Whats within a WRAP Plan??

A WRAP plan consists of the following

• A Wellness Toolbox
• A Daily Maintenance Plan
• Triggers and Trigger Action Plan
• Early Warning Signs and Early Warning Signs Action Plan
• When Things are Breaking Down and Action Plan
• Crisis Plan
• Post Crisis Plan 

I'm having a #Wellness tool next week - a holiday yipee so on my return we will have a look at each section of the plan - see you all on the 1st July :)

Wellness Recovery Action Planning - The Self Management Tool

So we have covered the 5 key concepts of WRAP - the foundations of Recovery : Hope, Personal Responsibility, Education, Self Advocacy and Support.  Now we move onto the body of WRAP.  Remember this is just an introduction to WRAP - I won't be going into great detail.  WRAP is best facilitated in a group setting, and shoud always be delivered by peer facilitators - individuals who use WRAP within their own lives and can demonstrate how it helps them maintain wellness and manage illness.  here in Scotland the Scottish Recovery Network www.scottishrecovery.net have issued this statement:

"We endorse WRAP as a powerful tool for promoting wellness and recovery and we adhere to its underlying values and principles, as described by the Copeland Centre.  we believe WRAP is best shared in group settings and that sessions should be led by a trained facilitator."

In Scotland SRN have developed a Quality Assurance Scheme to ensure that WRAP is delivered to a high standard.  I am proud to say that I am a SRN Quality Accredited WRAP Facilitator.

Support - essential for Recovery

They say it takes a village to raise a child - I think it takes a village to recover.  Experiencing mental health challenges can make people feel extremely isolated.  The concept of support may seem alien to some - but WRAP encourages you to think outside the box when it comes to support.  Support comes in many shapes and forms, from family and friends to online forums and telephone helplines.  WRAP encourages you to reach out and ask for support when required (it helps you to also identify when its required).  I don't know about you - but the more unwell I become the less able I am to ask for support - so making a WRAP plan whilst you are well which tells your supporters the signs to look for when you become unwell for me really helps. Support continues to play a huge role in my wellbeing, and alot of my support comes via a peer support forum.  Again exercise caution when using online forums - but they can be an excellent source of support. 

What do we mean 'Education' and why is it important for Recovery?

I don't know about you but when I first heard that Education was a key concept of WRAP I thought that it meant 'formal' education - ie get yourself onto a college course or something.  But through our discussions within WRAP it quickly became clear that it means something much bigger and wider.  For me education has played a large part in my recovery journey in the sense that I have had to educate myself about myself!!!  For me - in order to take control - I had to learn about my illness and treatments available.  I had to learn what suport groups were out there to help me on my journey.  I spent alot of time researching specialist doctors - and then a lot of time advocating for right to be seen by these specialists.  Further down my road to recovery I had to spend alot of time just getting to know myself again.  I had lost myself in alot of ways - and I didn't know who I really was anymore.  This part wasn't easy - it was quite difficult for me to look at myself closely - but it has been worth it in the long run.  I know have a much stronger sense of 'me' - who I am.
The world is your oyster when it comes to education these days - there is so much information available out there via the web - but pick your sites carefully and always exercise caution.

WRAP - Another Key Concept - Self Advocacy

 Self Advocacy played a huge party in my recovery and continues to help me to live well.  I had to figure out what I wanted/needed to help me.  Then I had to tell someone.  Now that sounds pretty simple but when your confidence and self esteem are very low and your anxiety and paranoia are very high - its not so easy let me tell you.  I realised that I had hope that things could get better, so I had to take the personal responsibility to actively ask for what I wanted/needed.  Gillian my co-facilitator has a saying "we don't have glass heads - unless we tell people they have no idea of whats inside it".  Very true and very wise Gillian :) 
At the start I needed alot of support to self advocate - I would take my husband along with me to my appointments, I would write things down (very useful tool if self advocating with medical staff - I still ask for my letters to be included in my files).  Now I have an excellent realtionship with my GP who supports me with making informed choices around medication to help me manage my long term health. Sometimes I think I'm very lucky to have a GP like this - and I am; but when reflecting I realise that the reason we have this open relationship of mutual respect and trust, is because I put a lot of effort into showing that I meant business when it came to my health care needs.  And I'm glad I did as it has paid off.
If you find self advocacy hard - enrol some supporters.  we are very lucky in the UK to have good Independant Advocacy Services.  If you feel you need support to have your voice heard find out about Advocacy services in your area. 

