International Hearing Voices Congress 2025 will be held in the Czech capital Prague on 10 and 11 October in Congress Wellness Hotel Olsanka. The theme of the congress is: From Childhood to Adulthood.

This annual event brings together voice-hearers, loved ones and other allies in a two-day event that explores and celebrates the diversity of voice-hearing, vision-seeing and related human experiences. It is a space where people from across the world come to connect with, and learn from, one another. The strength of International Hearing Voices Congress comes from the diversity of people who contribute to it.

Most people who hear voices live full lives, where the voices are experienced as a natural part of their existence. Natural doesn’t always mean that this is an easy experience, however. Whilst voices can be inspiring and connective, they can also have a detrimental impact on the person and their lives.

Some people who hear voices experience being categorised as mentally ill, a process that can bring its own negative consequences – over and above any difficulties linked to the voices themselves.

When people are distressed or troubled by the voices they hear, or visions they see, it can be a message pointing to issues that the person is struggling with. Within the international Hearing Voices Movement many people have found that taking an exploratory, curious and respectful approach to the voices has been a helpful path.

At this Congress there will be many people who have experienced this process. Through the many different contributions to the Congress we will explore hearing voices as a natural human phenomenon that should not be pathologised or stigmatised.