Wellness Recovery Action Plan® (WRAP)
Wellness Recovery Action Plan® is an evidence‑based approach to daily living that supports us in maintaining wellness through life's challenges.
It is a tool that people can use to feel more in control of their wellbeing and personal recovery.
‘WRAP can help you to create a snapshot of yourself at different stages — from being well, to being unwell — and through peer discussion and learning from the course, create action plans to better support yourself at these different points..’
What is WRAP?
WRAP stands for Wellness Recovery Action Plan®. It's a simple plan that helps you look after your mental health and wellbeing.
WRAP can help you:
-Understand what keeps you well.
-Notice when things start to feel harder.
-Know what helps when you are struggling.
-Stay more in control of your wellbeing.
WRAP is something you create for yourself. You decide what goes in your plan. You choose what works for you.
WRAP is something you create for yourself. You decide what goes in your plan. You choose what works for you.
Why do people use WRAP?
People use WRAP because it can help them:
-Feel more in control.
-Understand what wellness looks like for them.
-Know what to do when they are not feeling well.
-Share ideas and learn from others in a supportive space.
People who take part in a course to help learn about WRAP often say it helps them feel hopeful and understood. Many enjoy the chance to share and listen in a kind and supportive group.
‘Everyone was so nice and moreover — so brave for sharing their challenges and vulnerabilities with others. ‘Remain hopeful’ is what I will take away most from my time at the WRAP group.’
A brief history of WRAP
WRAP began back in 1997, when a group of people who had lived through difficult mental health experiences came together for an eight‑day retreat in northern Vermont, USA. They wanted to share what had helped them, learn from each other, and find better ways to stay well.
One of the key people there was Mary Ellen Copeland. Mary Ellen had lived with anxiety, depression and big changes in her mood. She had spent time in hospital and felt frustrated that the support she received often focused on medication rather than her whole life and what helped her feel well.
With help from her social worker, Mary Ellen had already begun asking people what supported their wellbeing. In the 1980s she created simple surveys and gathered ideas from many others with lived experience. From these conversations she noticed that five things kept coming up again and again: hope, personal responsibility, education, self‑advocacy and support.
People also shared lots of practical “wellness tools” — everyday things that helped them cope, stay grounded and feel more like themselves.
By the 1990s, Mary Ellen was being invited to speak at conferences to share what she'd learned. When she took part in the retreat in Vermont, everything came together. People talked openly, shared what worked for them, and asked an important question: “These ideas make sense… but how do we actually use them in our everyday lives?”
That question became the spark for WRAP.
After the retreat, Mary Ellen worked with another participant, Jane Winterling, to turn the group’s ideas into the very first WRAP workbook. Over time, this grew into a full training programme that is now used worldwide.
Mary Ellen has continued writing, teaching and supporting WRAP’s development ever since. Her work has helped thousands of people find ways to understand themselves better and take more control of their wellbeing.
WRAP at Leeds Recovery College
At Leeds Recovery College:
-All our WRAP facilitators are fully trained.
-We follow the original WRAP values and accredited curriculum.
-We have supported many people to develop their own WRAP since 2019.
We offer:
-Community WRAP courses for adults (18+) who live, work or study in Leeds.
-a two‑day WRAP workshop for people working in health and care in Leeds.
-WRAP facilitator training and accreditation (paid for programme / comissioned programme).
Video link: How it all began, the story of WRAP and Mary Ellen Copeland
WRAP website: The WRAP story, origins and healing by Mary Ellen Copeland
The way WRAP works
WRAP courses are relaxed, friendly and run by trained facilitators. The facilitators also have their own WRAP plans and use their own experience of living with WRAP to help facilitate the course.
In the course, you will:
-Share ideas at your own pace.
-Learn simple tools that help you stay well.
-Create a plan that supports your daily life.
-Think about what helps you in difficult times.
-Explore your strengths, goals and wellbeing needs.
You only need one thing to start WRAP; the desire to create a plan for yourself.
When should you create a WRAP?
WRAP works best when you make it at a time when you feel fairly stable. This means you can think clearly about your needs and take part in discussions.
If you are in crisis or feeling very unwell, your priority should be to get immediate help and support. You can return to WRAP when you feel more settled.
WRAP website: Values and Ethics of WRAP delivery
WRAP Key recovery concepts: WRAP Blog