Integrating peer work with a specific therapeutic target: Experiences from the Voice Exchange program

New roles are emerging as the peer workforce becomes increasingly established. Whilst much emphasis has focused on peer support and advocacy, there are also specialist roles peers can play in drawing upon their lived experience of particular issues. The Hearing Voices Movement has a long history of peer work with the specific issue of hearing voices, and this has been an area where particular approaches have been advocated in both peer support groups and in individual peer work. Voice Exchange is a peer work program which has been researching the use of specialist one-to-one peer work with voice hearers as a pilot randomised controlled trial. Two peer workers delivered a program combining principles of Intentional Peer Support with therapeutic methods designed to promote understanding of voices, appreciation of voices in the context of the person’s life history, and development of an accepting relationship with voices. We discuss the background to and our experiences of this work to reflect on the specific role that lived experience can have in delivering individual therapeutic work for voice hearers.