The Journey from Mental Illness to Mental Wellness Starts in Asheville, North Carolina
CooperRiis
At CooperRiis we offer holistic treatment to people whose lives have been disrupted by mental illness with a program designed both to ease suffering and to support people in building lives of meaning and purpose. Our program represents an alternative for people who may need more time to heal, with an average length of stay of over four months at our residential campus and an optional continued stay in our community programs. We know that when a person is ill, the whole family is affected, so we have a structured program for families as well.
We refer to the people who receive services at CooperRiis as residents, since our campus becomes their temporary home. New residents are generally surprised and pleased by the beauty and openness of our campus and by the freedom and independence they have to explore it.
Our program is unusual in that we combine solid elements of "traditional" treatment (psychopharmacology, individual and group therapy) and more modern approaches such as an emphasis on mindfulness, shared decision making, and the recovery model; all within a carefully structured community. Residents all have jobs within the community, and staff assist our residents in accomplishing daily tasks and forming caring relationships while learning how to manage their symptoms and interpersonal difficulties. We hope our film will show this delicate balance and give viewers a sense of how the emphasis on community gives residents an initial sense of purpose and belonging and provides a caring environment in which dramatic personal growth and healing can occur.