Our Programs

• Recovery Plan Process and Philosophy
• Ten Fundamental Components of Recovery

The 10 Fundamental Components of Recovery

At Second Spring, we tailor each resident’s Recovery Plan around what we refer to as the "Ten Fundamental Components of Recovery." These 10 components include:

1. Self-Direction: Each resident leads, controls, exercises choice over, and determines his or her own path to recovery by making the most of autonomy, independence, and control of resources in order to achieve a self-determined life. By definition, the recovery process must be self-directed by each individual, who defines his or her own life goals and designs a unique path towards achieving those goals.
2. Individualized and Person-Centered: There are multiple pathways to recovery based on an individual’s unique strengths and resiliencies; as well as on his or her needs, preferences, experiences (including past trauma), and cultural background. We see recovery as being both an ongoing journey and an end result.
3. Empowerment: Residents not only have the authority to choose from a wide range of options and to participate in all decisions—including the allocation of resources—that will affect their lives, but are also educated and supported in order to do so. They have the ability to join with other residents to collectively and effectively speak for themselves about their needs, wants, desires, and aspirations. Through empowerment, each resident gains control of his or her own destiny and influences the organizational and societal structures in his or her life.
4. Holistic: The process of recovery encompasses an individual’s whole life, including his or her mind, body, spirit, and community. Recovery embraces all aspects of life, including housing, employment, education, mental health and health care treatment and services; complementary and naturalistic services such as recreational services, libraries, museums, etc.; and addictions treatment, spirituality, creativity, social networks, community participation, and family supports (as determined by the resident). Families, providers, organizations, systems, communities, and society play crucial roles in creating and maintaining meaningful opportunities for residents to access these supports.
5. Non-Linear: Recovery is not always a step-by step process, but rather one based on continual growth, occasional setbacks, and learning from each experience. Recovery begins with an initial stage of awareness in which a person recognizes that positive change is possible. This awareness allows individuals to move on to fully engage in the work of recovery.
6. Strengths-Based: Recovery focuses on valuing and building on the many capacities, resiliencies, talents, coping abilities, and on the inherent worth of each individual. By building on their strengths, residents leave stymied life roles behind and engage in new life roles (for example, partner, caregiver, friend, student, employee). The process of recovery moves forward through interaction with others in supportive, trust-based relationships.
7. Peer Support: Mutual support—including the sharing of experiential knowledge and skills and social learning—plays an important and invaluable role in recovery. Residents encourage and engage each other in recovery and provide each other with a sense of belonging, supportive relationships, valued roles, and community.
8. Respect: Community, systems, societal acceptance, and appreciation —including protecting each resident’s rights and eliminating discrimination and stigma—are crucial to achieving recovery. Self-acceptance and regaining belief in one’s self are particularly vital. Respect ensures the inclusion and full participation of residents in all aspects of their lives.
9. Responsibility: Residents have a personal responsibility for their own self-care and journey to recovery. Taking steps towards their goals may require great courage. To that end, they must strive to understand and give meaning to their experiences and identify coping strategies and healing processes to promote their own wellness.
10. Hope: Recovery provides the essential and motivating message of a better future— that people can and do overcome the barriers and obstacles that confront them. Hope is internalized, but it can also be fostered by peers, families, friends, providers, and others. Hope is the catalyst of the recovery process.

Recovery not only benefits individuals with mental health disabilities by focusing on their ability to live, work, learn and fully participate in society, but it also enriches the texture of American community life. All of our communities reap the benefits of the contributions individuals with mental disabilities can make, and this, ultimately, helps us become a stronger and healthier nation.