"Using IPS and my recovery journey "

I have been a service user of the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) service for the past few months. I'd like to take this opportunity to voice what the IPS service and my Employment Advisor have meant to my recovery. A couple of years ago I was diagnosed with a severe psychotic depression. This condition ultimately led to my leaving a promising career with a local authority where I had been fortunate to do well and had a series of promotions.

My recovery process began with the Crisis Team and was furthered by the CATT team. Under their guidance I did well and made great strides and yet the final stage of my recovery was still missing. Finding full time employment and being ready for that employment. The IPS service and Mel have been instrumental in this final stage.

Mel started by working with me on my motivation, explaining the importance of completing a number of applications per week and reassuring me that how to deal with unsuccessful applications was part of the employment process. This helped me to overcome the 'fear of failure' feeling. Mel then worked with me to update and refine my CV, turning it into a document that employers would give serious consideration too. Mel's support didn't stop there, he read through cover letters and online applications that I put together and made invaluable suggestions.

Mel's and my efforts combined to put together a number of applications that have recently been very successful. In the late June/early July period of 2012, I was fortunate to be offered three interviews, two for the NHS and one for Nottingham Trent University. I'm pleased to say that after further interview preparation with Mel and his very useful tips for the interview itself, I was fortunate to be offered an administrative assistant post with the NHS. This is an employer that I greatly want to work with. The additional two interview offers did wonders for my confidence and I feel ready to return to work full time.

Mel's additional support in telling me how to manage my health while I'm in the new employment and strategies for recognising any early symptoms of a relapse while I'm at work, have greatly reassured me that I can complete this final stage of my recovery.

I firmly believe in the recovery through work premise and I would like to testify that I wouldn't have been able to fully recover without the support of the IPS service and Mel . Thank you for your team's invaluable contribution to my recovery.

Kind regards

P