Research has been and remains a central part of the international hearing voices movement. Many well-known scientists are part of the movement. 

The movement does also consider it to be one of its tasks to contribute to further develop helpful and relevant research methods. For example, sharing one's own recovery story, a common practice within the Hearing Voices and Recovery Movement has become accepted and established as a relevant and authoritative source of evidence within user-orientated recocvery research.

Even though by now there are many recovery stories in relation to efc (Living with Voices. Romme et al., 2009), tradititional efficacy studies are somewhat limited. However, in order to further evaluate the efficacy of efc with traditional research methods, a randomised controlled pilot study was recently conducted by Joachim Schnackenberg in collaboration with different psychiatric organisations and under the supervision of the University of the West of Scotland, as well as the University of Applied Sciences, Hanover. 

The pupblication of the study: "A randomised controlled pilot study of Experience Focussed Counselling with voice hearers." showed efc as a safe and potentially helpful intervention in the reduction of voices related distress. Since the completion of this study Joachim Schnackenberg has also been part of an additional research project, a randomised case series (Making Sense of Voices: a case series) in England (which included a focus on talking with voices). He was part of the training team. He also functioned as a consultant in the research team and as the main supervisor for the interventionists on the project. He is currently also active as a consultant in an additional research project about the efc intervention in Switzerland and Germany. 

The efc Institute is always looking for additional research partners. Do please contact us at info[at]efc-institut.de if you are interested in a collaborative research process. 

Scientific journals (invited articles)

1. Schnackenberg, J., Romme, M. und Escher, S. (2008) Stimmenhören - ein Phänomen emanzipiert sich, Kerbe - Forum für Sozialpsychiatrie, 26(4), 4 – 7
2. Schnackenberg, J. (2008) Stimmenhören verstehen. Erfahrungsfokussierte Beratung mit Stimmenhörern, Psychosoziale Umschau, 23(3), 13 – 15.
3. Schnackenberg, J. und Bomke, P. (2015) The need to refocus mental health service provision to endorse recovery and resilience to achieve better mental health outcomes, Adjacent, March 23
4. Schnackenberg, J., Schumacher, B. und Debesay, S. (2019) Stimmenhören und Recovery: erfahrungsfokussierte Beratung mit Stimmenhörenden - ein Aufruf zu neuen und mutigen Beziehungen, Psychiatrische Pflege Heute, 25(3), 139 - 146
5. Schnackenberg, J., Debesay, S. und Feldmann, C. (2020) Stimmenhören verstehen als Schlüssel zum Recovery in der erfahrungsfokussierten Beratung, Kerbe - Forum für soziale Psychiatrie, 38(1), 17 - 18
6. Schnackenberg, J. (2022) Der Blick über den Graben: das Vereinigte Königreich und die Psychiatrie, Sozialpsychiatrische Informationen, 2/2022

Peer-reviewed scientific journals

1. Schnackenberg, J.K. und Martin, C.R. (2013) The need for Experience Focussed Counselling (EFC) with voice hearers in training and practice: a review of the literature, Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 21(5), 391 – 402
2. Schnackenberg, J., Martin, C.R. und Fleming, M. (2016) A randomized controlled pilot study of Experience Focused Counselling with voice hearers, Psychosis. Psychological, Social and Integrative Approaches, 9(1), 1 – 13
3. Schnackenberg, J., Fleming, M., Walker, H. und Martin, C.R. (2018) Experience Focussed Counselling with Voice Hearers: Towards A Trans-diagnostic Key to Understanding Past and Current Distress - A Thematic Enquiry, Community Mental Health Journal, 54, 1071 – 1081
4. Schnackenberg, J., Fleming, M. und Martin, C.R. (2018) Experience Focussed Counselling with Voice Hearers as a Trauma-sensitive Approach. Results of a Qualitative Thematic Enquiry, Community Mental Health Journal, 54, 997 - 1007
5. Steel, C., Schnackenberg, J., Perry, H., Longden, E., Greenfield, E. und Corstens, D. (2019) Making Sense of Voices: a case series. Psychosis. Psychological, Social and Integrative Approaches, 11(1), 3 – 15
6. Steel, C., Schnackenberg, J., Travers, Z., Longden, E., Greenfield, E., Meredith, L., Perry, H. & Corstens, D. (2020). Voice hearers´ experiences of the Making Sense of Voices approach in an NHS setting. Psychosis, 12(2), 106 – 114.
7. Burr, C., Schnackenberg, J. und Weidner, F. (2022) Talk-based approaches to support people who are distressed by their experience of hearing voices: A scoping review, Frontiers in Psychiatry, Onlineveröffentlichung: 10. Oktober 2022, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.983999
8. Schnackenberg, J., Fleming, M. und Martin, C.R. (2023) Experience Focussed Counselling with Voice Hearers as a Recovery-Focussed Approach: A Qualitative Thematic Inquiry. American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, 22(3-4), 125 – 146.
9. Burr, C., Schnackenberg, J., Richter, D. und Weidner, F. (2023) Pilotstudie zu erfahrungsfokussierter Beratung durch Pflegende bei Menschen, die Stimmen hören, Pflege, https://doi.org/10.1024/1012-5302/a000962

