Hearing Voices Movement Getting Louder
As New York shifts toward a more holistic and peer-driven approach to mental health, the Hearing Voices Movement has begun to gain momentum.
Slowly, the concept that people hearing voices and/or seeing visions others do not should be encouraged to talk about these experiences with candor is being looked upon favorably. Self-help peer groups dedicated to the topic are emerging throughout the five boroughs, and Community Access is keeping the energy going.
As a peer, therapist, and the Hearing Voices Group Developer at Community Access, I had the pleasure of attending the NYC 2015 Peer Specialist Conference at NYU. I sat at the table for the NYC Hearing Voices Network, and met a wide variety of individuals seeking to better understand the available resources. When individuals did not have knowledge of the Hearing Voices Movement, we described its approach, which challenges the traditional medical model by re-framing voices, visions and other unique sensory occurrences.
...encouraging people to speak openly...
The movement empowers individuals by shifting away from terms like "hallucinations," and encouraging people to speak openly, diminish shame through community, and make meaning of their experiences. Our pamphlets and wristbands had all but disappeared by lunchtime, and many in attendance shared that they would be passing the materials on to friends, family, and other peers. I was particularly moved when one woman came back to our table late in the afternoon, to let us know she had just run to the hospital to see a young gentleman who is beginning the journey toward exploring the voices he hears. She described his caution about discussing his experiences, as well as the look of surprise, interest, and relief on his face when she showed him our brochure. She shared that it was his first time learning that there was non-pathologizing support available to him.
There was one point of frustration, however, that clouded these otherwise lovely connections. We were made keenly aware of the need for additional services and materials. Multiple people came by asking to order pamphlets in the thousands to hand out in their programs. And there were consistent requests for open groups in the New York area. Unfortunately, at present, there are no groups available to the general population outside of treatment-based environments.
At Community Access, we have regular Hearing Voices groups at EVA, the Respite, and Tinton, and we are continuing to expand. The goal, now, is to begin moving these gatherings out into the community, so that anyone interested can attend. To this end, I am seeking out public spaces open to hosting, and individuals with voice hearing experience looking to help facilitate. I'm feeling optimistic, though, as I encounter more and more people enthusiastic about the remarkable potential the Hearing Voices Movement has in New York City. The interest is there and the time is right - and Community Access is devoted to taking advantage of every possibility for reaching new, and eager audiences.
