Working with People who Hear Voices and Working with "Psychosis"

A practical introduction to therapeutic interventions; deal effectively with challenges in everyday clinical interaction and communication.

This two day workshop is a practical introduction to working with people who experience hearing voices and also to working with experiences that are often considered "psychosis" by mental health professionals. Such experiences, conversations and exchanges form a large part of the work of mental health professionals but present a challenge in everyday clinical interaction and communication.

This workshop will explore voice hearing and psychotic phenomena from a wide theoretical and philosophical basis but focus on the experience of the person, on the nature of the voice or belief systems for that specific person within their specific life story, recovery journey and context and explore what clinicians can say to help.

Participants should finish the two days with an expanded tool box of possible interventions, questions and skills that address "what to say" in such a conversation (other than ignore, distract or argue). The techniques explored will be practiced over the two days and there will be discussion on how to facilitate groups, work individually with people and how to involve and support care givers, the family and other mental health services.