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Promoting Recovery in Mental Health—Perspectives and Experiences of Professionals and Service Users

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Mental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2021) | Viewed by 39248

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Kim Jørgensen

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Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, OsloMet University, Pilestredet 32, 0166 Oslo, Norway
Interests: mental healthcare; recovery-oriented practice; patient participation; cross-sectorial collaboration; qualitative research; interviews; observational study; action research; grounded theory
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Bengt Karlsson

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Department of Health-, Social- and Welfare Studies, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University of South-Eastern Norway, USN Postboks 235, 3603 Kongsberg, Norway
Interests: mental health; substance abuse; philosophy of science; family- and network therapy; recovery and recovery-oriented facilities
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Larry Davidson

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Guest Editor

1. Professor of Psychiatry and Director, Program for Recovery and Community HealthSchool of Medicine, Yale University, Yale PRCH, Building 1 Erector Square, 319 Peck Street, New Haven, CT 06513, USA
2. Senior Policy Advisor, Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, 410 Capitol Ave, Hartford, CT 06134, USA
3. Director, New England Mental Health Technology Transfer Center, PRCH, 319 Peck Street, New Haven, CT 06513, USA
Interests: recovery; recovery-oriented systems of care; recovery-oriented practice; mental illness; substance use; stakeholder involvement; participatory research

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We would like to invite papers to this Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health that will explore Recovery in Mental Health—Perspectives and Experiences of Providers and Service Users.

In Western countries, treatment and rehabilitation in psychiatric hospitals and municipalities must be based on a recovery-oriented approach, but we have little research on what “recovery-oriented” means in practice or how service users experience providers’ support in their recovery process. In addition, we have inconclusive research on service users’ experiences of recovery without the support of mental health providers. As a result, we need empirical research about promoting recovery in mental health from the perspectives and experiences of providers and service users.

This Special Issue welcomes papers examining recovery in an institutional context and service users’ experiences of recovery in their everyday lives.

For this Special Issue, we invite you to submit articles on high-quality original research or reviews that provide new and robust discoveries that broaden current knowledge.

All manuscripts will be reviewed by experts in the field, and must be submitted no later than 30 November 2021.

Dr. Kim Jørgensen
Prof. Dr. Bengt Karlsson
Prof. Dr. Larry Davidson
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

mental health
intersectionality
non-medical perspective
community
minorities
social and environmental determinants of health
substance abuse
philosophy of science
family- and network therapy
recovery and recovery-oriented practices

Related Special Issue

Promoting Recovery in Mental Health—Perspectives and Experiences of Professionals and Service Users: 2nd Edition in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (10 articles)

Published Papers (13 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review, Other

11 pages, 1298 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Is a Forensic Cohabitation Program Recovery-Oriented? A Logic Model Analysis

by Shu-Ping Chen, Wen-Pin Chang, Bryan Fleet, Santoch Rai, Steve Panteluk, Alberto Choy and DeAnn Hunter

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(1), 9; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19010009 - 21 Dec 2021

Viewed by 2463

Abstract

Background. Recovery orientation is a movement in mental health practice. Although general mental health services have taken the lead in promoting recovery, forensic psychiatric systems have lagged behind because of the need to reconcile recovery principles with the complexities of legal mandates. Advocating recovery and making systemic changes can be challenging because they require seeking a balance between the competing duties to the patient and the public. This paper used a logic model framework to demonstrate a cohabitation program that placed a woman and her newborn infant in a secure forensic rehabilitation unit, and analyzed the key assumptions of recovery upon which it was based. Methods. This was a qualitative program evaluation. Data collection involved individual interviews with the woman, the infant’s father, five primary healthcare providers, and five system administrators, and 11 focus groups with unit staff and other patients. Content analysis was used to guide the data analysis and develop the critical components of the program logic model. Results. A logic model that consists of input (team building, program planning, staff and patient preparation, resource management), output (logistic activities, risk management, mental healthcare, staff/other patient support, discharge preparation), and outcome (individual, provider, system, and society) components was developed. Conclusions. This study demonstrates a recovery-oriented program for a woman cohabitating with her baby in a secure forensic psychiatric rehabilitation unit. The logic model provided a comprehensive understanding of the way the recovery principles, such as shared decision-making, positive risk-taking, informed choices, and relational security, were implemented. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Recovery in Mental Health—Perspectives and Experiences of Professionals and Service Users)

