Frequently Asked Questions

What is “hearing voices”?

A range of sensory experiences commonly known as ‘auditory hallucinations’ but are not always experienced as ‘auditory’, and includes visual, tactile, smell etc (internal or external) sensations also. It also includes living with distressing beliefs associated with these experiences. So basically, it’s defined as any extra ordinary perceptual experience which is perceived as separate from oneself

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Who hears voices?

Research has identified that hearing voices is apparent in 2-4% of the general population, and between 50-75% of people hear voices at some time in their lives.

Hearing voices is NOT exclusive to people diagnosed with Schizophrenia!!

• 20% of people diagnosed with mania hear voices
• 10% of people diagnosed with depression hear voices;
• People who have experienced the following all can hear voices:
  • Psychological trauma;
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder;
  • Organic conditions (incl. brain tumours, Parkinson’s Disease, migraines, hyperthyroidism, temporal lobe epilepsy, Alzheimer’s Disease, and delirium);
  • Recreational drug use;
  • Alcohol;
• Some people who have NO pathology at all can also hear voices, and this includes grief hallucinations, where a person hears the voice of a loved one who has died.

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What are the stages of voice hearing?

Stage 1 ~ Startling Phase:

• Voices start – VH denies them
• Withdrawal leads to isolation
• Remember clearly the first voices they heard
• Some voices positive – VH strengthened
• Some voices negative – VH suffers

Stage 2 ~ Organizational Phase:

• Select voices
• Initial panic may change to anger
• Apply strategies to hearing the voices i.e. talking to voices, ignoring voices, listening to voices
• Important that VH accepts voices and take responsibility for own experience

Stage 3 ~ Stabilization Phase:

• VH gained control over voices
• Voices have become part of ones-self
• Acceptance that they hear voices

It is important to realize that voice hearers move through these stages, so they may be in stage 3 with one voice, but in stage 1 with another voice!

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What is a Hearing Voices Network?

A group of people, both professional and consumers who are interested in the Hearing Voices experience.

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What is the history of the Hearing Voices Networks?

It all started with a conversation between psychiatrist professor Marius Romme and a patient of his, who asked him why she had to believe that God exists because Marius believed in God, but why wouldn’t he accept that she heard voices. This conversation led to Prof Romme investigating this, and finding that there were a lot more people in a similar situation as his patient, and therefore he organised to go on Dutch TV (much like an Oprah Winfrey show), to talk about hearing voices. This resulted in 750 people contacting him afterwards, with 450 of those respondents hearing voices, and 300 not being able to cope with the experience. Professor Romme got all these people together at a conference, and so the Hearing Voices Network was born.

In Australia, Richmond Fellowship WA brought out Voice Hearer and World Trainer Ron Coleman from Scotland in 2005. This visit led to RFWA auspicing the HVNA. Currently, HVNA is fully funded and supported by RFWA.

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Where are the Hearing Voices Networks located?

Click here to view Australian and International Hearing Voices Networks.

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What is INTERVOICE?

INTERVOICE stands for the International Network for Training, Education and Research into Hearing VOICEs. The website is www.intervoiceonline.org

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Who do you offer training to, and what kind of training do you offer?

Hearing Voices Awareness Workshops are run on an almost monthly basis. It includes the following topics:

• Hearing voices and other like experiences
• The working with voices approach – history
• Simulated voices exercise (where the audience experiences a brief snapshot of what it is like to hear voices)
• Consequences of hearing voices
• Latest research
• Interview schedules for working with voices
• Basic group facilitation training
• Ways of working with voices, including both voice profiling and voice dialogue

The training is open to anyone interested in expanding their knowledge base around the hearing voices experience. Most people who have attended are mental health workers working with clients who hear voices.

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When will the Hearing Voices Awareness Workshops be held, and what is the cost?

Dates are yet to be finalized, but these 2-day workshops are held once a month. Check the events calendar for further details.

The cost for the workshop is $220 which includes GST. Catering is included in this cost. They are held at Richmond Fellowship WA (head office), 32 Burton St CANNINGTON WA 6107.

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What information can you send me??

Our Information Pack, which contains an Information Booklet which explains the whole experience, and contains practical information for people who hear voices. It also contains a Coping Strategy Poster for those who hear voices, as well as some information for family members and friends, and a membership form.

Information packs are mailed out free of charge.

Click here to order your free Information Booklet.

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What is a hearing voices group?

Typically, within HV Groups a number of people who share the experience of hearing voices, come together to help and support each other, exchange information and learn from one another.

Hearing Voices Groups are based on the common peer support principle, that a problem shared is a problem halved.

Peer Support means giving help and encouragement to people who are equal to each other. In other words, they are mainly run by people who hear voices for people who hear voices. (Just an aside: some hearing voices groups are run by mental health workers, only because they are still new, and members need to develop connections and the skills to run the groups themselves, but the ultimate aim is that the groups are run by consumers.)

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What benefits can I expect to get out of attending a hearing voices group?

Often people are more comfortable talking to someone of their own standing than they are talking to a professional. What is discussed at a group is not reported back to any clinician or service.

Groups allow people to explore the relationships between their life history and their experiences of hearing voices. They offer an acceptance and a sense that one is not alone in their experiences, it’s a safe place to talk about voices and visions, and it’s a place where people can build supports and social networks. Group meetings contain elements of practical self help and promote self determination, which means that you can do with the information you receive at the groups what you want to do.

Basically, in a hearing voices group, voice hearers come together to share their experiences with other people, who are going through or have gone through the same experiences, and give tips and strategies to each other about living with the experiences of hearing voices. Groups don’t always every week focus on voices alone – frequently discussions are held about other areas of life people are having difficulties with also, including but not restricted to dealing with doctors, psychiatrists and counselors, as well as difficulties associated with taking medications.

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Where can I find a Hearing Voices Group?

Click here for a list of Hearing Voices Groups.

If you are interested in attending a group in any one of these locations, you are encouraged to make contact with the person listed. Register your interest in attending and just make sure the group is operating that week.