Relating therapy for people who hear voices: perspectives from clients, family members, referrers and therapists

Abstract

Current psychological models of voice hearing emphasise the personal meaning that individuals attribute to the voice hearing experience. Recent developments in theory and research have highlighted the importance of the relationship between the hearer and the voice. This study aims to contribute to this area of research, by exploring the experience and usefulness of a new form of 'Relating Therapy' that aims to modify distressing relationships with voices. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten participants and explored the experience and usefulness of a pilot of Relating Therapy: three therapists, three voice hearers, two relatives and two referrers. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Three themes that emerged from the analysis are presented for discussion: engaging with the therapeutic model; developing a new relating style; and how change is described and defined by participants. This study is consistent with the growing body of theory and research that highlights the interpersonal nature of the voice hearing experience. It also offers tentative support for a therapeutic framework that aims to modify distressing relationships with voices as a means of bringing about positive change. Clinical implications and areas for future research are outlined.

Relating therapy for voices (the R2V study): study protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial

“…Specifically, we have explored voice hearing with respect to both the power and proximity aspects of relating and developed RT in order to specifically target these forms of relating. RT aims to re-balance the hearer-voice relationship (without extremes of power or proximal ways of relating) and has been found to be safe, acceptable, and intuitively appealing to therapists and hearers within a previous study [16, 20]. This external pilot RCT will generate a refined study protocol, an indication of recruitment and retention rates, and an estimate of the effect size, in order to inform the sample size calculation for a phase III trial.…”

“…Two of the therapists (including the first author) are familiar with the therapy, having previously delivered it within the case series [16, 20]. The three remaining therapists are experienced in the delivery of psychological therapy for psychotic experiences within trials, and will receive training from the first author.…”

“…[16] in the form of relating therapy (RT) which aims to re-balance the hearer-voice relationship with regard to both power and proximity. Findings from a case series suggested that RT was acceptable to hearers who experienced persistent and distressing voices [16, 20]. Consistent with the call for evaluations of effectiveness to be methodologically rigorous [6], RT should now be evaluated within an RCT design.…”

The meaning of voices in understanding and treating psychosis: Moving towards intervention informed by collaborative formulation

“…Recent developments in theory and research have built on this by highlighting the role of the relationship between the voice hearer and the voice (Hayward & Fuller, 2010). Hayward and Fuller (2010) qualitatively examined ‘Relating Therapy’ that aimed to modify distressing relationships with voices.…”

“…Recent developments in theory and research have built on this by highlighting the role of the relationship between the voice hearer and the voice (Hayward & Fuller, 2010). Hayward and Fuller (2010) qualitatively examined ‘Relating Therapy’ that aimed to modify distressing relationships with voices. The authors found evidence for a model that proposes to bring about positive change by altering relationships with voices (Hayward & Fuller, 2010).…”