Sunday, February 14th 7-9pm

This event is free and open to All.

Is Green Portland a final destination or a train stop to a truly diverse Portland? Who cares for a diverse Portland? Please join us for a two hour Open Forum. Listen and speak on how you as an individual or your community want and need more inclusion in our hometown.

Read the full description and get more information here: http://bit.ly/91Yau5.

Ongoing Groups

Voices And Extreme States Support Group

What is it like to live with voices, visions, and extreme states of consciousness? What do these experiences mean to you? How can we learn to accept and live with who we are? What are ways to cope with fear, trauma, isolation, and overwhelming responses? Are there positive, creative, and spiritual sides to what we go through? What is mental diversity all about?

Will Hall was diagnosed with schizophrenia and is an internationally recognized mental diversity educator, advocate, and counselor. www.willhall.org

Open to people who hear voices, see visions, and have unusual beliefs, including mental health diagnosis of bipolar, schizophrenia, and psychosis. Inclusive, non-judgmental, pro-choice and pro-diversity. Donation requested, no one turned away for lack of funds.

For information contact
portlandhearingvoices@gmail.com
www.portlandhearingvoices.net
413.210.2803

Download the Voices And Extreme States Support Group Flyer here: www.portlandhearingvoices.net/files/VoicesVisionsDifferentRealitiesGroupFlyer07-09.pdf

Holistic Mental Health Education Group -- please note group is postponed for now!

Join Naturopathic Physicians Dr. Elissa Mendenhall and Dr. Krista Tricarico, who will present on holistic mental health options and lead a group discussion. Learn about everything from nutrition, supplements, herbs, holistic treatments and more.

Download the Resource Guide here: www.portlandhearingvoices.net/files/ResourceGuideHolisticMentalHealthGroup-Mendenhall.doc

Download the Healthy Holidays handout here: http://www.portlandhearingvoices.net/files/HealthyHolidays.pdf

Open to all. Inclusive, non-judgmental, pro-choice and pro-diversity. Donation requested, no one turned away for lack of funds. People who hear voices, have unusual beliefs, altered states of consciousness or mental health diagnosis are especially invited.

For information contact
portlandhearingvoices@gmail.com
www.portlandhearingvoices.net
413.210.2803

Download the Holistic Mental Health Group Flyer here: www.portlandhearingvoices.net/files/HolisticMentalHealthGroupFlyer07-09.pdf

Past Events

Mental Illness Or Spiritual Awakening?
New Visions of Mind and Crisis
with
Ed Knight and
Will Hall

Wednesday, November 18th 2009, 6pm-8:30pm

Download the flyer for printing and distributing here

Info: Portland Hearing Voices 413 210 2803, portlandhearingvoices@gmail.com, www.portlandhearingvoices.net

Two spiritual practitioners diagnosed with schizophrenia ask, Is "mental illness" spiritual? How does trauma relate to enlightenment? What do Eastern religious traditions tell us about madness? Are there holistic treatment alternatives? Can we acknowledge spirit without romanticizing crisis?

Join us for a presentation and discussion to discover new perspectives in mental health.

With:

Ed Knight is dually diagnosed with schizophrenia and alcoholism, the Steward of The Healing Circle, a Zen Peacemaker Circle, and a Senior in the Buddhist Zen Peacemaker Sangha. A widely recognized researcher and teacher in mental illness recovery and mutual support, Ed is Vice President of Recovery, Rehabilitation and Mutual Support at Valueoptions, as well as a mentor in the Prison Dharma Network. www.professored.com

Will Hall is diagnosed with schizophrenia and his advocacy work includes Portland Hearing Voices, Mental Disability Rights International, The Icarus Project, and hosting Madness Radio, heard on KBOO FM. A longtime meditator and yoga practitioner, Will is currently studying Process Oriented Psychology. Will was featured in the Newsweek magazine article "Listening to Madness." www.willhall.net

Tendremos una mini-presentacion en espanol para participantes hispanohablantes.

Radio interviews with Ed Knight and Will Hall here:
http://www.madnessradio.net/madness-radio-buddhist-meditation-and-schizophrenia-ed-knight
http://www.madnessradio.net/madness-radio-2004-04-14-ed-knight-recovery-and-transformation

About Portland Hearing Voices:
Founded by schizophrenia survivor Will Hall, Portland Hearing Voices organizes support groups, educational events, holistic alternatives, training, and counseling resources for people who experience voices, visions, and different realities often labeled as mental disorders. (Fiscally sponsored by Mental Health Association of Portland.) www.portlandhearingvoices.net.