Chapters in textbooks (invited chapters)

1. Schnackenberg, J. (2016) Auf Stimmen hören. Erfahrungsfokussierte Beratung als Ausweg aus psychiatrischer Bedeutungslosigkeit, in: Loch-Falge, J., Heinze, M. & Offe, S. (Hrsg.), Stimme Stimmen Stimmungen, 52 - 67. Berlin: Parados Verlag
2. Parker, I., Schnackenberg, J. und Hopfenbeck, M. (2021) Introduction, in: Parker, I., Schnackenberg, J. und Hopfenbeck, M. (Hrsg.) The Practical Handbook of Hearing Voices: Therapeutic and Creative Approaches Monmouth: PCCS Books
3. Corstens, D. und Schnackenberg, J (2021) Medication and voices: reflections from a relational perspective, in: Parker, I., Schnackenberg, J. und Hopfenbeck, M. (Hrsg.) The Practical Handbook of Hearing Voices: Therapeutic and Creative Approaches Monmouth: PCCS Books
4. Schnackenberg, J.K., Iusco, O.-M. und Debesay, S. (2021) Experience focused counselling with voice hearers (Making Sense of Voices), in: Parker, I., Schnackenberg, J. und Hopfenbeck, M. (Hrsg.) The Practical Handbook of Hearing Voices: Therapeutic and Creative Approaches Monmouth: PCCS Books
5. Parker, I., Schnackenberg, J. und Hopfenbeck, M. (2021) Conclusion, in: Parker, I., Schnackenberg, J. und Hopfenbeck, M. (Hrsg.) The Practical Handbook of Hearing Voices: Therapeutic and Creative Approaches Monmouth: PCCS Books
6. Schnackenberg, J., Debesay, S. und Burr (2023) Stimmenhören, in (Sauter, D., Needham, I., Abderhalden, C. und Wolff, S. (Hrsg.)), Lehrbuch Psychiatrische Pflege, 4. Auflage, Hogrefe Verlag
7. Schnackenberg, J., Debesay, S., Iusco, M.-O., Feldmann, C. und Burr, C. (2023) Nicht geteilte Realität, in (Sauter, D., Needham, I., Abderhalden, C. und Wolff, S. (Hrsg.)), Lehrbuch Psychiatrische Pflege, 4. Auflage, Hogrefe Verlag
8. Schnackenberg, J. (2023) Hearing Voices. in Hanley, T. und Winter, L. A. (Hrsg.) Sage Handbook of Counselling and Psychotherapy, 5th edition, London: Sage Publications Ltd.

Brochures/Leaflets

1. Pauge, M., Netzwerk Stimmenhören Schweiz, Iusco, O-M., Debesay, S. und Schnackenberg, J. (2023) Der kleine Leitfaden zum Stimmenhören und ähnlichen Erfahrungen, Köln: Psychiatrieverlag

Books (invited)

1. Schnackenberg, J. & Burr, C. (2017) Stimmenhören und Recovery. Erfahrungsfokussierte Beratung in der Praxis. Köln: Psychiatrieverlag.

Editored book (invited)

1. Parker, I., Schnackenberg, J. und Hopfenbeck, M. (Hrsg.) (2021) The Practical Handbook of Hearing Voices: Therapeutic and Creative Approaches Monmouth: PCCS Books

Plays (in consulting role)

1. Carruthers, P. (2022) The possibility of colour (Trailer), Tree Fish Productions

Short film (in consulting role)

1. Mork, L. (2024) World Hearing Voices Congress Paris 2023

Additional relevant articles and books can be found on the websites of Intervoice, Understanding Voices, the Netzwerk Stimmenhören Schweiz (Hearing Voices Network Switzerland) and the Netzwerk Stimmenhören (Hearing Voices Network Germany)