title: Poetry and self recovery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The author, a mental health consumer, describes key elements of 'self-directed recovery' central to which was the writing of poetry. Examples of poetry through the recovery journey are presented and provide a means to identify other resources to this end.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The periodic reflection of poetry as a recovery tool, coupled with the support of family and peers and other recovery realizations such as self talk, can make the recuperation from mental illness less debilitating and something to embrace.
authors.affiliation: trejclark@bigpond.com
authors.forename: Trevor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D011037:Poetry as Topic; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012647:Self-Assessment