Illnesses don't recover. People do.

Pat Deegan's Recovery Approach focuses on the person instead of the illness and offers hope-filled tools, technologies and training for people, families and providers. Using Pat's Approach, people can get and keep the life they want, and staff gain the knowledge and skills for practicing true recovery-oriented care.

Pat Deegan: Disruptive Innovator

Patricia E. Deegan Ph.D. is the founder of Pat Deegan & Associates (PDA). For over 30 years Pat has been a thought leader and disruptive innovator in the field of behavioral health recovery.

Pat Deegan's Recovery Approach includes the award-winning CommonGround Software, Recovery Academy, Medication Empowerment, Certified Personal Medicine Coaching and the Hearing Distressing Voices Simulation.

Pat is an activist in the survivor movement and has lived her own journey of recovery after being diagnosed with schizophrenia as a teenager.

She has held several academic appointments, has numerous publications, and has carried a message of hope for recovery to audiences around the world.

Learn More About Pat

In the Spotlight...

^{November 2023}

Certified Personal Medicine Coach Kick-Off

November 7, 2023

We're excited to have a new cohort of Certified Personal Medicine Coaches beginning their 11-week journey toward certification. This group from LA County Department of Mental Health will be led by PDA staff.

What Exactly Does a Peer Specialist Do?

November 8, 2023

In this address, Pat Deegan will explore the roots of peer support, the meaning of lived experience and the important non-clinical role peer specialists play in mental health services. She will describe common forms of drift away from the peer role, and methods for ensuring authentic peer work.

From Med Education to Medication Empowerment: Supporting people in using meds optimally to support recovery

November 8, 2023

Using psychiatric meds optimally to support us in gettin the life we want, is more than learning to take pills on schedule. It’s a journey and on that journey there are many challenges. In this 60 min lecture, Pat Deegan will draw on her experience of recovery after being diagnosed with schizophrenia as a teenager. She will help nurses identify and understand common challenges on the journey and to support folks through these challenges.

Decision Support Center Advanced Practice Conference

November 15, 2023

We're excited to be meeting in person for a full day conference with Decision Support Center staff in Community Care Behavioral Health's network using CommonGround Software. Our 11th Annual Conference will be focused on skill building and networking to enhance the work being done by amazing peer staff in Pennsylvania.