title: Experiences of support in working toward personal recovery goals: a collaborative, qualitative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recovery can be understood as a subjective process guided by personal expectations, goals and hopes. The aim of the study was to explore how persons using a Community Mental Health Centre (CMHC) experienced that their expectations for treatment, and goals and hopes for recovery were supported by the health professionals during treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Employing a hermeneutic-phenomenological approach, eight service users were interviewed about their expectations for treatment and their goals and hopes for recovery at the start of their contact with health professionals at a CMHC. Two years later, they were re-interviewed about their experiences of treatment and support from the health professionals in their work towards these goals and hopes. A collaborative approach was adopted. A co-researcher with lived experience took part in all stages of the study. Data were analysed by means of a data-driven stepwise approach in line with thematic analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five themes reflecting how participants experienced support from health professionals at the CMHC in their work towards their recovery goals were elicited, as follows: developing an understanding of oneself and one's mental health problems; learning how to change feelings and behaviours; being 'pushed' into social arenas; finding helpful medication; and counselling in family, practical and financial issues. The participants' expectations about counselling with regard to longer-term family, practical, and financial challenges were insufficiently met by the CMHC. In the experience of the service users, recovery occurred within the context of their everyday life with or without the support of their professional helpers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To facilitate recovery, health professionals should acknowledge the service user's personal goals and hopes and take a more comprehensive and longer-term approach to his or her needs and desires. Acknowledging and facilitating recovery goals by offering counselling with regard to family, practical and financial issues seems particularly important.
authors.affiliation: Helse Fonna Local Health Authority, P.O. Box 2170, N-5504, Haugesund, Norway. eva.biringer@helse-fonna.no.|Regional Research Network on Mood Disorders (MoodNet), Bergen, Norway. eva.biringer@helse-fonna.no.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0933-1079
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Biringer
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.affiliation: Regional Research Network on Mood Disorders (MoodNet), Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sundfør
authors.affiliation: Division of Mental Health Services, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway.|Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Torleif
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ruud
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, University College of Southeast Norway, Drammen, Norway.
authors.forename: Marit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003155:Community Mental Health Centers; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D065026:Hope; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Everyday life; Expectancy; Hope; Mental health; Mental health services; Patient satisfaction; Patient-centred care; Personal goal; Psychotherapy; Recovery; Service user experience