Personal Responsibility and WRAP

When I was introduced to WRAP there were alot of things happening in my life that were outwith my control.  But what really hit a chord with me about WRAP was how I could take control of situations if I wanted to.  The realisation came that although I couldn't change the things that were happening to me - I could change my actions and reactions.  This was tricky at first - as sometimes it was easier to blame other people, situations for my behaviours.  On that note - I personally do not now see taking responsibility as the same thing as taking the blame - blame is negative, taking personal responsibility is positive.

 When I was unwell  sometimes it was easier for me to literally lie down to my illness than it was to stand up and fight it.  But reflectiong back - I had the HOPE that things would not always be as they were - that there was more to life than this constant battle I was having with my body.  So I had to take PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY for my actions - actively seek out help to change my behaviours and minset.  The physical issue of PMDD was outwith my control - I had to learn to accept that but also to take control of the other aspects.  I actively sought help to change my mindset, I used counselling and also hypnotherapy.  I chose to have the 'half full cup' approach rather than 'the half empty' one.  I chose to focus on the positives in my life, my family, my work.  I took those decisions - therefor I took PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.  I also spent alot of time EDUCATING myself on my condition, seeking out the best specialist support.  EDUCATION is the next key concept in WRAP, which I will explore over the next few days.

Remember and follow me on Twitter @wrap_scotland and follow #MacWRAP 

My Reflections on WRAP and HOPE

Here is a poem that I wrote after I completed my 2 day day level 1 WRAP back in 2011.  Please remember that there is HOPE even when it feels like there is none
JUST FOR TODAY I NEED YOU TO KNOW...
Just for today I need you to know yesterday doesn't matter
Just for today please don't worry about tommorrow
Just for today believe that things can and will change
Just for today please believe that I believe in you - and you believe in me
Please - just for today, leave the past in the past and look to the future
AND TOMMORROW -
Don't forget the past - acknowledge it - but go gently on yourself
Dont see mistakes as failure
See FAIL as First Attempt In Learning
If you can only look backwards and not forwards,
I will look forward for you - with you - lets do it together
Lets believe that things can and will change - even just for today
TOMMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY
Copyright Donna Barrowman 2011

HOPE - First Key Concept of WRAP

Taking time to explore the first key concept of WRAP - HOPE. Here is what HOPE means to my WRAP co-facilitator the lovely Gillian.  "For me HOPE is the light that I see when all around me is dark, its what keeps me going when the world collapses on top of me. It is love, life, joy, opportunity, belief, control and the future. It is living life without limits letting no-one else define me. It is for me the belief that things will get better and that I am not alone."
HOPE is essential for recovery - even just a tiny spark of HOPE. In my job I commit to spreading HOPE every day, and sometimes I take the responsibility of holding HOPE for others when they are unable to do so for themselves.
Remember and follow me on TWITTER, @wrap_scotland and use #MacWrap to learn more about WRAP

A little bit more about WRAP

WRAP - Wellness Recovery Action Planning is a wellness tool. It was devised in America by Mary Ellen Copeland - http://www.mentalhealthrecovery.com/ WRAP changed my life - and I mean that. WRAP gave me a tool that enabled me to take control of my life when there were so many things outwith my control. And most importantly it gave me HOPE that things didn't always have to be the way they were. So thats why I am passionate about WRAP and why I want to spread the word about it. I am lucky to have had the privilege of becoming a trained WRAP facilitator through Scottish Recovery Network www.scottishrecovery.net WRAP is best done in a group setting with trained facilitators. This way there is complete unconditional regard for everyone in the group - and also natural peer support occurs. Peer support has proven to be invaluable in aiding recovery. So keep following me @wrap_scotland for  a Twitter introduction to WRAP starting with the 5 key concepts - what Mary Ellen identified as the building blocks - the first paving stones on the road to recovery. Follow #MacWrap on Twitter for updates. First update - what is HOPE and why is it important. Feel free to contribute