Anyone here ever.....

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-22-2006
Anyone here ever.....
6
Sat, 11-25-2006 - 7:11pm

do a WRAP Program through NAMI? WRAP stands for Wellness Recovery Action Planning. At the bottom of this post I copied the information I got from my local NAMI organization. I signed up for the course, figuring it can't hurt to have some tools handy if/when I need them.

Thanks,
Peg

NAMI
Mental Health
Wellness & Recovery Program
including
WRAP
Wellness Recovery Action Planning

NAMI’s Mental Health Wellness & Recovery Program is offered to support individuals in their journey of mental health recovery. It is a 6-week series of classes which includes Mary Ellen Copeland’s Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) program.

Our Mental Health Wellness and Recovery Program includes an overview of the major psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression and the anxiety disorders.

The program focus is on how individuals can initiate and maintain their own wellness and recovery. WRAP was developed by Mary Ellen Copeland, MS, MA. She is a mental health recovery educator and author. She has learned the concepts, skills and strategies she teaches from her own personal experience with extreme mood swings and from her ongoing studies with people who experience psychiatric symptoms.

Mary Ellen Copeland, using information gathered from individuals who were willing to share their own helpful recovery tools created WRAP. Based on her research, she found the Key Recovery Concepts to be Hope, Personal Responsibility, Education, Self-Advocacy and Support. These concepts are discussed in detail in the Wellness and Recovery Program.

WHAT IS WRAP?

WRAP is a self-management and recovery plan developed by a group of people who had mental health difficulties and who were struggling to incorporate wellness tools and strategies into their own lives. WRAP is designed to:

- Decrease and prevent intrusive or troubling feelings and behaviors
- Increase personal empowerment
- Improve quality of life
- Assist people achieve their own life goals and dreams

By creating a personal WRAP, individuals become more self aware and develop a detailed action plan that supports their own wellness.

HOW IS WRAP DIFFERENT FROM OTHER MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT AND RECOVERY PROGRAMS?

The WRAP program is facilitated by individuals who have experienced psychiatric symptoms and are willing to share on a personal level. The goal is not to “talk” about WRAP, but to “experience” WRAP in each session.

WHO DEVELOPS THE WRAP PLAN?

Each individual develops their own personal plan.

WHAT DOES IT INCLUDE?

SIX STEPS

The Wellness Toolbox
Create a wellness toolbox. The wellness toolbox includes a list of recovery tools you can use to assist you in staying well.

1. Daily Maintenance List
a. Describe yourself when you are feeling well.
b. Make a list of the things you need to do everyday to keep yourself feeling well.
c. Make a list of things you may want to do from time to time to keep yourself
feeling well.

2. Triggers & Action Plan
Triggers are those things that might increase your symptoms. Make a list of your triggers and what action you might take to keep your symptoms from worsening.

3. Early Warning Signs & Action Plan
Early warning signs may come in response to triggers, or they may come out of the blue. Develop an action plan that you feel will keep your symptoms from worsening if you experience early warning signs or symptoms.

4. When Things Are Breaking Down
Write down what your personal experience is like when you are having a lot of symptoms and you are concerned that you may go into a crisis. Write an action plan that will help you find the support you need to prevent a crisis.

5. Personal Crisis Plan
The personal crisis plan is similar to the psychiatric advance directive. You make a plan for yourself to be used in the event that you are in crisis and need someone to take over for you.

6. Post Crisis Plan
Write down how you will know when you are “out of crisis”. Include what your timetable will be for resuming responsibilities and who you want to support you during the post crisis experience.

GOAL SETTING

Mary Ellen Copeland suggests developing a plan to create positive change in your life. She provides an outline to guide you in making changes in your life and in creating a plan for how you can make those changes happen. We talk about this goal setting outline at the last class session.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-01-2004
Sat, 11-25-2006 - 9:28pm

Peg,


Last time I checked (some time ago after seeing it on the national web page) our local group wasn't offering it.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-22-2006
Sat, 11-25-2006 - 9:52pm

Marci,

I'll let you know what I think of the program. It starts Dec. 7 and lasts 6 weeks. It is two hours per session. I'll share whatever information I receive.

I also started going to a weekly bipolar support group sponsored by our local mental health association. NAMI offers one once per month, but I haven't been to one of their's yet.

Peg

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-27-2006
Sat, 11-25-2006 - 9:58pm

Hey how do I find out if there is such a group in Arkansas! I ready all yalls posts. But still not sure if I understood all of it. But I'm always open to help on beign BP

Tks

Shelia

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-22-2006
Sat, 11-25-2006 - 10:04pm

Shelia,

Look in the blue pages of your phone book under mental health services. There should be a number for your local NAMI group. If you do a web search for NAMI's national chapter at www.nami.org to find more information.

I think you said you were from Arkansas? If so, here is a link to your local chapters: http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=your_local_NAMI&Template=/CustomSource/AffiliateFinder.cfm&State=AR

Peg




Edited 11/25/2006 10:08 pm ET by beachluvinmom
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-27-2006
Sat, 11-25-2006 - 10:38pm

Peg thank you so much, I will check it out. Everyone on the boards are so nice, and helpful.

tks again

shelia

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 11-27-2006 - 11:25am

I've done WRAP before, but on my own, not through NAMI.

I think its time to update it as its been a while and I have forgotten ALL OF IT