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28 pages, 600 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Part III: Recovery-Oriented Practices in Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services: A Meta-Synthesis

by Trude Klevan, Mona Sommer, Marit Borg, Bengt Karlsson, Rolf Sundet and Hesook Suzie Kim

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(24), 13180; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph182413180 - 14 Dec 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3287

Abstract

In recent decades, recovery-oriented practice has become the major approach in mental health and substance abuse care, especially in community mental health and substance abuse services. Various models of recovery-oriented practice have come to form the basis of the integration of this approach in service settings. The study aims to elucidate the characteristics of recovery-oriented practice as experienced by participants in the practice. The method used was a qualitative meta-synthesis that integrated the findings from thirty-four empirical papers published by one research group. Four meta-themes were developed: (a) helping and supporting, (b) collaborating and relating, (c) identity integration in practice, and (d) generating hope through nurturing and helping. These themes emphasize the value of relationships and connectedness, contextuality, and resources that can be mobilized in practice. The results emphasize the need to incorporate the elements in the four major themes as “working capital” for practitioners to realize recovery-oriented practice. The concepts of personal, social, and economic capital as working capital are elaborated, drawing from the meta-themes as the basis for recovery-oriented practice in mental health and substance abuse services. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Recovery in Mental Health—Perspectives and Experiences of Professionals and Service Users)

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10 pages, 351 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Meaning of Volunteering among People with Severe Mental Disorders: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study

by Jorge Pérez-Corrales, Javier Güeita-Rodríguez, Elisabet Huertas-Hoyas, Cristina García-Bravo, Romain Marconnot, Carmen Jiménez-Antona, Juan Francisco Velarde-García and Domingo Palacios-Ceña

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(22), 12232; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph182212232 - 21 Nov 2021

Viewed by 1907

Abstract

This study aimed to describe the perspectives of people with severe mental disorders who volunteer regarding the relationship between volunteering and work, from the framework of personal recovery. A qualitative phenomenological study was undertaken. Purposive sampling was conducted on people with severe mental disorders who participated in volunteering. In-depth unstructured and semi-structured interviews were used, during which researchers took handwritten field notes. An inductive thematic analysis was applied. Twenty-three participants with severe mental disorders were included (16 men and 7 women) with a mean age of 47 years. Three themes emerged: (a) the relationship between volunteering and working; (b) thinking about a possible future job; and (c) disclosing a mental health condition. Volunteering is perceived as a substitute to working, although not all participants feel able to work, and they do not always disclose that they suffer from a mental health condition. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Recovery in Mental Health—Perspectives and Experiences of Professionals and Service Users)

24 pages, 560 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Part I: Dynamics of Recovery: A Meta-Synthesis Exploring the Nature of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Recovery

by Trude Klevan, Rose-Marie Bank, Marit Borg, Bengt Karlsson, Vibeke Krane, Esther Ogundipe, Randi Semb, Mona Sommer, Rolf Sundet, Knut Tore Sælør, Siw Heidi Tønnessen and Hesook Suzie Kim

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(15), 7761; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18157761 - 22 Jul 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2582

Abstract

Recovery-oriented care has become a leading vision across countries. To develop services and communities in more recovery-oriented directions, enhanced understandings of recovery in terms of personal and social contexts are important prerequisites. The aim of this study is to explore the nature and characteristics of the experiences of recovery. The method used is a form of qualitative meta-synthesis that integrates the findings from multiple qualitative studies published by one research group. Twenty-eight empirical papers with a focus on recovery as personal and contextual experiences were included in this meta-synthesis. Five meta-themes were developed: (a) being normal, (b) respecting and accepting oneself, (c) being in control, (d) recovery as intentional, and (e) recovery as material and social. The themes describe how recovery encompasses dynamics between personal experiences and contextual dimensions. This meta-synthesis consolidated an understanding of recovery as dynamics of the self and others, and as dynamics of the self and material resources. This understanding of recovery suggests the need to work not only with the person, but also with families, networks, social systems, and local communities, thus developing mental health and substance abuse services in more collaborative, open-ended, and context-sensitive directions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Recovery in Mental Health—Perspectives and Experiences of Professionals and Service Users)

