Wellness Planning

Wellness planning is a proactive approach to maintaining and improving your mental health by creating a personalised plan that identifies your wellness strategies, warning signs, and support resources. This collaborative process helps you take control of your mental health and prepare for both good times and challenging periods.

Table of Contents | Jump Ahead

• What Is Wellness Planning?
• Benefits of Wellness Planning
• Components of a Wellness Plan
• Daily Maintenance Strategies
• Identifying Triggers
• Recognising Early Warning Signs
• Action Steps for Warning Signs
• Crisis Planning
• Support System Planning
• Medication Management
• Legal and Financial Planning
• Creating Your Wellness Plan
• Working with Professionals
• Family and Friend Involvement
• Technology and Wellness Planning
• Wellness Planning for Different Conditions
• Workplace Wellness Planning
• Cultural Considerations
• Wellness Planning for Youth
• Barriers to Wellness Planning
• Overcoming Planning Challenges
• Measuring Wellness Plan Effectiveness
• Research on Wellness Planning
• Training and Education
• Related Terms
• References

What Is Wellness Planning?

Wellness planning involves creating a written document that outlines your personal strategies for maintaining mental health, recognising early warning signs of problems, and accessing support when needed. Also known as a Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) or psychiatric advance directive, this tool puts you in the driver's seat of your mental health care.

Key components of wellness planning:

Personal Responsibility: You take the lead in creating and implementing your wellness plan.

Self-Awareness: Developing deep understanding of your own mental health patterns and needs.

Proactive Approach: Planning ahead for both maintaining wellness and managing potential challenges.

Support Integration: Identifying and organising your support resources and professional relationships.

Benefits of Wellness Planning

Proactive Management: Allows you to take action early when warning signs appear, potentially preventing more serious problems.

Empowerment: Puts you in control of your mental health care and treatment decisions.

Communication Tool: Provides a way to communicate your needs and preferences to family, friends, and healthcare providers.

Crisis Prevention: Helps prevent mental health crises by identifying and addressing problems early.

Improved Outcomes: Research shows that people who use wellness plans often have better mental health outcomes.

Components of a Wellness Plan

Triggers: Situations, events, or circumstances that might negatively affect your mental health.

Early Warning Signs: Subtle changes that indicate your mental health may be declining.

When Things Are Breaking Down: More obvious signs that your mental health is deteriorating and you need additional support.

Crisis Planning: What to do and who to contact when you're in a mental health crisis.

Post-Crisis Planning: How to rebuild and recover after a mental health crisis has passed.

Daily Maintenance Strategies

Stress Management: Techniques for managing daily stress, such as deep breathing, meditation, or time management strategies.

Social Connection: Maintaining relationships and social activities that provide support and enjoyment.

Meaningful Activities: Engaging in work, hobbies, or volunteer activities that provide purpose and satisfaction.

Routine and Structure: Maintaining daily routines that provide stability and predictability.

Identifying Triggers

• Work stress or conflicts
• Relationship problems
• Financial difficulties
• Major life changes
• Anniversary dates of traumatic events

Internal Triggers: Thoughts, feelings, or physical sensations that may signal declining mental health, such as:

• Negative thought patterns
• Physical symptoms like headaches or fatigue
• Changes in sleep or appetite
• Increased anxiety or irritability

Seasonal Triggers: Times of year that consistently affect your mental health, such as holidays or seasonal changes.

Recognising Early Warning Signs

• Changes in sleep patterns
• Appetite changes
• Withdrawal from social activities
• Neglecting personal hygiene
• Increased substance use

Emotional Changes

• Increased anxiety or worry
• Mood swings
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Loss of interest in activities
• Increased irritability

Cognitive Changes

• Difficulty concentrating
• Negative thinking patterns
• Memory problems
• Indecisiveness
• Racing thoughts

Physical Changes

• Fatigue or low energy
• Headaches or muscle tension
• Changes in appetite
• Sleep disturbances
• Physical aches and pains

Action Steps for Warning Signs

• Calling a friend or family member
• Using relaxation techniques
• Engaging in a favourite activity
• Getting extra sleep
• Reducing stress where possible

Professional Support: When to contact your therapist, psychiatrist, or other healthcare providers for additional support.

Medication Adjustments: Working with your healthcare provider to adjust medications if needed.

Lifestyle Modifications: Temporary changes to your routine or responsibilities to support your mental health.

Crisis Planning

• Thoughts of self-harm or suicide
• Complete inability to function
• Loss of touch with reality
• Severe panic that won't subside
• Thoughts of harming others

Emergency Contacts: List of people to call during a crisis, including:

• Emergency services (911)
• Crisis hotlines
• Mental health professionals
• Trusted family members or friends
• Local crisis intervention services

Preferred Treatment: Your preferences for crisis treatment, including preferred hospitals, medications, and treatment approaches.

Things to Avoid: Treatments, medications, or approaches that have been harmful or ineffective for you in the past.

Support System Planning

• Primary care physician
• Psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner
• Therapist or counsellor
• Case manager or social worker
• Other specialists

Personal Support Network: Family members, friends, and others who provide emotional support and practical help.

