1. Using WRAP to Develop a Strong System of Support
Mary Ellen Copeland PhD
The Copeland Center for
Wellness and Recovery
Sponsored in partnership with
Essential Learning
December 16, 2009

2. Continuing Education Credits
Continuing Education credit is provided through the Mary Ellen Copeland’s partnership with Essential Learning, an approved CE provider.
Essential Learning, LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Essential Learning, LLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Available Accredited CEUs:
APA, ANCC, ASWB, NBCC, NAADAC

3. This information in this webinar will be useful to people who:
have developed and use their own WRAP
lead WRAP groups
work with people who use WRAP as their guide to recovery
want to develop and keep a strong system of support

4. It will be helpful if you need to answer questions from:
people you are working with and supporting
WRAP group participants
people attending follow up support groups and recovery groups

5. Earliest studies ( ) showed the importance of support in working toward Wellness and Recovery.

6. Later studies provided more data on how to develop and keep a strong support system.

7. They also addressed the importance of enjoying time alone.
People who had strong support systems and enjoyed being alone had few issues with loneliness and seemed to have greater success as they worked on their recovery.

8. As you work through the WRAP process for developing and keeping a strong support system, add in tools and strategies that help you enjoy and even crave time alone.

9. Before we begin working on specifically on developing a WRAP for building and keeping support, I want to share with you some key points I have learned about support through my studies.

10. Support from family, friends, and care providers promotes wellness and recovery. Being effectively supported helps people feel better and enriches their lives.
People in recovery benefit from having at least five good friends or supporters.

11. Someone to talk and share with
Companionship/to have a good time
Help in figuring things out and making decisions
Someone to take over and keep you safe when you can’t take care of yourself

12. These are people who: Care about you Empathize with you
Affirm and validate you and your experience
Accept you as you are
Listen to you and share with you

13. Advocate for you
Enjoy sharing fun and interesting activities with you
Make decisions for you when you can’t do
this for yourself
Are willing to follow your predetermined plans

14. Empathize, empathize, empathize
Good Supporters
Listen, listen, listen
Empathize, empathize, empathize

15. They know that unasked for advice, criticism and judgments won’t help and will make the other person feel worse.

16. You may have to educate your supporters about what you want and need.
And ask them what they want and need from you in return.

17. Relationship Enhancers
Positive Self Esteem
Taking good care of yourself
Mutuality
Respecting boundaries

18. Keeping in touch
Treating others with unconditional high regard
Avoiding people who treat you badly

19. Using "I" statements
Listening well, sometimes to the same story over and over
Being clear about what you can listen to and what you can't

20. Accepting the other person's view of reality
Staying with someone when they are having a hard time

21. Relationship Spoilers
Feeling that others won't like you
Not taking good care of yourself
Treating others badly

22. Acting in ways that may be embarrassing to others
Being needy and draining
Interrupting
Sharing "I can top that stories"
Giving advice

23. Criticism, judgment, sarcasm, Put Downs
Dragging Up the Past
Labels
Negative Comparisons, Badmouthing Others

24. Threats, Taunting, Ridicule
Judgmental “you” messages
Rudeness
Breaking confidentiality

25. One Person Doing All the Talking
“Know It All” Behavior
Wanting You to be only Their Friend
Flirting with Your Partner

26. Controlling Behavior
Not Wanting to be Seen with You in Public Places
Clinging or Very Needy Behavior
Inappropriate Sexual Talk

27. Supportive Statements
I am here for you.
I care.
What happened?
I am sorry that happened to you.
That sounds really hard.
I'm here to listen
How can we work together so you can feel better.

28. Begin by taking very small steps, gradually expanding your circle of supporters:
Start by sharing more openly with one person you know very well.
Invite that person to share an activity with you.
When you feel ready, choose another person with whom you are willing to share

29. 4. A next step might be going to a peer center or support group.
5. Gradually share more openly with people in the group.
6. If you become uncomfortable with a person or a group, choose others to be supporters.