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13 pages, 310 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Diversity, Complexity and Ordinality: Mental Health Services Outside the Institutions—Service Users’ and Professionals’ Experience-Based Practices and Knowledges, and New Public Management

by Alain Topor and David Matscheck

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(13), 7075; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18137075 - 02 Jul 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2317

Abstract

In conjunction with the dismantling of psychiatric hospitals, social workers have been commissioned to help service users in their daily living in their homes and in the community. The consequences of these changes for experience-based knowledge and practices in their contexts remain relatively unknown. In this study, eighteen service users and the social workers they described as helpful for them were interviewed. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using Thematic Analysis. The following themes emerged: “Here, there and everywhere”, “Doing, being, becoming”, “Talking” and “Order, planning and improvisation” concerning the contradictions service users and professionals mentioned about their practices and the conditions imposed by managerial methods connected to New Public Management. Finally, “Spontaneous planned complexity” was chosen as our overarching theme to characterize the new knowledge and practices which have been developed. The displacement of the place for the encounter and the introduction of non-medicalized professions have allowed community-based practices and thus the co-creation and emergence of new knowledge about the service users as persons and the professionals as qualified professionals. The challenge remains for managers to have trust in their colleagues and not impose rigid rules, schematized methods, and repeated controls. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Recovery in Mental Health—Perspectives and Experiences of Professionals and Service Users)

13 pages, 338 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Offender Recovery. Forensic Patient Perspectives on Long-Term Personal Recovery Processes

by Jette Møllerhøj

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(12), 6260; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18126260 - 09 Jun 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2626

Abstract

Knowledge on user experiences from mentally disordered offenders (MDOs) is still limited in a Danish context, especially regarding recovery from offences, severe mental illness, long-term admissions and often involuntarily contact with hospital psychiatry. The study is based on 34 semi-structured interviews with nine forensic patients exploring their experiences with personal recovery processes. The MDOs point out a significant number of elements and factors enhancing, supporting and limiting personal recovery processes. Long-term recovery processes for MDOs involve coming to terms with mental disorders as well as offences. Working with offender recovery implies addressing and understanding the index offence leading to psychiatric measurement as well as addressing risk and prevention of future crime. This coming to terms is an individual and deeply personal process and it often involves several and changing narratives. According to the informants, professionals play a crucial role in supporting recovery processes and maintaining hope and optimism over time. MDOs experience structural barriers limiting recovery potential, especially stigma or limited areas of participation. It is important not to focus solely on personal recovery as a one-dimensional individual process or responsibility, but as a process also marked by structural and organisational challenges. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Recovery in Mental Health—Perspectives and Experiences of Professionals and Service Users)

22 pages, 833 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Part II: Living Life: A Meta-Synthesis Exploring Recovery as Processual Experiences

by Mona Sommer, Stian Biong, Marit Borg, Bengt Karlsson, Trude Klevan, Ottar Ness, Linda Nesse, Jeppe Oute, Rolf Sundet and Hesook Suzie Kim

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(11), 6115; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18116115 - 06 Jun 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3185

Abstract

Recovery, a prominent concern in mental health care worldwide, has been variously defined, requiring further clarification of the term as processual. Few studies have comprehensively addressed the nature of recovery processes. This study aims to explore the nature and characteristics of experiences of recovery as processual. The method used is a form of qualitative meta-synthesis that integrates the findings from 28 qualitative studies published during the past 15 years by one research group. Three meta-themes were developed: (a) recovery processes as step-wise, cyclical, and continuous, (b) recovery as everyday experiences, and (c) recovery as relational. These themes describe how recovery is intertwined with the way life in general unfolds in terms of human relationships, learning, coping, and ordinary everyday living. This meta-synthesis consolidates an understanding of recovery as fundamental processes of living in terms of being, doing, and accessing. These processes are contextualized in relation to mental health and/or substance abuse problems and highlight the need for support to facilitate the person’s access to necessary personal, social, and material resources to live an ordinary life in recovery. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Recovery in Mental Health—Perspectives and Experiences of Professionals and Service Users)

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13 pages, 324 KiB

Open AccessArticle

User Involvement in the Handover between Mental Health Hospitals and Community Mental Health: A Critical Discourse Analysis

by Kim Jørgensen, Tonie Rasmussen, Morten Hansen, Kate Andreasson and Bengt Karlsson

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(7), 3352; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18073352 - 24 Mar 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2800

