A Vision of Recovery, the Foundational Principles

By Nanete V. Larson, B.A.

Hope: Having a vision that includes hopes and dreams! Setting goals, while refraining from negative predictions. Fearing false despair, not false hope!
Support: Recognizing that recovery is not a journey that anyone walks alone Drawing from friends, family, and healthcare professionals.
Self-Advocacy: “Going for it” with courage, persistence and determination. Expressing oneself clearly and calmly in order to get one’s needs met.
Spirituality: Finding meaning and purpose in one’s life. Gaining a sense of identity, based on one’s own values and beliefs, which may include one’s relationship with the divine or a power greater than oneself.
Education: Learning all there is to know about one’s health, wellness, symptoms and treatment, in order to be equipped to make good decisions. Being open to and seeking out, new information.
Personal Responsibility: Relying on oneself, with help from others, while working to control one’s life and one’s symptoms. Making choices which reflect one’s life priorities.

A vision of recovery The foundational Principles Adapted from M.E. Copeland Nanette V. Larson, B.A. Illinois DHS/DMH - 2003