title: Recovery in mental health: a movement towards well-being and meaning in contrast to an avoidance of symptoms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper examines the types of goals being set by individuals in the context of Australian mental health services and whether goal type differs across the stages of recovery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Goal records of 144 individuals accessing services were reviewed to examine goal content, ratio of approach and avoidance oriented goals and changes across stages of psychological recovery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individuals further along in their recovery set significantly more approach goals and types of goals set appeared to reflect broader life roles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Setting approach goals and goals that reflect broader life roles tends to support the definition of psychological recovery as being "the movement towards" greater meaning and enhanced sense of self.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Mental Health, University of Wollongong - Illawarra, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. sam@scclinpsych.com.au
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: Lindsay G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Oades
authors.forename: Trevor Patrick
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Crowe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D019989:Persons with Intellectual Disabilities / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult