Abstract
Objective: The author, a mental health consumer, describes key elements of ‘self-directed recovery’ central to which was the writing of poetry. Examples of poetry through the recovery journey are presented and provide a means to identify other resources to this end.
Conclusions: The periodic reflection of poetry as a recovery tool, coupled with the support of family and peers and other recovery realizations such as self talk, can make the recuperation from mental illness less debilitating and something to embrace.