This is not a Dublin North, North East Recovery College course.

Talking with Voices - Learning from the Dialogue

A Two-Day Workshop 1st and 2nd April, 2019

School of Nursing and Human Sciences

Dublin City University

9.30am – 4.00pm

Facilitators: Rufus May and Elisabeth Svanholmer

People who hear distressing voices can be entangled in repressing dialogues with their voices that limit their lives. Talking to the voices is a technique that enhances a more fruitful relationship between the voices and the voice hearer. This work is inspired by Voice Dialogue, a method developed by Hal and Sidra Stone. In this workshop the framework will be explained. The technique and attitude necessary for speaking with the voices will be demonstrated and participants will have the opportunity to practice the techniques. Indications and contraindications will be discussed, and examples will be given that clarify the potentials of this approach.

The workshop will include: Mapping out the voices people are hearing; Voice dialogue understandings that everybody has different parts or sub-personalities; Dialoguing as a self-help tool; Using compassionate communication skills; How to dialogue with someone else's voices; Deciding whether or not to use the dialoguing technique; Grounding strategies; Creative ways to dialogue with voices

This free workshop, funded by the Nursing and Midwifery Practice Development Unit (NMPDU) and organised by the Irish Institute of Mental Health Nursing (IIMHN), is targeted primarily at mental health nurses, whose applications will be prioritised, but applications are also open to other mental health workers and people who experience voices.

Rufus May has worked as a clinical psychologist in adult mental health services for 20 years. He provides training and consultancy in recovery and integrative based approach to psychosis and other mental health problems. His interest in psychological approaches to psychosis and recovery is rooted in his own experiences of psychosis and recovery in his late teens. www.rufusmay.com

Elisabeth Svanholmer has worked since 2006 as a Danish Hearing Voices Network trainer and facilitator. Her recovery journey has inspired her to use her own experiences of living with voices and other unusual experiences to help others. Elisabeth is passionate about facilitating creative, supportive spaces for people to talk about their experiences and learn from each other. Living in the UK she is still one of the organisers of a bi-monthly Danish open meeting for hearing voices groups in Western Denmark. Her blog is: https://livinglifegently.live/

To book a place, please complete the application form and email to mary.farrelly@dcu.ie or post to the address on the form. Places are limited, so early booking is advised.

Rufus May and Eisabeth Svanholmer flyer and app form for 2 day voice dialogue