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When I attended the National Symposium on Empowerment I was introduced to the WRAP program by activist Carol Hayes Collier who hailed from New York.

WRAP stands for Wellness Recovery Action Plan and it was developed by Mary Ellen Copeland. It's purpose is to empower the psychiatric survivor and reduce the need for coercion used by the mental health care system. The five foundations of WRAP are hope, personal responsibility, education, self-advocacy, and developing and maintaining a support system. The wellness tools that WRAP encourages are thoughts and behaviors that maximize wellness and minimize symptoms, reaching out for support, peer counseling, planning the day, stress reduction, dialog with health care providers, diversionary activities, journaling, and having fun.

The WRAP program includes a five section plan starting with daily maintenance, indicating triggers, or early warning signs of illness, a plan for when things are breaking down, and finally a crisis strategy.

I filled out an Advance Health Care Directive,taking the form out of Mary Ellen Copeland's book. She writes, "Some people relieve worry about possible or short term health emergencies by developing, "Advanced Directives" that give supporters directions on how they want to be treated and cared for in the event that they lose the ability to make these decisions for themselves. I have had recurring episodes of severe, suicidal depression in the past. When I was well I realized that, by not having an emergency plan for my supporters, I was putting my health and life at risk. Although it was hard to think of the possibility of experiencing such deep despair again, I felt it was in my best interest and in the interest of my family and friends to develop for them a set of instructions to use as a guide in case I got very depressed again. It has helped me control worry for everyone involved."

The Advance Directive lists what circumstances or symptoms indicate when others may need to take over for you and includes the names and phone numbers of these persons. It also includes the name or names of persons who you do not want involved in your care. What medications you are on are listed as well as medications that you would prefer to avoid are mentioned. Likewise what treatments you would consent to and what treatments you would refuse are included as are the names of treatment facilities you would like to be handled in and those you would not want. Finally, there is a listing of what you need to be done and who you would want to do it when you are incapacitated.

The WRAP program gives the psychiatric survivor increased awareness of his or her illness and develops specific plans to implement when acute illness strikes. Survivors are too often coerced and this plan gives us more control over our treatment. On the Internet there is a four week Mental Health Recovery Correspondence Course featuring WRAP that is open to anyone who wants to increase their understanding of mental health recovery. The site is found at http://www.mentalhealthrecovery.com/course/index.html . The cost is $200 American plus texts, but I think that it would be well worthwhile.