someone who overcomes and someone who does not?
Recovery not a clinical recovery marked by achievements, absence of symptoms, return to pre morbid functioning, attainment of goals. clinical recovery not something we should throw away, most people when in pain we want relief- eg a migraine- if only occasional clinical recovery may be enough – but if frequent – then maybe need personal recovery.
Not only clinicians work for clinical recovery – trying to support the person to get from point a to point b.

“A very important question came my way….”

From colleague and researcher Marit Borg – “What is it about you that has been able to reclaim a life beyond mental illness whilst some others remain stuck?”

The Internal process of personal recovery – a process of renegotiating and reclaiming my sense of self expertise self mgt self knowledge and self mastery within the context of relationships life roles and opportunities regardless of the presence or absence of distress

Personal recovery can amplify the x factor.

Research with Tooth and Kalyanasundaram- a qualitative study that asked people-
“Can you tell us about your recovery?”.

For almost half the people interviewed The journey of overcoming was life transforming.
We can meet “Boulders in our way” – Helen proposes that we go for help when our efforts of self righting are not enough to overcome- not for others to take the boulder away, but to support the person get spectacularly good at having influence over it.

We are Born with the capacity for self righting but can forget it, neglect it, it can atrophy,
The Illusion of recovery is that I can have clinical recovery, but not personal recovery.

Personal recovery is not trying to get anyone to move- but it is to be in awe and wonder or people being able to exert influence over the boulder.

Helen quotes a friend and colleague who observed – “I do not know my experience of recovery by the presence or absence of symptoms – I only know my experience of recovery when I REexperience symptoms qualitatively differently. ”

If we understood this we would see relapse prevention differently and ask different questions of people.

Helens experience of giving herself an opportunity to hold competency and teaching together with distress –

When I recognise that I can influence symptoms I am no longer scared of them.

A character on avTea towel is asked the question – “Are you the driver or passenger in your life?” ” She replies “I think I’ve locked myself in the boot?”

Helen proposes there are Three major positions within our own life –

1 locked in the boot
2 passenger/princess
3 driver/self expert

There positions that others can take
1Expert
2 Fairy godmother
3 Partner/Collaborator

Combinations – The whip – “if you are good and do exactly as I say I will empower you” locked in the boot meets expert.

Implies – “Trust me I know your illness better than you do” – probably ok for a degree of clinical recovery but leads to coming back and back for expert help.

Princess meets fairy godmother – feels so good! – “it’s my job to meet your needs what do you want? Need?” This position may feel so good – but a fatal position for personal recovery. What are the core beliefs being expressed here?

Self expert meets partner/collaborator
“I’m not a case and I don’t need to be managed.”
Helen suggests the use if the (US Store) Home Depot motto “You can do it – we can help”.
The position we can see our services in – we become resource rather than a fairy godmother or expert. Home depot staff won’t come home and paint the deck for you but they will provide you with resources that allow you to do it for yourself.
Fundamental undying belief – the person is best to mange themselves –
We know you are the best person to mange your life and maybe we have something we can offer to help.

Four W’s of service provision- wand, wheelbarrow and whip – needs to move to wonder – get curious.What we offer should leave the person with a “wow I can do this”. Inviting personal recovery is so much more than being nice. Compassion humanity and empathy as a starting point. Expectations, positions ( what has the person asked you for when they entered this service – what are we meeting for what are we working on?)

Work ” as if” recovery, self mastery and self righting is already present – you may not be able to see it if it’s gossamer thin – but it is there.

Opportunities to avail themselves of and potential – Service environment is the gym in which we can exercise the muscle.

Curiosity and challenge – role as mh worker beyond nice, close enough to be curious and the challenge.
Recognising self mastery – when I may not be able to recognize it myself
Comes from a belief base

Kuhn’s paradigm shift – Can we still support managed care and personal recovery at the same time or does something need to give way?
Can we support personal recovery and hold the whip and the wand ?
If we think it’s still working we wont give it up- need to see it’s not working in order to give it up.

Citizenship matters- we relate to people as citizens who belong, live, work, love and play in their communities.

*please note this session has been blogged by two different bloggers