Grupo de Ouvidores de Vozes: experiência inovadora realizada por suporte de pares Grupo de Ouvidores de Vozes: experiência inovadora realizada por suporte de pares

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to describe the process of implementation and the functioning of a group of voice hearers, patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, in a mental health service in Brazil. It is an experience report. The group was created in 2015 and takes place at the Psychosocial Care Center (CAPS) in the city of Ribeirão Preto - São Paulo, Brazil. It is an open group, with weekly periodicity, one-hour duration, it is a space where people can talk freely about their experiences with the voices. Most of the people who hear voices, their families, professionals and students in the health area participate in the meetings. In the group meetings, the meanings attributed to the experience of hearing voices are shared, strategies used to deal with more challenging situations, experiences of suffering and overcoming. The group is also a tool for building bonds and support networks, in addition to being a space for meeting life stories. Thus, the group has offered the possibility of new dialogues, new meanings and positions regarding the hearing voices, being considered as a space of respect and mutuality for the participants. Following the assumptions of the Hearing Voice Movement, this group was shown to be an innovation for care in mental health services.