M i s s i o n P e a k U n i t a r i a n U n i v e r s a l i s t C o n g r e g a t i o n
"A Spiritual Community of Caring Hearts and Open Minds"
A Combination of Treatment Strategies Is Often Better than Just One
Therapies can complement and facilitate each other.
Medication can facilitate other therapies because it can give the ability to concentrate and cooperate in other activities
Psychotherapy can accomplish what drugs cannot - It can allow a lasting change in fundamental underlying beliefs and feelings.
Behavioral therapy can establish patterns of beneficial activity, reinforcing insights learned in psychotherapy.
Peer Support activities can complement traditional therapies
Receiving support from others who have had similar problems can be very helpful because they've been there. What worked for them may work for you.
Giving support to others can enhance self-esteem
Participation in networks and in advocacy on behalf of oneself or others is empowering
Recent federally-sponsored research shows that people who augment traditional medical therapies with peer support activities, such as drop-in centers, report significantly better well-being than those using only traditional medical therapies.
Conflict with traditional therapy is usually over:
Forced treatment including forced hospitalization and forced medication
Disagreement by some with the medical model of mental health care treatment
Recovery Model activities give more control over life
Learning how to monitor one's triggers and early warning signs can make relapse less frequent.
Deciding ahead of time what kind of treatment to have is empowering and enhances self-esteem
Address as many dimensions of recovery as possible
