Illness Management and Recovery / IMR-A03-1
Stress and Vulnerability Map — Concept brief
Understand the idea behind stress and vulnerability map and consider whether it fits your context.
8 minutes · Handout · Adults; supported use as appropriate
Fictional example: Casey notices a crowded living situation makes routines harder.
Use an ordinary or fictional example, with a clinician when appropriate. Experiences are affected by interacting stressors, supports, and individual vulnerabilities.
The idea
Experiences are affected by interacting stressors, supports, and individual vulnerabilities.
An ordinary example
Casey notices a crowded living situation makes routines harder.
What this can look like
Map current stress, environmental demands, coping resources, and supports without assigning blame.
Check the fit
Which part of the environment or support system could change? You may disagree with the framing, use fiction, or decide that this approach is not useful today.
A useful distinction
A personal recovery goal and a symptom-management strategy serve related but different purposes; the person defines what a meaningful life includes.
Prompts for this resource
- What part of this idea makes sense to me?
- Which part of the environment or support system could change?
Conceptual background
Illness Management and Recovery Evidence-Based Practices KIT — SAMHSA
Background on the approach only. Original exercises and wording are by More Than Therapy with AI assistance; the source does not validate or endorse these materials.