WRAP Overview

What is WRAP?
Wellness Recovery Action Plan
WRAP is a resource tool designed to assist you in learning about yourself and how
life affects you, and then in developing personal plans to reduce poor outcomes
and gain more control of your life.
It is a tool originally designed for people with psychiatric symptoms (difficult
feelings and behaviors), and designed by people with psychiatric symptoms. It is
being used, successfully by people with and without psychiatric symptoms.
It is empowering, it is personal, and it is flexible. It creates a higher sense of self
awareness, and a stronger sense of personal control.
Mary Ellen Copeland, in conjunction with many others is the originator of this
plan. She experienced a loss of self, of self determination during her illness and
decided to set her own path towards recovery.
She writes Times have changed. Recovery has only recently become a word used
in relation to the experience of psychiatric symptoms. Those of us who have
experienced these symptoms are sharing information and learning from each other
that these symptoms do not have to mean that we must give up on our dreams and
goals.
We have learned that we are in charge of our own lives.
We all share a personal responsibility for ourselves.
I have long ago created my WRAP and I use it, to some extent daily. I can
truthfully say that it has had an unexpectedly positive impact on my life, and on the
lives of my WRAP teammates. Our members have gained various benefits from
creating their plans, and WRAP provides an illuminating common ground for
improved communications between staff and members, and between staff and staff,
and members and members.
This is a true POWER TOOL.

WRAP OUTLINE
WELLNESS RECOVERY ACTION PLAN
Section One: My Target Goals
How I Feel When Im Feeling Well
Daily Maintenance List

Section Two: My Barriers and My Plans

Triggers
Plans for Triggers
Early Warning Signs
Plans for Early Warning Signs
Wellness Toolbox

Section Three: Pre-Planning

Crisis Management
Instructions/Directions/Lists
Identifying Supporters
Resolution Planning

COMFORT AGREEMENT
As a group we will determine what makes us feel safe and comfortable together.
We will make sure we include these issues:

Confidentiality
Non-judgmental atmosphere
Listening
Respect for other participants
Open communications
Active Participation
Punctuality
Fun, laughter

We will write here any special considerations.

How I Feel When I Feel Well

Describe yourself when you are feeling all right
Do it in list form

Some descriptive words others have used are:

Circle any of the words that apply to you.
How would you describe yourself when you are well?
Bright
Cheerful
Withdrawn
Reserved
Talkative
Outgoing
Quiet
Introverted
Boisterous

Energetic
Content
Calm
Humorous
Happy
A Fast Learner
Contemplative
Dramatic
Athletic

Difficult
Compulsive
Optimistic
Reasonable
Supportive
Argumentative
Responsible
Competent
Industrious

Daily Maintenance List

On this page make a list of things you need to do for yourself everyday to keep
yourself feeling all right.
You may have discovered that there are certain things you need to do every day to
maintain your wellness. Writing them down and reminding yourself daily to do
these things is an important first step. A daily maintenance plan helps you
recognize those things you need to do to remain healthy, and then to plan your
days accordingly. Also, when things have been going well for a while and you
notice you are starting to feel worse, its important to have a place to remind you of
what you did to get better. When you are starting to feel out of sorts, you can
often trace it back to not doing something on your Daily Maintenance List.
Some ideas:

Shower
Brush teeth
Eat three healthy meals and three healthy snacks
Drink at least six 8-ounce glasses of water
Exercise for at least half an hour
Get half an hour exposure to outdoor light
Take medication and vitamins
20 minutes of relaxation or meditation
Write in journal for at least 15 minutes
Spend half an hour enjoying a fun, affirming or creative activity

Circle any of these that you would like on your own list. Change times or amounts
to suit you. What else should be on your Daily Maintenance List?
My Daily Maintenance List

TRIGGERS
Triggers are external events or circumstances that, if they happen, may produce
symptoms that are, or may be, very uncomfortable. These symptoms may make
you feel like you are getting ill.
These are normal reactions to events in our lives, but if we dont respond to them
and deal with them in some way, they may actually cause a worsening in our
symptoms.
The awareness of this susceptibility and development of plans to deal with
triggering events when they come up will increase your ability to cope, and to
avoid the development of an acute onset of more severe symptoms.
If any of the following events or circumstances come up, I will do some of the
activities listed on the next page to help keep my symptoms from increasing.

SOME IDEAS OF TRIGGERS

Anniversary dates of losses or trauma
Traumatic news events
Being very over-tired
Work stress
Family friction
Relationship ending
Spending too much time alone
Being judged or criticized
Being teased or put down
Financial problems
Physical illness
Sexual harassment
Hateful outbursts by others
Aggressive sounding noises (sustained)
Being scapegoated
Being condemned/shunned by others
Being around an abuser, or someone who reminds of a past abuser
Things that remind me of abandonment or deprivation
Intimacy
Excessive stress
Someone trying to tell me how to run my life
Self blame
Extreme guilt (from saying No, etc)
Substance Abuse

My Plan To Deal With My Triggers

Develop a plan of what you can do if your triggers come up, to keep them from
leading to more serious symptoms.
Include things that you have learned from others.
If any of my triggers come up, I will do the following.

Sample Plan
Make sure I do everything on my daily maintenance program
Call a support person and ask them to listen while I talk through the situation
Do some deep breathing exercises
Remember that its okay to take care of myself
Work on changing negative thoughts to positive
Get validation from someone I feel close to
Some form of spiritual communication prayer or meditation

In addition, some of the following activities might help:

Journaling
Going for a walk
Focusing exercise
Peer counseling
Seeing or talking to any counselor, case manager, or sponsor
Time-out in a comfortable place
Enjoying a structured play time
Playing my musical instrument
Singing or dancing
Going to community activity
Vigorous exercise

Early Warning Signs

Early warning signs are internal and may be unrelated reactions to stressful
situations. In spite of our best efforts at reducing symptoms, we may begin to
experience early warning signs, subtle change that indicate we may need to take
some further action.
Reviewing early warning sign regularly helps us to become more aware of them,
allowing us to take action before they worsen.
Ask friends/family/neighbors for early warning signs that theyve noticed.

