The "Rubicon-Misunderstanding" - a problem in motivating mentally ill employees to return to work

The Rubicon model of action phases can help clear a typical misunderstanding between patient and medical rehabilitation measures in the return-to-work process. This misunderstanding is named "The Rubicon-Misunderstanding". Patients remain on their side of the Rubicon with insufficient motivation and volition to cross over, while rehabilitation professionals assume a motivational and volitional state beyond the Rubicon. So sophisticated help is offered to enhance their reduced abilities and occupationally relevant capabilities. To help overcome this misunderstanding, a Rubicon model with status-adapted intervention planning is presented in the following: (a) on this side of the Rubicon, for those patients who are searching clarification and individual meaning in life, the model empowers motivation for new goal settings, (b) on the verge of the Rubicon, the indecisive patient, where therapeutic experiments allow practising the crossing over, and (c) beyond the Rubicon, the active patient, where the model empowers individual coping with problems in the working place and in life.