Tag Archives: hearing voices

projects

New Project for People Who Hear Positive Voices

 

young woman listening

A new project is being started to establish an online discussion forum for people who hear voices and have always been able to cope well with them. Below is a letter written by the project staff (Marius Romme, Sandra Escher, Paul Baker, & Will Hall) seeking voice-hearers with supportive voices:

As you know the general population surveys have shown that in our society about 4% of people are hearing voices on a more a less regular basis. Most of these people hear voices that are supportive and inspiring and who function well with them.

Therefore there are about 250 million people across the world who have this experience and are not able to openly talk about it. This is because of the prevailing negative attitudes in society that regard this human experience as abnormal.

To date we have mainly focused on the people who hear voices and have become psychiatric patients. We have done this by assisting them to accept their voices as their reality, to make sense of the experience and to learn to live with their voices and their emotions.

This is important and necessary work but it has meant that we have neglected the largest group of voice hearers. The Hearing Voices Movement has learnt that hearing voices is a common human variation but society does not share this understanding. Therefore we think this is the time to influence society and that the most effective way to do this is by identifying the voice hearers who live well with their voices and to encourage them to speak out.

To realize this we need to begin a process that creates safe spaces for these people to share their experiences. Therefore we are looking for people who would be willing to participate in a private and moderated online forum, where members can adopt an avatar to protect their identity if they so wish.

We think the benefits of the forum for participants would be the opportunity:

We are asking for your help to identify people who hear voices, who we could invite to become members of this forum:

  • to get a better understanding of the voice hearing experience
  • to help change social attitudes and promote the freedom of minds

  • to share stories and experiences

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Best wishes

Marius Romme & Sandra Escher (Research and correspondence )

Paul Baker (Moderator)

Will Hall (Consultant)

To find out more about the project, or to get involved as a promoter, you can contact Dr. Romme here:

a.romme.escher – at – gmail.com

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Online Meeting, “An Introduction to the Hearing Voices Network”

What really happens within hearing voices groups?  How are they different than what happens in most mental health groups? Wgroup-therapy-1hat is the Hearing Voices Network up to in the USA, and how is it acting to spread this new model of support?

You will be able to get answers to questions
like this, and others like it, at the next online meeting/webinar of ISPS-US, which takes place on Wednesday August 19, at 3 PM Eastern Daylight Time, or noon Pacific Daylight Time.

Here’s the full description:

ISPS-US Online Meeting, “An Introduction to the Hearing Voices Network”

The Hearing Voices Network (HVN) is o
ver 25 years old and has chapters around the world in 26+ countries. It represents a partnership between individuals who hear voices or have other extreme or unusual experiences, professionals and allies in the community, all of whom are working together to change the assumptions made about these phenomenon and create supports, learning and healing opportunities for people across the country.  Founded around the philosophy that those who hear voices, see visions and/or have other unusual experiences are not necessarily experiencing a symptom of illness, HVN groups create opportunities for people to discuss what happens for them in a non-judgmental environment that supports the process of making meaning and learning to walk through the world as a voice hearer. Spend an hour with Lisa Forestell and Marty Hadge, both voice hearers, as they introduce you to the history and values of the Hearing Voices movement. Perhaps, by the conclusion, you’ll want to get involved too!

About the presenters:

Lisa Forestell is a Director w
ith the WMass Recovery Learning Community (RLC). She is a voice hearer, an HVN facilitator, train-the-trainer, and a member of HVN-USA Board of Directors dedicated to bringing HVN to the US. A staunch ally and peer to all those who choose their own life path regardless, in spite of and because of the obstacles they have faced.

Marty Hadge after years of receiving traditional mental health treatment, including multiple psychiatric hospitalizations, has found meaning and value to the experience of hearing voices and other extreme states through the healing environment of the Western Mass Recovery Learning Community and Hearing Voice groups. Marty is a trainer for the HVN USA. He was a Key Note Speaker at 2113 Alternatives Conference and currently works as a Community Bridger for the Western Mass Recovery Learning Community.

ISPS online meetings are free to ISPS members, with a donation of $5-$20 requested from others, though no one turned away for lack of funds.  Please do register if you want to attend, use this link:  https://introtohvn.eventbrite.com