Recovery Model Framework

Dominant biomedical model (pre-recovery era)
- Focus: cause → illness → treatment.
- “Recovery” = elimination of symptoms and return to previous level of functioning.
- Result: many people with mental illness were judged “not recovered” because persistent or episodic symptoms remained.
Limits of biomedical framing
- Neglects the impact on identity, self-concept, purpose, relationships.
- Ignores the episodic, long-term, fluctuating nature of mental illness.
Emergence of a new lens (≈ late 20^{th} – early 21^{st} century)
- Consumer-led movements, human-rights discourse, and WHO advocacy (WHO 2019) emphasised personal recovery over “cure”.

WHO ( 2019 ) definition – key phrases:
- Not “being cured” or “returning to normal” but “gaining or recapturing meaning and purpose in life”.
- Living a self-directed, autonomous life despite ongoing emotional distress.
Essential features (WHO, paraphrased)
- 1. Personal & unique to each individual.
- 2. People can and do recover.
- 3. Recovery ≠ cure.
- 4. Requires collaborative partnerships (consumer + professionals + supports).
- 5. Health workers must embrace the potential for recovery in practice.
- 6. No fixed timeframe; journey varies.
- 7. Not an intervention done to consumers – it is a shared, lived process.

Many authors cluster processes under CHIME (Connectedness–Hope–Identity–Meaning–Empowerment).
Transcript emphasis:
- Connectedness
- Inclusion, belonging, supportive relationships.
- Hope & Optimism
- Holding belief in the possibility of a better future.
- Identity
- Re-authoring the self beyond the “patient” or “diagnosis” narrative.
- Meaning in Life
- Rebuilding purpose, pursuing dreams & aspirations.
- Empowerment
- Gaining choice, control, skill-development; shifting power balance.
- Taking Risks
- Freedom to try, err, learn, grow; measured risk-taking fosters progress, creativity & courage.

Collaborative stance
- Nurse as ally, facilitator, coach → shared decision-making.
- Emphasis on partnership rather than expert-driven care.
Intervention focus shifts
- From symptom elimination to skill-building, goal-setting, community integration, stigma reduction.
- Support identity work: narrative therapy, strengths-based assessments.
- Cultivate hope through role-models, peer workers, success stories.
Risk-enablement
- Balance duty of care with client’s right to autonomy.
- Employ frameworks for positive risk-taking
  \text{Risk}_{positive}=\text{PotentialGrowth}-\text{PotentialHarm} (conceptual).
Trauma-informed & rights-based practice
- Aligns with WHO QualityRights; prioritises dignity, freedom from coercion, participation.

Enhanced quality of life & satisfaction even when symptoms persist.
Greater self-efficacy and skill mastery.
Reduction in internalised stigma; stronger social networks.
Flexibility to pursue education, work, parenting, creativity without “cure” prerequisite.

Autonomy versus paternalism – recovery model honours self-determination.
Narrative ethics – validates the person’s lived story, not just clinical facts.
Justice & human rights – aligns with UNCRPD; promotes inclusion and equal opportunity.

Holistic nursing – “whole person” care already valued in nursing; recovery gives mental-health-specific language.
Strengths-based practice – overlaps with empowerment, resilience frameworks.
Evidence-based psychosocial interventions (e.g., CBT, IPS, WRAP) operationalise recovery principles.

7 essential recovery features (WHO list).
Recovery processes often summarised as CHIME = 5 domains.
Mental illness may be episodic with durations from months → years (no fixed metric).
Year of lecture slide set: (8/07/2025).
WHO QualityRights materials released 2019.

Foster, K., Marks, P., O’Brien, A., & Raeburn, T. (2021). Mental Health in Nursing: Theory and Practice for Clinical Settings (5th ed.). Elsevier.
World Health Organization. (2019). Recovery practices for mental health and well-being. WHO QualityRights Specialized training. Course guide. Geneva.