In the reconstructed documentary, INTERVOICE member, Rufus May shows it is possible to help someone who hears overwhelming and destructive voices to live their life without recourse to coercive treatment and/or powerful medications. “The doctor who hears voices” not only challenges the stigma and prejudices that surround the experience of hearing voices it also provides powerful evidence of the possibility of how people who hear voices can be assisted in learning ways to accept their voices and to recover their life.

This documentary focuses on Rufus' and his support support of Ruth, a junior doctor who is suspended from her job after she starts to hear a voice telling her to kill herself. It follows their 18-month journey as Ruth is determined to become well enough to retain her job and manage her voice and health problems.
It shows how Rufus's innovative approach to working with people who hear voices - including most importantly: respecting the persons own explanation for their experience. Getting them to discuss what their voices are saying and what they represent, whilst also opposing the often automatic and unreliable diagnosis of schizophrenia. Something that rarely if ever happens in most mental health services.

Rufus is not only a leading expert in the field of psychology he also speaks from personal experience. At 18, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and told he would be taking medication for the rest of his life. Rufus quickly decided that his experience would not hold him back and against his doctor's advice came off his medication and trained as a clinical psychologist. He is now revered in his field and has recently been nominated for the Mind Champion of the Year Award 2008 for his efforts to improve public understanding of mental health issues.

Simon
Viewpoint webteam

For more information click below