New research from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) offers important insights as to how people with mental illness conceptualize and actualize recovery. The study finds recovery is rooted in identity, defined by NAMI as the place where people living with mental illness find the strength to start again – to believe they deserve to recover and take the first steps toward this end.*
While what one’s identity actually is or means may be open to interpretation, the difference between someone who is being controlled by his or her illness versus someone who is learning to control that illness is very concrete.**
It is in this space, that Pasadena Villa serves its residents. We believe every person can live a happy, productive and healthy life, and that every resident has the ability to learn, grow and recover. By focusing on increasing our residents’ self-confidence and providing opportunities to learn new and different ways to cope in the real world, we strive to provide residents with the skills and tools they need to control their illness and find satisfaction and pride in who they are.
*Identity and Recovery Survey, NAMI, March 2011
**Identity and Mental Illness: Constructing a Strong Recovery Narrative, NAMI Advocate, February 2011
Pasadena Villa’s Smoky Mountain Lodge is an adult intensive psychiatric residential treatment center for clients with serious mental illnesses. We also provide other individualized therapy programs, step-down residential programs, and less intensive mental health services, such as Community Residential Homes, Supportive Housing, Day Treatment Programs and Life Skills training. Pasadena Villa’s Outpatient Center in Raleigh, North Carolina offers partial hospitalization (PHP) and an intensive outpatient program (PHP). If you or someone you know may need mental health services, please complete our contact form or call us at 407-215-2519 for more information.
