Macquarie cottage counselling services offers the development and implementation and evaluation of therapeutic plans. The plans that can be done are recovery, wellness and safety plans. This is done by our social worker Heath Salmon. Heath is trained and qualified in mental health and can develop, implement and review these types of plans (refer to profile). These therapeutic plans can offer sustainability, guidance, a physical tool to refer to when needed and is developed in a client-centred, strength-based, trauma-informed approach.

What do these therapeutic plans do and mean for me?

Recovery plan- A recovery plan can be used for setting yourself up with realistic goals to support your recovery journey. It can be useful after hospital admission for mental health or alcohol and other drug problem, for insight into where you might want your future to go and starting those crucial foundations to reach any long-term goals. The recovery plan once developed, is then reviewed monthly or when the person may feel they want to review or change their plan. The recovery plan is generally developed in conjunction with the existing therapeutic process but can be a standalone monitored intervention.

Wellness plan- A wellness plan aims to assist an individual in mapping out what can keep their overall wellbeing in a place that is just right for them. The wellness plan focuses on promoting physical, emotional, sexual, spiritual wellbeing. The wellness plan can be done with anyone who is seeking therapy and is reviewed monthly or whenever the person thinks it may be needed to re-visit the plan. The wellness plan includes strategies on how to increase the individual’s wellbeing, works to reduce barriers to an individual’s wellbeing. The wellness plan goals are to use the individual strengths and builds onto what the person is already doing to enhance the person’s overall wellbeing.

Safety Plan- A safety plan may be needed when someone's safety is of concern and may be at risk. The safety plan can be used in domestic and family violence situations, if an individual is having suicidal ideation, a mental health crisis, having a safety plan in place when using alcohol and other drugs to provide safe strategies in case of overdose or in risky situations. The safety plan includes mapping out the risks to the individual and others involved, as well as reducing the severity of these risks, setting up safe places to go when a risky situation occurs, looking at including the appropriate support people/organisation’s/services to be involved and discussing when it would be the right time to use the safety plan. 

Each of these plans provides a more solid platform and a point of reference for when people become overwhelmed, confused and in need of a starting point in their recovery or journey.