Much has been written about the mental/emotional recovery process. The therapeutic process, at its finest, is:

Feeling safe enough to talk about things which concern us and be heard. It is learning to express feelings rather than hold them in or act them out. It is a commitment to not behave in ways which are harmful to one's self or others.

It is learning to take good care of ourselves so that we feel better emotionally, mentally, and physically. It is learning new patterns of communication which enable us to feel genuinely connected to others. It is coming out of isolation and rejoining humanity. It is hearing the message of reality (HOPE) which replaces the message of the illusion (NO HOPE). It is viewing ourselves, other people and the world in a positive light. It is taking responsibility. It is learning how to get our emotional and material needs met. It is the unleashing of creative power. It is seeing that we can make a contribution to our community.

It is becoming whole, and seeing our worth. It is healing family wounds and creating new, healthy families and partnerships. It is a commitment to face our pain and emptiness rather than continue to avoid them. It is learning to trust our intuitive natures. For some, it is willingness to let go of addictive behavior patterns and substances. For others, it is the decision to stop letting others hurt them. For some, it is creating a meaningful career. For others, it is learning that it is possible to recover from more pronounced mental problems such as schizophrenia.

For some, the therapeutic process includes the search for something which transcends the human, a source of power which does what they cannot do, and can be relied upon when humans fail them. Regardless of the nature of change they are seeking, all who walk this path make a choice: to stop living in the realm of pain and fear, and begin to live in the realm of love, trust, freedom, productivity, health, and vitality.