Background: Constructs such as personal recovery, patient engagement and consumer involvement are central in mental health care delivery. These approaches emphasise the importance of empowerment and choice. Aims: Under some circumstances Involuntary Treatment Orders (ITO) allow a person to be treated for a mental illness without their consent. This study explores the tensions between the principles of empowerment and control and involuntary treatment. Methods: Twenty-five involuntary inpatients of a major teaching hospital were interviewed about their experiences of being placed under an ITO. The interviews were analysed thematically. Results: Being able to have some sense of agency and re-asserting personal control are critical components of an involuntary mental health admission. Participants wanted information about their treatment, the ITO process and their environment. They also spoke about the importance of a space where they felt safe from themselves and others to make sense of the experience. Conclusions: This study suggests that for coercive treatment to aid, rather than disrupt recovery, treatment services need to focus on: the provision of rights; the creation of a sense of safety; establishing supportive relationships; carrying hope and finding ways to foster a strong sense of agency and empowerment.