As you walk into the Lounge at PRS Mt. Vernon, you can’t help but focus on the enormous Recovery Tree painted on the wall: it measures approximately 23 feet long and 10 feet high. But though the size will catch your eye, the details will mesmerize you. The tree contains apples, pears, and flowers. Every client has added into either a pear or apple his or her own definition of ‘recovery.’ The staff added their own recovery statements to the floers growing from the base of the tree. Here’s what recovery from mental illness means to just a few of our clients:
-Recovery is turning mountains into hills.
-Recovery is never giving up.
-Recovery, where anything can happen.
-Recovery is life taking on new meaning.
-Recovery is improving myself in life and staying healthy. Y ou can shine no matter what you area made of.
-Recovery is the part of life that leads to better things.
I currently work in Forensic Mental Health, and we’ve been discussing today the idea of having a tree painted in our activity room. We’d have branches showing different methods of recovery, through attending groups, gaining leave, having education sessions etc. We’d have leaves painted all over it and as the patients pass each group they can add their names to a leaf along that branch. I came home to google for any more ideas and came across this. I really like your ideas and the tree is visually motivational. I love the fruit statements, and may well add them to our tree too.
It’s a great idea as you can discuss with patients their ideas of recovery, they can join in painting, and there’s a sense of achievement everytime you can write your name onto a leaf. Within months the room can be filled with successful patients which will hopefully motivate others even more. We’re thinking that brown leaves that fall can represent relapse, and that it’s not the end. If a patient relapses they get another change to re-grown and become healthy again. We see it as being Team Evergreen as we want to prevent out patients from relapsing and having teh tree lose it’s leaves.
Fantastic idea you have there.
Donna
Forensic Support Worker
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.
Comment by Donna — March 8, 2011 @ 1:13 pm