Supporting Those Who Hear Voices
A Roadmap for Experts by Experience & Experts by Training
Course Description
Those who hear voices or have other unusual perceptions have a long history of being excluded from the conversation regarding the true meaning of their experiences. Weighed down by labels of insanity and stigmas of being dangerous, the 5 to 15% of humans who experience these phenomena most often decline to self-identify, treating their rich inner worlds as a closely guarded secret. Hearing Voices Network is building a community where voice hearers and allies can reclaim their narrative while sharing the insights, support, and strategies that are known to improve quality of life.
Facilitated in collaboration by experts-by-training and experts-by-experience from Hearing Voices Network NYC, this class explores the challenges of a human rights movement discredited before it even speaks. It presents a storied history of the Hearing Voices Movement, describes the value of hearing voices groups, and explores the first-person experience of hearing voices. It covers non-medical solutions for maintaining happiness and stability, as well as strategies to shift inaccurate and discriminatory cultural labels to promote interpretations and strategies for living fully while hearing voices.
What you’ll learn:
The history of the hearing voices movement and approach, including its foundational thinkers, texts, core tenets, and guiding principles
What the experience of hearing voices and navigating non-consensus reality is like
Concrete tools and strategies to strengthen quality of life for those who hear voices
How to integrate aspects of the hearing voices approach in clinical settings
How mental health providers can interface respectfully and effectively with the hearing voices movement
How experts by experience and experts by training can work together to cultivate acceptance and belonging for those who hear voices
Faculty
Hearing Voices - New York City
Hearing Voices NYC is a partnership of voice-hearers, people with lived experience, clinicians, peer specialists, family members, activists, and friends. Together we build non-judgmental spaces and advocate for people with lived experience to be authors of their own narrative. Through our community we also share insights, support and strategies to improve quality-of-life for all those impacted by this common and misunderstood human experience.
Jessica Arenella, PhD, Clinical Psychologist
Jessica is a clinical psychologist with over 20 years experience. She is a founding member of Hearing Voices NYC and past-president of ISPS-US. Dr. Arenella currently works in a psychiatric emergency room in the Bronx and teaches in the Psychology department at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
Dmitriy Gutkovich, Hearing Voices NYC - President
During his 12 years of personal lived experience, Dmitriy has earned leadership roles in nonprofits including Hearing Voices Network NYC, Hearing Voices Network USA, ISPS-US, and NYC Peer Workforce Coalition. He is the recently published author of “Life with Voices: A Guide for Harmony” and collaborates as a project partner for Yale’s Cope Project. He also frequently appears on podcasts and webinars, championing the role of lived experience in the national conversation.
Leah Rokeach, LCSW, Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Leah is a licensed clinical social worker with over 30 years of experience in the field. Until her retirement in 2009, she was the Assistant Director of an adult mental health program for a large Jewish social work agency, Ohel Children's Home And Family Services. She then opened her own private practice, which focuses on working with clients with mental health issues. In 2011, Leah became a member of ISPS-US, where she started to develop an interest in innovative approaches to psychosis. After meeting Ron Coleman, she trained in facilitating hearing voices groups and started her own groups for Orthodox Jewish men and women. Leah is trained and certified in CBT, ACT for psychosis, and compassion focused therapy for psychosis. She has published articles on living with voices and hearing voices groups. Leah was secretary of ISPS-US for two terms and is one of the founders of the HVN-NYC.
What You Get
11 videos full of history, research, and unique perspectives
Exclusive readings and resources
Discussion with a creative community of professionals and advocates inside the course
A reference and resource list to aid ongoing learning and exploration on the course topics
Audience
This course is for:
Mental health and physical health professionals, including: clinicians, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, peer specialists, recovery support specialists, housing specialists, nurse practitioners, wellness support workers, coaches, holistic practitioners
Students
Activists
Family members and advocates
Anyone who works or plans to work with people experiencing mental health-related challenges
Take the Class
This self-paced course is hosted on Mighty Networks, home to IDHA's School for Transformative Mental Health. This virtual community space supports sustained learning, engagement with other students, access to supplemental resources, and opportunities to interact with your faculty.
We provide the option of enrolling for at the general ($20) or supporter rate ($40) to ensure the sustainability of IDHA’s work and enable us to create more accessible, cutting-edge training content.
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If you’re new to IDHA’s Mighty Network, you will be prompted to create an account and then receive access to course content.
FAQ
When does the course start and finish?
This is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access to the course?
After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
What if I am unhappy with the course, content, or platform?
We love hearing your feedback on what we can do to improve our efforts to bring transformative mental health to the public! Shoot us an email at contact@idha-nyc.org and let us know your thoughts. If you disagree with any of the perspectives shown in this course - that's great! We encourage differing perspectives, so feel free to leave a comment in the course - so long as your comments remain respectful and you speak from your own point of view.
I am a person struggling with mental health issues/a family member of someone who is struggling. Can I take the course?
Absolutely! Just note that this course is geared towards professionals in the field, and will speak mostly to those working in a formal support role. However, we welcome anyone who wants to join!
Are refunds available?
At this time, all sales are final, we cannot offer refunds after purchase.