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to explore how healthcare professionals and users could perceive user involvement in the handover between mental health hospitals and community mental healthcare, drawing on the discourse analysis framework from Fairclough. Methods: A qualitative research design with purposive sampling was adopted. Five audio-recorded focus group interviews with nurses, users and other health professionals were explored using Fairclough’s discourse analysis framework. Ethical approval: The study was designed following the ethical principles of the Helsinki Declaration and Danish Law. Each study participant in the two intersectoral sectors gave their informed consent after verbal and written information was provided. Results: This study has shown how users can be subject to paternalistic control despite the official aims that user involvement should be an integral part of the care and treatment offered. As evidenced in discussions by both health professionals and the users themselves, the users were involved in plans with the handover on conditions determined by the health professionals who were predominantly focused on treating diseases and enabling the users to live a life independent of professional help. Conclusions: Our results can contribute to dealing with the challenges of incorporating user involvement as an ideology in the handover between mental health hospitals and community mental health. There is a need to start forming a common language across sectors and, jointly, for professionals and users to draw up plans for intersectoral care. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Recovery in Mental Health—Perspectives and Experiences of Professionals and Service Users)

11 pages, 6472 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Perceived Coercion of Persons with Mental Illness Living in a Community

by Min Hwa Lee and Mi Kyung Seo

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(5), 2290; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18052290 - 25 Feb 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2044

Abstract

Aims: The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of the perceived coercion of people with mental illness living in a community on their therapeutic satisfaction and life satisfaction, mediated by therapeutic relationships. Methods: We evaluated several clinical variables (symptoms, psychosocial functioning, and insight), levels of perceived coercion, therapeutic relationships, therapeutic satisfaction, and life satisfaction in 185 people with mental illness (Mean age = 47.99, standard deviation (SD) = 12.72, male 53.0%, female 45.9%) who live in the community and use community-based mental health programs. The data collected were analyzed to test the proposed hypotheses using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: The correlation analysis of all variables showed that clinical variables had statistically significant correlations with therapeutic relationship, therapeutic satisfaction, and life satisfaction, but no significant correlation with perceived coercion. Furthermore, perceived coercion was found to have significant predictive power for treatment satisfaction and life satisfaction mediated by therapeutic relationship. Specifically, the lower the perceived coercion, the better the therapeutic relationship. This, in turn, has a positive effect on the therapeutic satisfaction and life satisfaction of participants. Conclusions: Based on these findings, we suggest strategies to minimize coercion in a community. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Recovery in Mental Health—Perspectives and Experiences of Professionals and Service Users)

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15 pages, 322 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Recovery-Oriented Intersectoral Care in Mental Health: As Perceived by Healthcare Professionals and Users

by Kim Jørgensen, Tonie Rasmussen, Morten Hansen, Kate Andreasson and Bengt Karlsson

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(23), 8777; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17238777 - 26 Nov 2020

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 2643

Abstract

This study aimed to explore how mental health professionals and users perceive recovery-oriented intersectoral care when comparing mental health hospitals and community mental healthcare. Methodological design: Five audio-recorded focus group interviews of nurses, other health professionals and users were explored using manifest and latent content analysis. Ethical issues and approval: The study was designed in accordance with the ethical principles of the Helsinki Declaration and Danish law. Each study participant in the two intersectoral sectors gave their informed consent after verbal and written information was provided. Findings: From the health professionals’ perspective, the main theme informed by subthemes and categories was formulated: ‘Recovery-oriented intersectoral care requires more coordination and desire for collaboration’. Two subthemes were subsequently formulated: ‘The users´ perspective of the centre’ and ‘Need for a common agenda and understanding of recovery-oriented intersectoral care’. From the users´ perspective, the main theme was formulated as: ‘Recovery-oriented intersectoral care in tension between medical- and holistically oriented care’. This theme was informed by two subthemes: ‘The users´ perspective is not in focus’ and ‘A trusting relationship and a holistic approach brings coherence’. Conclusions: This study reveals that health professionals want to work in a recovery-oriented manner in intersectoral care, but several challenges appear which make achieving this aim difficult. A common understanding of recovery and how it should be carried out in intersectoral care does not exist. Care decisions are primarily made paternalistically, where the users’ and relatives’ voices are ignored. In an attempt to create coherence across sectors, intersectoral network meetings have been established with health professionals from both sectors. However, the meetings are characterised by a lack of a clear purpose regarding the meeting structure and content, and users are only minimally involved. Our results can contribute to dealing with the challenges of incorporating recovery-oriented intersectoral care as an ideology in all psychiatric and municipal contexts and is, therefore, important for health professionals and users. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Recovery in Mental Health—Perspectives and Experiences of Professionals and Service Users)

