Recovery in mental health services

In the treatment of mental diseases, there is a growing awareness on recovery. Mental disease is not about being either sick or healthy; rather, recovery is a process in which each individual has to find their own path towards living a fulfilling life. Therefore, focus is not centred around medicine and symptoms, but instead on hope for the future and on the ambition to live well despite mental health challenges (Hummelvoll et al 2015). 

Therefore, there is a great potential in improving the quality of the physical outdoor environment so that it creates comfortable and safe spaces that stimulate people to spend time there and engage in physical activity for the benefit of both their mental and their physical health. In order to do this, there is a great demand for architects to pinpoint specific factors to focus on in order to create better physical outdoor facilities. The specific objectives of this study is to examine how the latest research and interdisciplinary knowledge can be integrated into the design process of outdoor areas at psychiatric treatment facilities and how an evidence-based approach to the design process can enhance mental wellbeing and recovery of psychiatric patients.

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Scientific articles

Hummelvoll, J. K., Karlsson, B., Borg, M. (2015). “Recovery and person-centredness in mental health services: roots of the concepts and implications for practice.” IPDJ International Practice Development Journal 5(Suppl): 1-7.

Leamy, M., Bird, V., Boutillier, C., Williams, J., & Slade, M. (2011). Conceptual framework for personal recovery in mental health: Systematic review and narrative synthesis. British Journal of Psychiatry,199(6), 445-452. doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.110.083733

In respect of our presenters at Lunch Bag Lectures, the terms, language and use of concepts that the researchers find appropriate in their field of research are used according to their choice.

Mikkel Hjort

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