Strategies for encouraging and maintaining hope among people living with serious mental illness

Abstract

Abstract This paper reports part of the results of a study of hope in mental illness. The focus of this paper is on the mental health worker's role in fostering and maintaining a sense of hope in people with serious mental illness. Six experienced mental health workers report on the strategies they use to foster and maintain hope in their clients; and six experienced consumers of mental health services report on things workers have done that have enabled them to develop or maintain a sense of hope. Approaches identified include: working within the client's frame of reference, focusing on the client's strengths, acknowledging small gains, making links to past gains, being genuine, helping clients to understand their illness, understanding the importance of achievement and holding on to hope when the client has none.