The International Hearing Voices Congress is slated to land in the United States for the first time ever in 2017, but needs financial support to ensure that can happen. The Congress is an annual gathering that brings together voice hearers and others from across the world who are invested in the oft life-changing nature of the ‘Hearing Voices’ approach. This 9th edition of the con-ference will be held at Boston University from August 16 to 18, with Hearing Voices USA (in collaboration with Intervoice, the international group founded to support Hearing Voices development across the world) serving as the host. We anticipate participants from not only the US, but also England, Australia, Japan, Greece, France, Ireland and more who will come together to share in their extensive personal and professional experiences and wisdom.
What is the ’Hearing Voices’ approach?: The ’Hearing Voices’ approach seeks to help people make meaning of experiences like hearing voices, seeing vi-sions, and other unusual phenomenon. Unlike most conventional schools of thought, Hearing Voices does not assume that voice hearing (etc.) is inherently bad or the product of an illness, nor does it assume that the only solution is to try and get rid of or put an end to that experience. Instead, it opens the door to many perspec-tives, to the idea that voice hearing (etc.) can be integrated into a full and happy life, and that one of the most important steps to moving forward is having the support needed to feel heard and explore one’s own answers.
“A Hearing Voices group was the first time anyone ever listened to what was going on for me, rather than argu-ing that it wasn’t real and just trying to drug it away. I went from fearing my voices to understanding that they represented traumas in my past, and that they had real meaning. I went from going in and out of the hospital to having a job, friends, and my own place. It’s changed my life.” – Group attendee
What is Hearing Voices USA?: Hearing Voices USA is committed to increased access across the country to Hearing Voices-related information, educational opportunities, and support. At present, it is an all-volunteer organization supported by a Board of Directors primarily made up of individuals who themselves have had ex-periences with voice hearing or similar phenomenon.
What is the expected impact of the Congress (and why should you care)? The Congress will serve as a prime opportunity to build buy-in, network, share information and reach people who might otherwise never come to know about the Hearing Voices movement. It will jump start momentum and create an invaluable opportunity for many people and groups to bring Hearing Voices information and trainings back to their respective areas. As it currently stands, people who hear voices (etc.) are still uniformly being told that they have a lifelong ill-ness with limited treatment options that will necessitate them lowering their expectations for their life. In this way, the US lags far behind dozens of other countries in making this knowledge available.
However, Hearing Voices USA needs your help to make this conference hap-pen. We are seeking to raise $40,000 by June, 2017 to cover food, translation, scholarships, and so much else that will not be able to be covered strictly by registration fees. To contribute please e-mail us at [email protected] or visit our fundraising page at https://igg.me/at/cafomtAOJZo