Co-sponsored by: Portland Hearing Voices (www.portlandhearingvoices.net)
and
Mental Health Association of Portland (www.mentalhealthportland.org)
Mental Health Association of Oregon (www.mhaoforegon.com)
ValueOptions (www.valueoptions.com)
Great Vow Zen Monastery (www.greatvow.org)
Portland Evolver (http://evolver.net/group/evolver_portland)
Portland Padmasambhava Buddhist Center (anitad335@aol.com)
Process Work Institute (www.processwork.org)

Music Benefit for Mental Diversity at Backspace June 11th 2009 Thursday 8pm!

On Thursday, June 11, 8pm join Portland Hearing Voices at a Launch Celebration Music Show at Backspace (115 NW 5th Ave/Couch in Portland)!

At the benefit show you'll have a chance to listen to some great local music, learn more about Portland Hearing Voices, discover a little about voice-hearing and non-ordinary sensory experiences, raise some seed money to get us off the ground -- and have some fun!

Come hear performers The Reed Sea, Reclinerland, and Gavin Castleton -- sweet and soulful musicians. Listen at their websites, and thanks to their generosity in performing for mental diversity in Portland:

The Reed Sea http://www.thereedsea.com/

Reclinerland: http://www.myspace.com/reclinerland

Gavin Castleton http://www.myspace.com/gavincastleton

Please spread the word and join us June 11th at 8pm at Backspace (115 NW 5th Ave)! We're asking $5-15 at the door (our policy is that no one will ever be turned away for lack of funds). We also need a couple of volunteers to help with event logistics, and we really want you to invite your friends, colleagues, and community to come as well - word of mouth is key.

A wonderful opportunity to hear some great music, hang out, and connect.

Portland Hearing Voices is a new education and support effort to promote mental diversity. We create public education, discussion groups, and other community support related to hearing voices, seeing visions, and having unusual beliefs and sensory experiences. Portland Hearing Voices aims to reduce fear and misunderstanding, question stereotypes, overcome isolation, and create a more inclusive and supportive community. Check out http://www.portlandhearingvoices.net for more information, to join our Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Hearing Voices Video and Discussion:

Public Screening of "Hearing Voices" Documentary and Discussion of New Educational Project

Tuesday, March 31 2009 6-7:45pm
Downtown Multnomah County Public library meeting room
801 S.W. 10th Avenue @ Yamhill
Portland, Oregon

contact:
Portland Hearing Voices
portlandhearingvoices@gmail.com
413-210-2803
www.portlandhearingvoices.net

On Tuesday, March 31 2009 at 6pm the hour-long BBC documentary video "Hearing Voices" will be screened at the downtown Multnomah County library in Portland, at 801 S.W. 10th Avenue. The 1995 documentary interviews a number of voice hearers and presents many different points of view on this little-understood phenomenon. The video will be followed by a community discussion.

A small percentage of people hear voices no one else hears and have other unusual sensory experiences. Sometimes these voices and sensations can be painful and terrifying, but sometimes they are creative and even spiritual. Throughout history the mysterious meaning of hearing voices has defied any final explanation.

What is it like to hear voices and have unusual sensory experiences? How do people learn to live with their voices? Are voices always part of pathology and disorder, or are they related to sensitivity and creativity or have other meaning? How are Hearing Voices Groups in England and Europe providing ways for voice-hearers to gain greater control of their lives?

This event is sponsored by Portland Hearing Voices, a new community learning partnership dedicated to education around hearing voices, unusual sensory experiences, and mental diversity. The discussion will be led by Will Hall, a voice hearer diagnosed with schizophrenia and the program director of Portland Hearing Voices.

This event is free and open to the public, on public transit, and wheelchair accessible. Because of chemical sensitivities, please do not wear scented body products.

For information, contact
Jess Jinkies, Outreach Director
Portland Hearing Voices

portlandhearingvoices@gmail.com
413.210.2803
www.portlandhearingvoices.net

Please consider emailing and contacting your friends and colleagues to invite them to the showing, and putting up a notice in your community or workplace. You can find the press release for the event here, and the poster/flyer here.