Many people experience severe psychic distress at some point in their life - 1 in 4 of us in the course of a year according to statistics, and at the time it can be totally devastating. Quite apart from the distress this causes to the individual and their loved ones, some people report feeling misunderstood and even frightened by a society which often focuses on illness, deficits, losses and stigmatisation. Many myths and misconceptions still abound regarding psychic distress - not only those held by the general public, but ironically sometimes by those working within mental health systems.

Very often the emphasis is on mental ill health rather than wellness, problems rather than skills, symptoms rather than resilience and despite the concept of recovery being recognised, helping agencies remain predominantly singularly medical in approach and more target driven than people orientated. Sometimes workers feel disempowered, lack confidence or don’t fully understand what it is that nurtures recovery.

The THRIVE© approach takes a more positive stance. Devised by Mike Smith, a nurse of 25 years experience and former Director of Nursing in North Birmingham and Marion Aslan, a teacher and former user of mental health services who has worked in the learning disabilities and mental health voluntary sector for the last 30 years, we have drawn on our experiences of what keeps people maintained within the system and what works in the moving on process, whereby people thrive and find their future. Taking the underpinning elements of Time, Healing, Resilience, Interdependence, Vivacity and Emancipation this book accompanies the individual on their journey to recovery and beyond, instils hope and optimism for a positive future, and enables the person to chart their own course.

“This book fills a gap, where psychiatry more and more fails to see that mental health problems are a reaction to problems in life and not only, if at all, symptoms of an illness.

The THRIVE Approach focuses on the person’s own potential and their capabilities to find solutions for their problems. Using this process, it is about framing your understanding of your experiences”.
Marius Romme, Professor Emeritus of Social Psychiatry

Download and print off the pdf of the THRIVE leaflet here

About Crazydiamond

We are a small and personal collective of experts by profession and experience working in the wider fields of Mental Health, Social Care and Young People’s Services. We aim to provide training and consultancy with practical helpful responses that avoid much of the psychobabble and over-professionalized language that is currently hampering much of psychiatry and psychotherapy. We believe that helping the person towards their own recovery is a simple process that is over technicalised in order that professionals and helpers can own the experience rather than the important person, the one who should be at the centre.

All our training is known for its Practicality, Innovation, Mutual and human approach, Humour and plain speaking, Critical and honest approach, Research breadth and Links to workbooks and self-help approaches, many authored by ourselves.

For details of training courses on the THRIVE Approach or to view our full range of Recovery training visit the crazydiamondwebsite, or ring Mike on 07764 764587 or Marion on 07934 675237 or download the leaflet about the one day training course on THRIVE here.

To order a copy of the book (£19.99 plus P&P) please contact: mikesvoice@aol.com or marionaslan@aol.com