’Talking To Voices’ (An Exploration of Voice Dialogues): A Two Day Workshop

Dundee: 18th/19th April 2007

With Dr Dirk Corstens & Dr Rufus May

To download the flyer and booking form click here

Talking with voices

Many people who hear challenging voices have found that a turning point in coping with the experience is finding different ways of talking with and understanding them. Exploring the voice’s motives and discovering different ways of relating to them can help change the relationship between the voice-hearer and their voices.

Why is Speaking With Voices Helpful?

1. This method does not focus on voices as a symptom of “illness”: nor does it concentrate on discovering what is “wrong” with the person.
2. It offers a neutral but strong attitude to work with voices - acceptance is the core of the technique.
3. It offers a positive model for the existence of voices.
4. It helps develop increased awareness, objectivity and a more productive relationship between voices and voice-hearer.
5. By definition, voice-hearing is very lonely experience. Allowing others to “hear” the voices is empowering, liberating and a source of considerable support. In turn, it also affords professionals, friends and family some valuable insight into the reality of a person’s voice-hearing experience.

Basic Principles

The most essential principle is that we are not necessarily trying to change the voices, nor banish them from the person’s life. What we are trying to do is explore their relationship with the voice-hearer. Doing this work will help the individual gain a different perspective on what the voices are trying to say: and if the person can develop a stronger attitude then the voices are able to change. Our aim is not to get rid of the voices, but to make their relationship with the voice-hearer more equal through helping the person take back control.

During the two days participants will cover the following topics:

Who should attend?

People whom would benefit from these workshops are primarily front line staff; Nurses, Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Support Workers, and Social Workers. Participants will have the opportunity to study and practice the voice dialoguing method, and explore various ways of understanding and relating to the voice hearers experiences.