10 forensic service users have just finished our 3-day group facilitation course. One attendee had been an inpatient but is now living independently, returning to the ward employed as a peer worker. Three are living in a step-down rehabilitation service and the other attendees are inpatients of three different medium secure wards.

Material covered included language used to discuss experiences, ‘normal’ vs ‘not-normal’ beliefs, different understandings of why people hear voices, voices as messengers, the differences between a peer group and a clinical group, recovery journeys and the Eleanor Longden YouTube video. We also did facilitation skills looking at the role of a facilitator, safety within a group, opening up vs closing down conversations, debriefs and coping strategies.

We had a chance to problem-solve some issues with their current Hearing Voices Group and discussed how they want to use the training in the future. All who completed the training want to go on to co-facilitate their group.

After such a successful result, we plan to roll out group facilitation training for service-users to other organisations next year  🙂

Please get in touch if you’d like to know more!