Recovery-Oriented Conversations in Psychiatric Care: An Integrated Systematic Review

In psychiatric settings, recovery-oriented care follows a relational, person-centred approach. In mental health nursing, such care extends beyond merely reducing symptoms to foregrounding hope, identity, meaningfulness, empowerment, and personal agency. Because an important aspect of putting that approach into practice is engaging in conversations that promote recovery, understanding the concept of recovery-oriented conversations (ROCs) is essential. In this review, we aim to synthesise existing research on ROCs and offer insights into their implementation, challenges, and impact on patients' recovery. An integrative review of studies (i.e., qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods) published between 2015 and 2025 in PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science returned 5298 studies, 49 of which we included in a narrative synthesis using deductive coding from an inductive perspective. The findings suggest that ROCs are conceived as being well-structured, context-sensitive conversations that create space for expression and the co-creation of recovery-oriented pathways while probing personal and social realities. ROCs are effective when grounded in deep engagement, shared goal-setting, and supportive environments. The practice, reflecting the connectedness, hope, identity, motivation and empowerment (CHIME) framework, is perceived as nurturing safety, promoting relational depth, and reaffirming personhood. Whereas barriers to implementation include limited time, staffing constraints, hierarchical cultures, and inconsistent leadership, facilitators include clear communication, culturally responsive practices, and organisational support. Altogether, ROCs allow mental health nurses to deliver care, strengthen therapeutic relationships, and foster shared decision-making. Embedding them into successful practice, however, calls for more research, training, cultural sensitivity, and systemic alignment.