Recovery

In mental health, living a meaningful life on your own terms, which may not mean the absence of all symptoms.

What it means

In mental health, recovery means living a meaningful and satisfying life on your own terms. Importantly, recovery does not necessarily mean the complete absence of symptoms or being cured. A person can be living well in recovery while still experiencing some mental health challenges. It is about building a life you value, not only about treating an illness.

This is often called a personal recovery approach. It focuses on hope, control and connection: hope that things can get better, control over your own life and decisions, and building a life with purpose and relationships that matter to you. Recovery is a personal journey that looks different for everyone, because what makes life meaningful is unique to each person.

In practice

A recovery approach shapes how mental health supports are provided. Rather than focusing only on reducing symptoms, it centres on what you want your life to look like and the goals that matter to you, such as work, study, relationships, community or independence. You stay in the driver's seat, making choices about your own path.

This approach underpins supports like psychosocial recovery coaching in the NDIS. A recovery coach works alongside you to build hope, increase your control, and take practical steps towards the life you want, while helping you understand and manage your mental health. The emphasis is on your strengths, your goals and your own definition of a good life, rather than someone else deciding what recovery should look like for you.

A real example

For example, Daniel lives with a mental health condition and had spent years feeling defined by his diagnosis. Working with a recovery coach, he set his own goals: returning to part-time study and reconnecting with old friends. Even though he still has difficult days, Daniel now feels he is living a life that means something to him, which is what recovery looks like for him.

Recovery — FAQs

What does recovery mean in mental health?
Recovery means living a meaningful and satisfying life on your own terms. It may or may not involve the absence of symptoms, so recovery is not the same as being cured. It is a personal journey focused on hope, control and building a life you value, and it can continue even while you still experience some mental health challenges.
Does recovery mean I will no longer have any symptoms?
Not necessarily. In the recovery approach, living well does not depend on symptoms disappearing completely. Many people build meaningful, satisfying lives while still managing mental health challenges. Recovery is about hope, control and creating a life you value on your own terms, rather than only about removing or curing symptoms.
How is recovery connected to psychosocial recovery coaching?
The recovery approach underpins psychosocial recovery coaching in the NDIS. A recovery coach works alongside you to build hope, increase your control, and take practical steps towards the life you want, while helping you understand and manage your mental health. The support is guided by your own goals and your personal definition of a good life.
Is recovery the same for everyone?
No. Recovery is a personal journey that looks different for each person, because what makes life meaningful is unique to you. Your goals might involve work, study, relationships, community or independence. A recovery approach keeps you in control, focusing on your strengths and your own vision of a good life rather than a fixed outcome set by others.
Who decides what my recovery looks like?
You do. A recovery approach keeps you in the driver's seat, making choices about your own path and goals. Supports such as recovery coaching work alongside you rather than deciding for you. The focus is on your strengths, what you want your life to look like, and your own definition of living well, not someone else's.

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