I have been working with Veterans for over three years. The top three concerns in the Veteran population are mental health resources that work, hunger relief that relieves hunger for the future not just the present, and suitable permanent housing. While working with the Veteran’s population, I have earned their trust, inducted as an honorary Veteran, invited to private events, and they supported me through the recent loss of my husband. Veteran rarely offer support outside of their comfort zone. This is what brought me to teach the WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) Program to my Veterans and others in need of the services.

The Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP®) is a personalized wellness and recovery system born out of and rooted in the principle of self-determination. WRAP® is a wellness and recovery approach that helps people to: 1) decrease and prevent intrusive or troubling feelings and behaviors; 2) increase personal empowerment; 3) improve quality of life; and 4) achieve their own life goals and dreams. Working with a WRAP® can help individuals to monitor uncomfortable and distressing feelings and behaviors and, through planned responses, reduce, modify, or eliminate those feelings. A WRAP® also includes plans for responses from others when an individual cannot make decisions, take care of him/herself, and/or keep him/herself safe.

The program was created by Mary Ellen Copland, PhD to help individuals with a variety of mental health issues monitor uncomfortable and distressing feelings and behaviors through a plan developed by the participants. Discover your own simple, safe wellness tool by developing the key points and following the steps below:

*Daily Maintenance Plan
*Triggers
*Early Warning Signs Situation has gotten worse, but you are still in
control
*Crisis Plan
*Post Crisis Plan

Without the tools and training I learned from WRAP, I may have gone back to the streets & not come out of my that state of depression.