30. WRAP Wellness Toolbox Daily Maintenance Plan
Triggers and an action plan
Early warning signs and an action plan
When things are breaking down and an action plan
Crisis Planning
Post Crisis Planning

31. How you use it in your life
Using WRAP You Decide
When you develop it
How long you take
What you put in it
When you revise it
How you use it in your life

32. Wellness Toolbox Who can be your supporters Connecting with supporters
Beginning and maintaining relationships
Being with supporters
Activities with supporters
Things to do alone

33. Who can be your supporters
Family members
Friends
Colleagues
Peers
Health care providers

34. In choosing supporters:
Avoid limiting your options.
Supporters can be any age, shape, size, sex, sexual orientation, and from any religious, cultural, ethnic, educational or economic background.

35. Support groups and peer support centers are great places to meet potential supporters.

36. Connecting with Supporters
Where did you meet people who are now your friends?
Community activities
Support groups
Volunteering
Work

37. Special interest groups
Religious and spiritual activities
Educational activities
Neighbors

38. Beginning and Maintaining Relationships
Reaching out
Introducing yourself
Chatting
Arranging to get together

39. Phone call check-ins
Staying connected
Respecting boundaries

40. Being with Supporters Listening Sharing Empathizing
Peer counseling/exchange listening
Check-ins

41. Problem solving
Supporting through hard times
Using "I" Statements
Respecting boundaries

42. Activities with Supporters
Cooking
Sports
Exercise
Movies, plays, concerts
Talking
Eating

43. Things to Do Alone
Creative arts
Writing
Music
Exercise
Reading

44. Decorating your living space
Gardening
Fixing things
Meditation

45. Add new tools that have to do with support whenever you notice or discover them
Loneliness Book
Winning Against Relapse
Self help books

46. The internet and social networking sites
Friends and supporters
Care providers
Classes, workshops, seminars, groups

47. What I am like When I am Well
Think about times in your life when you felt connected with another person or other people and when you didn’t feel lonely.
Make a list, write a story, draw a picture, make a collage that describes what that felt like. If you can’t think of such a time, write how you would like it to be.

48. Refer to this page whenever you need to be reminded of what you are working toward, of what you want to feel like when you have a strong support system, are using it well or when you are enjoying spending time alone.

49. Daily Maintenance
Which Wellness Tools do you need to use every day to assure that your support system is strong?
Check-in/reality check
Call at least one friend or family member
Avoid people who treat me badly
Have a meal with a family member

50. Have a 5 minute exchange listening session with a supporter
Spend at least 1/2 hour doing something fun alone

51. Things I Might Need to Do
Spend more time with supporters
Make an appointment with a care provider
Spend extra time alone

52. Plan a special activity with a supporter
Arrange a meeting for my supporters
Discuss my Advance Directive with supporters
Listen and empathize with a friend

53. Triggers A disagreement with a friend Someone treating you badly
No friends being available
A Friend cancelled time together

54. Being judged or criticized
Ending a relationship
A difficult phone call
Not enough time alone

55. Triggers Action Plan Use "I" statements Respect boundaries
Do a reality check
Talk to a supporter
Exchange listening
1 hour doing something alone I enjoy
Go to a support group meeting

56. Early Warning Signs
You have less than 5 people on your list of supporters
You don't want to answer the phone or door
You are feeling needy and desperate
You are impatient with others
You feel hurt someone can't pay attention to you
You feel like others don't like you

57. Early Warning Signs Action Plan
2 peer counseling sessions
Call a friend and tell them how you are feeling--ask for their ideas
Ask a friend to go for a walk with you
Go to a movie by yourself
Do something you do well
Do something nice for someone else

58. When Things are Breaking Down
You haven't reached out to a supporter in 3 days
You feel like no one likes you
You can't remember who your supporters are
You are rude to a family member
You are very irritable and impatient

59. When Things are Breaking Down Action Plan
Have a 5 minute check-in with each of my supporters
Problem solve with supporters
Have a meal with family
Use "I" statements
Treat others with unconditional high regard
Spend at least 2 hours doing something I enjoy alone

60. Advance Directive
Supporters are key to the success of the Advance Directive.
Include them in the development of the directive.
Discuss it with them and give them a copy when it is complete.
Give them revised copies as needed.

