THE FATE OF THE IDEA OF RECOVERY TODAY: A USER-CENTRED ANALYSIS

This perspective piece examines one way, amongst many, in which power works to silence users and survivors of the ‘psy’ disciplines when they begin finding a voice. This is by reclaiming ideas that originated with survivor movements and making them part of mainstream discourses. In the process these ideas and practices are transformed. We can call this ‘co-option’. I take as my example the ‘Recovery Approach’ and address three questions. First, is this approach a ‘normalising’ one? Second, is it claimed to be universal? And finally, what are the different perspectives of researchers, practitioners and service users on this way of dealing with distress? I identify some counter-narratives which bear the seeds of resistance, including from indigenous scholarship. The argument uses a lens of concepts and methods from survivor research.