Some early warning signs that others reported include:

Anxiety

Muscle cramping

Nervousness

Excessive sweating

Forgetfulness

Feelings of discouragement, hopelessness

Inability to experience pleasure

Not answering the phone

Lack of motivation

Turning off the phone machine

Feeling slowed down or speeded up

Over eating

Feeling uncaring

Weepiness

Avoiding others or isolating

Compulsive behaviors

Being obsessed with something that doesnt

really matter

Feeling worthlessness, inadequate

Beginning irrational thought patterns

Feeling unconnected to my body
Increased irritability
Increased negativity
Aches and pains
Dizziness

Secretiveness
Being too quiet
Easily frustrated
Feeling of abandonment or rejection
Craving illicit drugs or alcohol
Feeling compelled to take too much pain
medication

My Responses to Early Warning Signs

If you notice these symptoms, take action while you still can

Following is a sample plan

Things I must do

Do the things on my daily maintenance plan whether I feel like it or not.

Tell a supporter/counselor how I am feeling and ask for their advice.
Ask them to help me figure out how to take the action they suggest.
Peer counsel at least once a day.
Do at least one focusing exercise a day.
Do at least three 10 minute relaxation exercises each day.
Write in my journal for at least 15 minutes each day.
Spend at least 1 hour involved in an activity I enjoy each day.
Ask others to take over my household responsibilities for a day.
Go to twelve step meetings.

Things I could choose to do if they feel right to me

Check in with my physician or other health care professional

Surround myself with loving, affirming people
Spend some time with my pet(s)
Read a good book
Dance, sing, listen to good music, play a musical instrument
Exercise
Go fishing

Wellness Toolbox
List any tools you learned, in this workshop or from your own life experience
including things you would like to try, even if you havent already. Then keep
adding new ones and/or crossing out ones you decide arent right for you. Keep
this list in the beginning of your WRAP notebook, before the tabbed sections. Also
keep in front of crisis plan. What tools do you use, or can you use, to help you feel
well.

CRISIS MANAGEMENT
In spite of our best planning and assertive action, we may find ourselves in a crisis
situation.
What constitutes a crisis? Basically it is whatever you determine a crisis is for you.
Each person will manifest personal crisis that is absolutely unique to them.

Crisis
A radical change of status in a persons life

Crisis Situations can develop from various sources, for instance

Emotional Breakdown of coping strategies
Physical Exacerbation of illness/symptoms, trauma/injury, health
emergencies
Situational Dramatic change in our environment, living situation, family
structure, community (natural disasters too).

Pre-Planning
Writing a clear crisis plan when you are well, to instruct others about how to
support you when you are not, will help you maintain responsibility and control
over from own life.
**The crisis plan differs from the rest in that it will be used by others.

The following pages are examples of pre-planning preparations you can put into
effect for your supporters to use if you are unable to act on your own.
Be thorough and clear and update as needed.

1. Prepare Instructions/Directions/Lists
a. List of your Doctors
Name
Address
Telephone
Specialty

b. List of all current Medications

Name
Dose
Prescribing Doctor

c. Preferred Hospital(s)
Name
Address
Preferred Doctor(s)

d. People to be advised of your situation. If you do not want

any family/friends to be informed, state that also.
Please contact
Name
Telephone
Please do not contact
Name
Relationship (e.g. brother neighbor, etc)

e. Animal Care Instructions

Name of pet(s)
Food
When/how to feed
Special needs

f. Home Care/Management Instructions

(Special considerations utilities, plants, neighbors, trash, etc)

g. Financial Plans
i. Bills to Pay
When
Amount
ii. How to access monies (for animal care, personal needs, etc)

*Planning for this for may require forethought about budgeting

2. Identify the people you would like to provide your support

and/or manage your care.
You should give good thought to choosing your support. When you have
done this, inform each person of this designation, clearly stating what you
would like them to do (or not to do). Provide your supporter(s) with a copy
of your Crisis Plan and any other pertinent information. Make sure they
voice their understanding and agreement.
Name
Address
Telephone

Name
Address
Telephone

3. Resolution Planning
As your crisis is resolving, work on addressing the next steps, new
beginnings.
Goals

New Plans

Crisis References
Emergency Response
(562) 435 6711
Ask police to connect you to the MET (Mental Evaluation Team)
Voluntary Program
The MHUCC at La Casa
6060 Paramount Blvd., Long Beach CA 90805
(562) 790 1860
Open 24/7. No appointment necessary. Receptionist on site from 8 AM to 5 PM. Ring bell after
hours.
Hotlines
The Friendship Line
1-888-448-9777
Hours of Operation are 5 PM 10 PM

Be Sober Hotline
800-237-6237
Sober support. 24 hours a day

Suicide Prevention
1-877-727-4747
24 hour assistance

Alcohol & Drug Help Line

800-454-8966
Crisis intervention, treatment and referral

National Hope Line Network

800-784-2433
Crisis line, 24 hours a day

LA County Dept. of Mental Health Hotline

800-854-7771
Psychiatric Emergency. 24 hours a day

Transportation
Long Beach Transit
(562) 591 2301
Metro link
800-371-5465
Taxi
LB Yellow Cab
888-529-3556
*check local phone book for more resources*