Recoveryfocused

Recoveryfocused is an approach used in health, social services, and rehabilitation that centers on helping individuals regain a valued life after illness, injury, or addiction. It emphasizes long-term recovery, personal autonomy, and functioning in daily life, rather than focusing solely on symptom reduction or cure.

Core elements include partnership between providers and individuals, person-centered planning, and goal setting aligned with the person’s values. It adopts a holistic view of recovery that encompasses housing, employment, education, social connections, and physical health. Assessments tend to be strengths-based, and care commonly incorporates peer support, ongoing flexibility, and strategies for relapse prevention and sustained engagement in community life.

Contexts of use vary by field. In mental health, recoveryfocused care traces to the recovery movement, prioritizing hope, empowerment, and community integration. In addiction services, it supports recovery capital and community-based supports that facilitate ongoing sobriety and social participation. In physical rehabilitation, a recoveryfocused stance emphasizes meaningful activities, participation, and the person’s long-term quality of life.

Outcomes and debates surround the approach. Proponents associate recoveryfocused care with higher engagement, satisfaction, and real-world functioning. Critics raise concerns about the term’s ambiguity, challenges in measuring “recovery,” and potential tensions between clinical goals and personal recovery aspirations, especially in resource-limited settings.

Related concepts include the recovery movement, patient-centered care, recovery-oriented systems of care, and harm reduction. See also: recovery-focused care, recovery-oriented practice, and resilience-based rehabilitation.