According to the Surgeon General, mental illness interrupts the lives of about one in five Americans. The predominant view is that mental illness is a brain disorder and the focus of treatment is to find the right medication and to treat symptoms-not people. Stabilization or maintenance is the goal-not recovery. Windhorse Associates, a mental health organization based in Northampton, Massachusetts, believes that recovery from mental illness is possible. Windhorse was founded on the belief that all people possess an inner motivation toward wellness. This inner motivation can be strengthened and tapped as a powerful healing resource, and is the key to recovery. Today, Windhorse offers a model for what is possible and effective in recovery-oriented, client-centered, community-based mental health treatment. They are at the forefront in the evolution of treating those who suffer from mental illness with integrative whole-person care.
