Five Pillars of Recovery for Mental Health Wellness

September 5: September is National Recovery Month. Jared Bendifallah, a peer support specialist with the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has developed five pillars of recovery and mental wellness.

1 Basic stability.

“This includes having clinical support, such as a psychiatrist and therapist, and nonclinical support, such as friends and family and perhaps even a life coach, mentor, or 12-step sponsor. The first pillar also includes having some sort of structure in your life to keep you grounded.”

2 Have a self-care plan.

“This includes cultivating your mental and emotional well-being and having self-care tools you can use when you’re distressed. It also includes having a non-negotiable self-care tool you can use every day.”

3 Trust the recovery process.

“Recovery is a process with bad days and setbacks, but it’s important to never give up and keep moving forward. Take one small step at a time and over the course of many months and even years, you’ll be amazed at how much progress you’ve made.”

4 Finding your community.

“It can be anything from a bird watching club to a book club or a support group. You know you’ve found your community when you feel like you truly belong and feel seen, heard and supported by the people around you.”

5 Expand self-awareness and intuition.

“Becoming more self-aware requires knowing your own strengths and talents, as well as your own difficulties and challenges. Self-knowledge can lead to a greater understanding of who you are as people and is a powerful tool for personal growth.”

—Ronn Rowland