1 WRAP's origins among people with lived experience
Created in the late 1990s by American author and activist Mary Ellen Copeland, herself diagnosed with severe mood disorders, the Wellness Recovery Action Plan was designed by and for people living with mental health difficulties. It rests on five fundamental principles: hope, personal responsibility, education, self-advocacy and mutual support.
2 The modular structure of the personal WRAP plan
The WRAP folder is written personally by the user and includes: 1. A wellness toolbox, an inventory of simple things that help, such as walking in nature, listening to music or calling a friend. 2. A daily maintenance plan, the essential routines for staying well. 3. Identification of stress triggers and action plans for responding to them. 4. Early warning signs of deterioration and the action to take. 5. A formal crisis plan specifying who may decide on our behalf if we lose our judgement.
3 Self-determination at the heart of care
WRAP is not a medical document imposed by a physician: it is an intimate journal in which the person is the sole expert on their own lived experience. It places clients back at the centre of their life choices and strengthens their capacity for everyday self-regulation.
4 The place of this approach within support
This approach is often facilitated in workshops by certified peer supporters: it radically transforms the patient's stance, from passively enduring crises to becoming the informed strategist of their own mental health.
5 Peer solidarity and self-determination in mental health
WRAP strengthens belonging and shared hope within user groups. It powerfully demonstrates that the person experiencing psychological suffering is the first and best expert on their own recovery.