1. The course of severe mental illnesses is more heterogeneous than previously thought and is influenced by many complex, interacting factors. 2. The experience of self and capacity to cope of people with mental illnesses contribute to the recovery process. 3. Changes in traditional treatment models and a focus on broader societal interventions are needed to facilitate recovery. 4. Psychiatric nurses play an important role in these new developments as evident, for example, in the 3R Program (relapse, recovery, and rehabilitation).