61. Do the best you possibly can
Choose supporters who are willing to follow your directive.
Do the best you possibly can
to be cooperative.

62. Describe signs that others need to help you clearly so they can be easily understood
Washing my hands for two hours and won't stop
Saying words for 2 hours that others can't understand
Not recognizing family members
Purposefully breaking furniture
Threatening the safety of others

63. List your supporters, how to be in touch with them and what you want them to do.
List people you do not want to be involved.

64. Describe clearly: What others can do that helps and what does not help
Chores they need to take care of
Specific plans for "staying-at-home"
Indicators that others no longer need to follow the plan

65. Post Crisis Plan
Your support team is also key in your post crisis plan. You may want to review that with them as well.
List clearly the people you want to assist and support you through the Post Crisis phase.
Be clear about people you need to avoid.

66. Your support team will be crucial as you gradually work toward "Resuming Responsibilities".

67. Begin using this WRAP for Developing and Keeping a Strong Support Systems whenever you want to.
At first you may want to review your plan everyday, following your Daily Maintenance Plan, and taking other action as needed.

68. After a while you will notice that you remember your plan and only need to refer to it from time to time, unless you are having a difficult time.
At some point, you may want to incorporate this WRAP into your basic WRAP.

69. Revise your plan when you discover new Wellness Tools and find that some things work better for you than others and as the circumstances of your life change .

70. Keep lists of your supporters in convenient places
Bedside
Hanging on your refrigerator or bulletin board
Near your phone

71. Update your list of supporters as it changes.
Work on Developing and Keeping a Strong Support System is on-going over time.
It is well worth the effort.

72. Get more ideas on Developing and Keeping a Strong Support System
Talk to others who have had similar experiences
Join a support group
Websites: mentalhealthrecovery.com, wraparoundtheworld.com
Sign up for the newsletter
Take an Online Course

73. Many, many mental health recovery and WRAP resources including:
The Loneliness Workbook
WRAP Stories
Winning Against Relapse
The Depression Workbook
WRAP books

74. On Special in December! Now $12.95 (reg. $16.95)
mentalhealthrecovery.com/store

75. Find us on Mental Health Recovery & WRAP Group
Copeland Center for Wellness & Recovery
WRAP Facilitators Group

76. http://.mentalhealthrecovery.com Build Your Own Wrap Online
Creating a Wellness Toolbox, WRAP One on One and other online mental health recovery and WRAP courses
WRAP resources and information

77. Your agency or organization can make "Build Your Own WRAP Online" and other mental health recovery online courses more readily available to its staff and the people it serves.
For more information, go to our partner:

78. For information on becoming a Certified WRAP Facilitator or having a WRAP training in your area, go to:
Upcoming Training
Austin, Texas Feb. 1-5, 2010
Boise, Idaho April 12-16, 2010

79. Live Question & Answers
Please un-mute your line if you haven't already done so by entering the number code on your invitation or on your control panel into your phone.
To ask a question
raise your hand (click on the hand icon on your control panel)/ Katie Wilson will call your name, unmute your line, and you will be able to be heard by everyone on the call.
OR type a question into the box.

80. Certificates Available
Certificate of Attendance from
Mental Health Recovery & WRAP Or
Continuing Education Credits
Available Accredited CEUs:
APA, ANCC, ASWB, NBCC, NAADAC
Please , Katie Wilson

81. Thank you for joining us!
Please check out
Mentalhealthrecovery.com
For additional upcoming events