15 pages, 310 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Healthcare Professionals’ and Users’ Experiences of Intersectoral Care between Hospital and Community Mental Healthcare

by Kim Jørgensen, Mette Bonde Dahl and Jesper Frederiksen

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(18), 6510; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17186510 - 07 Sep 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2376

Abstract

This paper explores healthcare professionals’ and users’ experience of coherent intersectoral care between hospital mental healthcare and community mental healthcare. A total of 20 healthcare professionals, primarily nurses, and 14 users with a range of mental illnesses participated in nine focus group interviews (FGIs). Participants were encouraged in the FGIs to reflect upon their experience of coherency in intersectoral care. The analysis of FGIs was informed by a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach in a research group from 2016–2019. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist was used as a guideline to ensure complete and accurate reporting of the study. The analysis led to the generation of several themes from a professional perspective and from a user perspective, addressed barriers to coherent intersectoral care. The healthcare professionals experienced barriers such as a lack of common language and knowledge of partners. The users did not feel involved and lacked coherence in their recovery processes and, as such, intersectoral care was often experienced as being lost in a maze. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Recovery in Mental Health—Perspectives and Experiences of Professionals and Service Users)

Review

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16 pages, 649 KiB

Open AccessReview

Management of a High-Performing Mental Health Recovery Research Group

by Mike Slade

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(8), 4007; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18084007 - 11 Apr 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3277

Abstract

A personal perspective is given on the processes involved in managing and sustaining a high-performing mental health recovery research group. The broader context of scholarship in the United Kingdom is outlined, in which academic productivity is commodified specifically in relation to peer-reviewed journal papers. Four leadership choices in developing a high-performing research group are discussed: optimal group size; sharing the workload; maintaining a programmatic focus; and performance expectations. Approaches to maximising innovation are identified, including emotional and intellectual engagement of team members, working with diverse stakeholders and convening communities of practice. We use a highly managed approach to publications from inception to acceptance, which is described in detail. The use of these approaches is illustrated in relation to the Recovery Research Team which was formed in 2009. Specific recovery-related issues covered include demonstrating the ability to develop a significant recovery research portfolio (our four current large [>UK£2 m] studies relate to recovery narratives, global mental health peer support work, digital interventions and Recovery Colleges); the positive implications of actively recruiting researchers with mental health lived experience; how performance issues are managed; our approach to involving lived experience co-authors in papers; and our decision to conduct mixed-methods rather than solely qualitative studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Recovery in Mental Health—Perspectives and Experiences of Professionals and Service Users)

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Other

Jump to: Research, Review

10 pages, 322 KiB

Open AccessEssay

Living a Meaningful Life While Struggling with Mental Health: Challenging Aspects Regarding Personal Recovery Encountered in the Mental Health System

by Janne Brammer Damsgaard and Sanne Angel

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(5), 2708; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18052708 - 08 Mar 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 4931

Abstract

Based upon academic and clinical experience from Denmark, this article aims to highlight international research-based knowledge concerning challenging aspects about the understanding and implementation of recovery-oriented practice. Three key points are located: (a) An integrative biopsychosocial approach considering both the clinical and personal recovery perspectives is relevant for research and practice. (b) Barriers in implementing a recovery-oriented approach include both individual and systemic challenges. This is well documented in the research-based literature, highlighting the need for changes. (c) A shift from professional control to a service-user orientation is seen as crucial. Examples of a positive shift are seen, helping the health professionals in their development and practicing of skills and competences through education and personal formation. Within these perspectives, a paradigm shift from a one-dimensional biomedical approach to a biopsychosocial approach is suggested. Instead of focusing on rapid stabilisation and symptom relief as a clinical outcome, a humanistic approach building on social- and person-oriented values is fundamental for social and personal recovery leading to a meaningful life. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Promoting Recovery in Mental Health—Perspectives and Experiences of Professionals and Service Users)

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