Families and Recovery: Beyond clinical and social inclusion perspectives

Abstract

This paper explores the theoretical connections between principles of social inclusion and the recovery moment in mental health, identifying points of convergence and divergence. Social inclusion and recovery, while developing from different starting points, converge in recognizing the broader personal, family and community contexts, in which mental health problems emerge, and the impacts of those problems. A significant part of the context for recovery and measures to achieve social inclusion, remains the person’s family. Current models of recovery probably overlook the distress of families in the recovery journey. The paper considers the extent to which families have a role both in supporting the recovery of a family member, and in making their own recovery journey. The paper further suggests the need for ongoing research to explore the way the family recovery journey changes over time