Personal experiences are at the heart of all we do at Intervoice. In this section we share some of the inspiring stories we have read about in our work.
Living with Voices: 50 Stories of Recovery
Marius Romme, Sandra Escher, Jacqui Dillon, Dirk Corstens, Mervyn Morris
A new analysis of the hearing voices experience outside the illness model resulted in accepting and making sense of voices. This study of 50 stories forms the evidence for this successful new approach to working with voice hearers.
The voice-hearers featured in this exciting collection come from across the world. Their stories are inspiring, enlightening and – most importantly – honest. It is a must for anyone interested in human experience, resilience and the potential to survive intense, and sometimes overwhelming, experiences.
This book is published through PCCS Books
‘Gek genoeg gewoon Een andere visie op stemmen horen en beelden zien’
by Tilly Gerritsma/Titus Rivas, Deventer Price, 2007, Netherlands.
The phenomenon of hearing voices and seeing images or visions is much more widespread than is commonly thought. Nonetheless, mainstream psychiatry continues to treat such hallucinations as evidence for a mental disorder. ‘Gek genoeg gewoon’ tries to show how outdated this view actually is. Experiential expert Tilly Gerritsma describes her personal process of hearing voices and related phenomena, and how she learnt to deal with them, through the aid of ‘the voice’. She shows that hearing voices can be seen as an opportunity for both psychological and emotional as well as spiritual growth.
Psychologist and philosopher Titus Rivas gives a comprehensive survey of theories about hallucinations. He endorses approaches that offer resistance to a one-sided biopsychiatric view, such as social psychiatry, and emphasizes the reality and normality of paranormal experiences. Hearing voices: an opportunity for emotional and spiritual growth!
About the authors
Tilly Gerritsma (1953) is a mother of four sons. She’s a member of the staff of Stichting Weerklank, and a counselor, and she also gives lectures and workshops about hearing voices and extrasensory experiences.
Titus Rivas, MA (1964) is an author, researcher and teacher. He’s affiliated to Athanasia Foundation in Nijmegen. Ankh-Hermes previously published his book ‘Parapsychologisch onderzoek naar reïncarnatie en leven na de dood’ .
152 pages., pb. Dutch Ankh-Hermes, Deventer Price ca. € 12,50 ISBN 978 90 202 8464 5
Recovery – An Alien Concept, 2nd Edition
by Ron Coleman. P&P Press Limited, 1999
An exploration of the concept of recovery by Ron Coleman, including how he gave up being a chronic schizophrenic and went back to being Ron. In ‘Recovery – An Alien Concept’ Ron attempts to reflect on the past and learn the lessons of history in the psychiatric system, by exploring recovery and encouraging professionals, clients and carers to begin their own personal journeys towards recovery.
In these pages the reader may feel the pain of those for whom the present system has failed, feel the inspiration and joy of those who have recovered, and the desire to make recovery a reality for all in this new millennium.
‘Dedication to the seven: hearing voices in dance’ and ‘Catatonia’
by Louise Pembroke, Mind, 2007.
‘Dedication to the seven: hearing voices in dance’ (DVD – new edition, featuring a new film of the dance ‘Catatonia’)
This new edition of this best-selling DVD features not only ‘Dedication to the seven’, a moving sixteen-minute film of Louise Pembroke’s dance about her experience of hearing voices, but also ‘Catatonia’, a dance which deals with her experience of catatonic states.
The DVD comes with an accompanying booklet containing a wealth of information that will help you understand more about the background to both of the dances.
It is useful as an educational tool to professionals who work with voice hearers, and empowering viewing and reading for all voice hearers.
Meine Stimmen – Quaelgeister und Schutzengel. Texte einer engagierten Stimmenhoererin
(“My Voices – Pest and Guardian Angels. Texts of a Committed Voice Hearer”)
by Hannelore Klafki, Antipsychiatrieverlag, 2006.
This is the document of an unusual woman. It includes her passionate texts on hearing voices, her unveiled biographical memories, her texts critisicing psychiatry and her expressive sculptures.
“…my voices educated me to become a power woman. At some point I decided to stop being a victim.”
Hannelore Klafki died too early in September 2005, so this book is in memory of her life and work within the hearing voices movement. Only available in German.
Aufbruch aus dem Angstkäfig – Ein Stimmenhörer berichtet
(Escaping from the Cage of Fear – A Voice Hearer’s Report)
by Andreas Gehrke, Paranus Verlag, 2003.
For over 10 years Andreas Gehrke fought with intrusive voices from heaven and hell. In more than 15 psychotic episodes they held him in their power.
This book is an amazingly precise and enlightening account of his struggles with his frightening world of voices – and his escape from his “cage of fear”.
It is only available in German.
DVD: Knowing You, Knowing You (Working To Recovery, 2010)
In this moving account, Eleanor Longden tells her own story of recovery and discovery: her journey through the psychiatric system; from being told she would have more chance of recovering if she had cancer; to becoming an award winning psychologist working in mental health.
In the DVD Eleanor talks candidly about her experience of abuse, self harm and voice-hearing.
This DVD is challenging, inspirational and full of hope for people who have these types of experiences, their families, friends and workers.
I am 48 years old and have been living with schizophrenia for 30 years. I currently work as a recovery specialist in a peer center. The idea of beining honest about my experience and understanding is liberating.
I have a 49 year old son. who has been suffering from schizophrenia for more than 39 years . As a child he was brilliant a mathematical genius , high achiever. When in university doing engineering became ill when he was living on university grounds. It started with anxiety. he has been to hospitals many times and dreads them. Voices are his constant companion , so much so that he is hardly able to do any thing. he has some erroneous beliefs. We can not discuss with him. His voices are his constant companion so he is loosing social skills. He lives with us, he believes that people can see through his eyes and hear with his ears . Due to unreasonable fears he does not want to any where. He is still very articulate and looks after himself but absorbed with voices How can we draw him out. He is on medication , which he takes religiously due to fear. The fortnightly injection that he takes makes his voices louder. what can I do to help. he is not married and lives with us. David what helped you. My son is very prviate person
I find it easy to talk to someone you can really trust like a very close friend and I’m lucky to have very close friend, who works as a charity manageress. When I first told about the good and the horrible voices she was very understanding about the whole thing I was going though because the charity deals with people of all ages with mental heath issues emotionally. I have being going since 2008 and every time she sees there she’ll ask if I’d like to talk to her in private, which always put me ease. If she can help me in anyway, she’ll defiantly do her best. If the voices are horrible she’ll let me stay in the her private room, until I feel safe around other people in the living/dinning room.
Thank you for letting tell you all this, as it’s something I don’t like sharing this with others.