Sponsored Content
From workplace burnout to family stress, WRAP builds resilience ahead of crisis
Published 6:00 am Monday, April 13, 2026
The wellness plan more people are turning to for support navigating everyday ups and downs
Between the demands of work, the pull of family and the relentless pace of daily life, most people are just doing their best to make it to the weekend in one piece.
An evidence-based practice developed in 1997 has steadily been growing in popularity over the past few years for its effectiveness in easing the stress of day-to-day life.
Developed by respected mental health advocate, educator and researcher Dr. Mary Ellen Copeland, Wellness Recovery Action Plans (WRAP) are now internationally recognized as effective individualized roadmaps for living well.
“WRAP is a way of life,” says Jody Brown, WRAP program advanced level facilitator at Valley Cities Behavioral Health Care. “It gives you a plan for staying well before things get hard and the tools to find your way back when they do.”
Built around five key concepts – Hope, Personal Responsibility, Education, Self-Advocacy and Support – WRAP helps participants identify what keeps them feeling their best, spot the early warning signs of unmanaged stress and build a personalized plan for getting back on track when needed.
WRAP Seminar 1 focuses on building a personal wellness plan and WRAP seminar 2 prepares participants to facilitate WRAP groups within their own organizations.
“Think of it as preventative care for daily life,” Brown says. “Practical, adaptable and designed to work for anyone navigating the realities of a full and demanding life.”
Delila Koler, advanced-level facilitator at Valley Cities’ Federal Way clinic and Brown’s partner in leading the program, has spent eight years watching WRAP make a difference in a diverse range of individuals.
“A wellness plan isn’t just for people going through something difficult,” Koler says. “It’s for anyone who wants to feel more grounded, more prepared and more in control of their own life.”
The WRAP program has expanded, now offering specialized tracks dedicated to Veterans, Youth and Family, and Healthy Aging, and has had a significant impact for participants.
“The training was profound for me to experience and I have begun to create a WRAP plan in individual therapy with several clients. They have found the program helpful as well,” notes one WRAP Seminar 2 participant.
Seminars operate on a rotating monthly schedule, offering two distinct levels.
“I’d really like to share WRAP with my friends and colleagues,” said a Seminar 1 participant. “I am excited to spend some more time creating specific action plans for specific stressors that come up as I go about my daily life.”
Valley Cities is currently the only organization in Washington state offering the seminars with the most current and updated curriculum.
Upcoming Seminars
Level 1 seminar: May 21 to May 22, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. offered online and focuses on building a personal wellness plan.
Level 2 seminar: June 24 to June 26, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in person. Seminar 2 prepares participants to facilitate WRAP groups within their own organizations.
Seminars are open to the public. For the full 2026 WRAP seminar schedule, enrollment and costs, visit valleycities.org/wrap-seminars.
Help support low-barrier access to WRAP Programing
Valley Cities is holding a WRAP fundraiser in partnership with Chipotle in Kent on May 6 from 4 to 8 p.m. Funds will go toward workbooks for participants, with a goal of offering community scholarships for the program.
To learn more about Valley Cities and their services, call 253-833-7444 or visit valleycities.org. Follow them on Facebook for news and updates.
If you or someone you know is currently struggling with mental health and/or addiction, contact the Valley Cities team by phone at 253-833-7444 or in person at your local Valley Cities location. You can also call the 24-hour crisis line at 206-461-3222 or toll free at 866-427-4747.