The approach of Great Glens Facility is testament to it’s success and centres on three methods. The person-centred approach, recovery model and the social model to mental illness.

The Person-centred Approach.

The person-centred approach is developed from the work of psychologist Carl Rogers. This approach focuses on interacting with individuals in a way that puts the individual at the centre of all care and support. This is done by developing strong, therapeutic relationships based on Empathy, Congruence (Honesty) and Unconditional Positive Regard (Respect).

This approach acknowledges the individual as the expert in their own experience, and they are invited to plan their support, ensuring their needs, goals and desired outcomes are met.

Person-centred approaches rely on strong underpinning values, taking into account people’s preferences, ensuring they feel safe and ensuring people get information in an accessible way to make informed decisions.

Application on person-centred approaches at Great Glens Facility, underpin all aspects of the care and support our residents receive. The person-centred approach permeates all elements of our practice including individualised care programmes and interventions for each resident. Activities offered and all aspects of residents’ support packages are created alongside residents, taking into account their preferences and recovery outcomes.

Recovery Model.

The recovery model emphasises and supports a persons’ potential recovery and their interpretation of what recovery means to them.

“For many people with mental illness, the concept of recovery is about staying in control of their life rather than the elusive state of return to premorbid level of functioning. Such an approach, which does not focus on full symptom resolution but emphasizes resilience and control over problems and life, has been called the recovery model.’’

Jacob, 2015, Journal of Psychological Medicine)

Recovery is seen as a personal journey and not a set outcome to be achieved. Central to this approach is developing a sense of hope, a stronger sense of self, empowerment, social inclusion and coping strategies, which is all reinforced by supportive, positive relationships. Recovery is deeply personal, it is a way of living a satisfying, hopeful and contributing life.

Elements of the Recovery Model are: connectedness, hope, optimism, identity meaning and purpose and empowerment. Recovery requires mutually empathetic relationships that embody respect, authenticity and hope. This approach goes beyond simply optimism but a sustained belief in oneself. This is achieved be acceptance and a sense of social belonging.

Social Model to Mental Illness.

The social perspective on mental health has a tradition going back many years. It is a perspective that locates an understanding of mental health within the social contexts in which people exist. It uses practice and evidence to work with communities and individuals to help support people with mental health conditions and to help with their recovery.

We adopt a Social Model of health and recovery. It is imperative that heath is not viewed in a narrow form, as merely an absence of illness or disease. We consider the well-being of our residents holistically. The social model of health considers all factors that contribute to health, such as social, cultural and environmental. We believe communities should be actively involved in identifying, planning, designing and implementing solutions to health issues and unjust health inequalities. This includes the identification of strategies and goals following the development of social understandings of mental health conditions. The development of rights based approaches consistent with this approach, and empowerment and promotion of independence is based in the ideology of the social model. This has lead to people with mental health conditions developing their own proactive approaches to support and recovery. Health is a state of complete physical, social and mental well-being and not merely an absence of disease or infirmity.