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This paper analyzes ten recovery narratives of people with a serious mental illness who received mental health services in the public health care system of the city of Campinas, Brazil. We describe the person's recovery process and their relationship with the clinical services they received. This is a very needed conversation because the incorporation of recovery and recovering citizenship concepts in clinical practice are still incipient in South America. Most importantly, this research adds to the dialogue around recovering citizenship in different cultures. Methods: We used phenomenological methodology to interpret data drawn from the participant's life course interview (using the McGill Illness Narrative Interview). Results: We found that a) Before receiving services, people were overwhelmed by symptoms, but did not know what was going on; b) Loved ones and clinicians explained symptoms as part of a mental illness, and the proposed treatment was largely accepted; c) Mental health treatment was seen as helpful but not enough to address what was meaningful for their lives; d) People regained a life in their community, they felt proud of their recovery process, and solidarity and collectivism seemed to play important roles in their recovery process. Discussion: We identified similarities and differences in the recovery process of people with serious mental illness receiving public mental health services in Campinas, Brazil, when compared to the international literature. Receiving mental health services was very helpful for participants, principally when feeling overwhelmed by symptoms. Mental health services seemed to be less effective in helping people regain a meaningful life in their communities. Solidarity from friends and family members was recognized as an important recovery asset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]