August 4th 2016 saw the much anticipated official launch of the Perth Voices Clinic in Perth. This new service is located at the Child & Adult Psychology Service, Building 440, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150.
Dr Georgie Paulik is passionate about supporting Voice Hearers and is behind this new initiative providing much needed support and treatment for the voice hearing community.
It was with great pleasure and a generous donation from Richmond Wellbeing’s PIR service that the Hearing Voices Network of Western Australia was able to invite the Perth Voices Clinic to hold their official launch in our Cannington Headquarters.
We began the evening by acknowledging the official custodians of the land on which we gathered and its traditional owners of which Richmond Wellbeing has strong ties.
After an introduction to the evenings proceedings by Lyn Mahboub she went on to share some information about the origins of the Hearing Voices movement not only in Australia but worldwide. We also learned about the phenomena known as “Voice Hearing” and the multitude of experiences this phrase can cover.
Jacqui Day who is the Coordinator of the Hearing Voices Network West Australia shared with us the services and supports available through the Hearing Voices Network, and the role it carries out in regard to establishing and running Hearing Voices support groups in the community, raising awareness and reducing stigma and anxiety around the experience.
Dr Georgie Paulik addressed a packed house with numbers exceeding those that had registered in total there were 56 guests from all areas of expertise, ranging from Voice hearers and their family and friends, Psychologists, scholars, GP’s, Occupational Therapists board members and many others. Georgie gave us a thorough insight into the concepts, research and desired outcomes on which the clinic operates and the supports and work that is available to voice hearers wishing to engage with her or her
At the conclusion of the session there was opportunity for guests to ask questions to the presenters and then everyone was invited to share in a delicious supper. ne of the areas of interest to Georgie and her colleagues is that of research and Georgie has been involved in some cutting edge therapies both in Australia and overseas which have displayed some very positive results. It is hoped that the same outcomes will occur at the Perth Voices Clinic and in order to facilitate this Johanna Badcock Research Director of the Perth Voices Clinic and Principal Research Fellow & Research Professor at the University of western Australia was able to tell us about an exciting and rewarding opportunity for people to become part of a research panel set up to best shape the research around Hearing Voices.