Peer Support: People with similar mental health experiences who understand your journey.

Community Resources: Local organisations, support groups, and services that can provide assistance.

Medication Management

Medication Preferences: Medications that have been helpful and those that have caused problems.

Side Effect Management: Strategies for managing medication side effects.

Emergency Medication Instructions: What to do about medications during a crisis, including who can make medication decisions if you're unable to.

Legal and Financial Planning

Power of Attorney: Designating someone to make decisions on your behalf if necessary.

Financial Planning: Organising financial information and designating someone to help with financial matters during a crisis.

Insurance Information: Keeping insurance cards and information easily accessible.

Creating Your Wellness Plan

Be Specific: Include specific actions, contact information, and detailed instructions.

Make It Personal: Tailor the plan to your unique needs, preferences, and circumstances.

Keep It Accessible: Store copies in multiple places and share with key support people.

Review Regularly: Update your plan as your needs, circumstances, and support system change.

Working with Professionals

Share Your Plan: Provide copies to your therapist, psychiatrist, and other key healthcare providers.

Regular Reviews: Discuss your wellness plan during therapy sessions and medical appointments.

Professional Input: Ask for professional guidance on warning signs, coping strategies, and crisis planning.

Family and Friend Involvement

Role Clarification: Clearly define what you want from different support people in various situations.

Boundary Setting: Establish appropriate boundaries about when and how others should intervene.

Regular Communication: Keep your support network updated about your mental health and any changes to your plan.

Technology and Wellness Planning

Mood Tracking: Using technology to track your mood and identify patterns over time.

Reminder Systems: Setting up alerts and reminders for self-care activities and appointments.

Emergency Access: Ensuring your wellness plan is accessible on your phone or other devices during emergencies.

Wellness Planning for Different Conditions

Anxiety Disorders: Emphasise stress management, relaxation techniques, and exposure strategies.

Bipolar Disorder: Include mood tracking, sleep monitoring, and medication adherence strategies.

PTSD: Incorporate trauma-informed strategies, grounding techniques, and safety planning.

Eating Disorders: Include meal planning, body image strategies, and support for recovery behaviours.

Workplace Wellness Planning

Stress Management: Strategies for managing work-related stress and maintaining work-life balance.

Disclosure Decisions: Planning whether and how to share information about your mental health with employers.

Emergency Procedures: What to do if you experience mental health symptoms at work.

Cultural Considerations

Family Involvement: Considering cultural norms about family involvement in mental health care.

Traditional Practices: Including traditional or spiritual practices that support your well-being.

Language Preferences: Ensuring your plan is available in your preferred language.

Wellness Planning for Youth

Family Involvement: Including parents and caregivers in the planning process.

School Considerations: Addressing mental health needs in educational settings.

Transition Planning: Preparing for transitions to adult mental health services.

Barriers to Wellness Planning

Stigma: Concerns about stigma preventing people from acknowledging mental health needs.

System Barriers: Healthcare systems that don't support or encourage wellness planning.

Resource Limitations: Lack of access to mental health services or support resources.

Motivation Challenges: Difficulty maintaining motivation to create and use a wellness plan.

Overcoming Planning Challenges

Seek Support: Work with mental health professionals, peers, or family members to create your plan.

Use Templates: Utilise existing wellness plan templates as starting points.

Regular Updates: Keep your plan current and relevant to your changing needs.

Practice Using It: Regularly review and practice implementing your wellness plan.

Measuring Wellness Plan Effectiveness

Crisis Prevention: Track whether your plan helps prevent or reduce the severity of mental health crises.

Quality of Life: Assess improvements in overall life satisfaction and functioning.

Goal Achievement: Evaluate progress toward your personal wellness and recovery goals.

Research on Wellness Planning

WRAP Research: Specific research on Wellness Recovery Action Plans and their benefits.

Implementation Studies: Research on how to effectively implement wellness planning in different settings.

Long-Term Outcomes: Studies examining the long-term benefits of wellness planning.

Training and Education

Peer Support Training: Programs that train people with lived experience to help others with wellness planning.

Professional Education: Training for mental health professionals on supporting wellness planning.

Online Resources: Web-based tools and information for learning about wellness planning.

Related Terms

• Mental Health Recovery - Broader concept that wellness planning supports
• Crisis Prevention - Key goal of wellness planning
• Self-Care - Important component of daily wellness maintenance

References

Canacott, L., Moghaddam, N., & De Boos, D. (2019). Is the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) efficacious for improving personal and clinical recovery outcomes? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 42(4), 372–381. https://doi.org/10.1037/prj0000368

NHS. (2022). 5 steps to mental wellbeing. https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/five-steps-to-mental-wellbeing/

National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2025). WRAP: Wellness Recovery Action Plans. NAMI. https://www.nami.org/virtual-town-halls/wrap-wellness-recovery-action-plans/

Wellness Recovery Action Plan. (n.d.). What is WRAP? https://www.wellnessrecoveryactionplan.com/what-is-wrap/

This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment. Wellness planning is most effective when developed with support from mental health professionals and your personal support network.