Join the virtual launch event for the Talking with Voices study!
The Psychosis Research Unit (PRU) has launched its new Talking with Voices (TwV) trial, beginning with a virtual lunchtime event on Thursday 19 October between 12 noon and 1.30pm. We are inviting staff across all UK sites to find out more about this groundbreaking therapy and how to refer service users into the trial.
GMMH’s Psychosis Research Unit wants to invite you to its launch event on 19 October between 12 noon and 1.30pm. Dr Eleanor Longden will introduce the research trial, developed from survivor-led approaches for people who are distressed by the voices that they hear.
The virtual lunchtime event will include:
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Information about the research and the therapy
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Helpful information to refer service users to participate in the trial
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An attractive CPD certificate to evidence your attendance
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The option to stay for a Q&A session between 1 and 1.30pm
You can register for the event via this Eventbrite link, or scan the QR code in the image.
What is Talking with Voices?
Hearing voices that other people can’t (auditory hallucinations) is a common human experience, but it can at times be distressing and difficult to cope with.
TwV is a new form of therapy for voice hearers that comes from the work of the International Hearing Voices Movement. It involves a number of therapeutic techniques whereby a therapist directly interacts with the voice(s) by asking them questions which the voice hearer repeats back out loud.
Over time, the therapist learns more about the voice(s) in order to support the voice(s) and voice hearer to develop a more peaceful, positive, relationship. In addition, the therapist and voice hearer work together to try and understand how the voice(s) may relate to the particular problems in the person’s life.
What research has already been done?
The research team has already run a small study amongst 50 voice-hearers which showed that TwV was seen as an acceptable form of support and could be delivered in the NHS. Feedback from people who took part included that TwV therapy helped them to be able to develop strategies to cope with hostile voices and learn to relate to voices in more harmonious ways. The research team is running a much larger trial to understand whether TwV is an effective treatment and, if so, what aspects of it may be particularly helpful for people.
What is different about this new trial?
This new, larger trial will recruit participants from NHS Foundation Trusts across the country including Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH); South London and Maudsley (SLAM); Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear; and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trusts.
Over 290 participants will be randomly assigned to TwV or ‘treatment as usual’ to evaluate the effectiveness of the new treatment. All participants who take part will receive a baseline assessment and two follow-up assessments at 8 months and 14 months. Participants allocated to therapy will also receive 26 sessions of TwV therapy across 8 months, with the option of four extra booster sessions. All participants who take part in the trial will be equally valued.
You can register for the launch event via this Eventbrite link or scan the QR code in the image above. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact talkingwithvoices@gmmh.nhs.uk.
For more information about the Talking with Voices approach, please visit www.gmmh.nhs.uk/talking-with-voices.
