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Supporting Mothers Living with Mental Illnesses in Recovery

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Motherhood, Mental Illness and Recovery

Abstract

This chapter provides the rationale for a focus on mothers’ recoveries, describes the family recovery model, and suggests strategies for translating family recovery principles into practice with mothers living with mental illnesses. Parenting is a significant role choice for these women. Succeeding or failing as a mother has a profound impact on a woman’s mood, self-esteem, and self-efficacy; on her feelings of wellness or illness; and on her recovery. The family provides a context and motherhood provides a social role and opportunities for supporting or undermining recovery. Family recovery principles are translated into practice in key intervention concepts including: family-centered; strengths-based; family-driven and self-determined; recovery- and resilience-focused; and trauma-informed approaches, and key intervention processes including: engagement and relationship building; empowerment; availability and accessibility; and advocacy. The hope for a better quality of life for her children and family may well be at the core of a woman’s recovery process.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, 85 Mechanic Street, Suite B4-1, Lebanon, NH, 03766, USA

    Joanne Nicholson Ph.D.

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  1. Joanne Nicholson Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Joanne Nicholson Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Orangeburg Service Center Bldg 57, 1st Floor, Rockland Psychiatric Center, Orangeburg, New York, USA

    Nikole Benders-Hadi

  2. Rockland Psychiatric Center, Orangeburg, New York, USA

    Mary E. Barber

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© 2014 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Nicholson, J. (2014). Supporting Mothers Living with Mental Illnesses in Recovery. In: Benders-Hadi, N., Barber, M. (eds) Motherhood, Mental Illness and Recovery. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01318-3_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01318-3_1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-01317-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-01318-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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