Hearing Voices Workshop

The Hearing Voices simulation is a groundbreaking empathy-building exercise that helps individuals, students, and professionals understand the challenges faced by people with psychiatric disabilities

Hearing Voices: A simulated training experience

Just as rehabilitation students gain insight into the experience of physical disability by using wheelchairs, so too can mental health professionals and students experience a simulation of some of the challenges facing people with psychiatric disabilities.
Hearing Voices Simulation Workshop is an experiential workshop during which participants use headphones to listen to a specially designed recording.
During this simulated experience of hearing voices, participants undertake a series of tasks including social interaction in the community, a psychiatric interview, cognitive testing, and an activities group in a mock day treatment program.
The simulation experience is followed by a debriefing and discussion period.

Workshop curriculum helpful to a wide range of mental health professionals

The curriculum for this workshop has been developed and piloted for a wide range of mental health professionals including: inpatient/outpatient psychiatric nurses, psychiatrists, social workers; psychologists; direct care workers in residential, day treatment and psychosocial rehabilitation programs; mental health administrators, policy makers; and police officers, academic faculty and students.

Attending a workshop

If you are interested in attending the workshop, contact Vancouver Island Mental Health Society to arrange to book a space. The workshop is offered on an occasional, ongoing basis. Workshops are provided free of charge. Donations are welcome and accepted.