Joachim Schnackenberg studied mental health nursing in England, social work in Germany and did his PhD in hearing voices in Scotland. Over the years he worked in different acute and community settings in England and Germany. He has been part of the international Hearing Voices Movement since the year 2000 and has learned from many recoverd and recovering voice hearing experts (e.g. Ron Coleman), other professionals (e.g. Romme, Escher, Corstens, May) and voices (and similar experiences). In February 2016 he took on the newly created director role of professional lead in hearing voices and recovery in the psychiatric service provider in Kropp, Northern Germany. 

As a co-director of the efc Institute Joachim Schnackenberg has been internationall active as a trainer, counsellor and supervisor since 2007. Since 2009 he has also been working as a researcher/scientist on the topic of hearing voices. He has been publishing in scientific and professional journals and textbooks in English and German since 2006. 

He is also a trained Voice Dialogue Facilitator (working with parts) via Voice Dialogue UK.

Peer review activities, among others, for the following professional journals: BMJ Mental Health; Psychosis (Psychological, Social and Integrative Approaches); Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice; Psychiatrische Praxis; Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy; Nordic Psychology; Journal of Clinical Psychology

Senait Debesay is a trained learning disability nurse as well as a state-recognised therapeutic educator (Diplom-Heilpädagogin (FH)). She has been a part of the Hearing Voices Movement since the year 2006. She has been internationally active as a trainer, counsellor, supervisor and author for the efc Institute since 2007. As a pioneer in this area she has applied the hearing voices approach successfully in different settings with adults, children, young people and their families. Senait Debesay is also a founding member of the trialogical hearing voices group in Hanover, Germany

Her special interest is in empowerment, developmental questions, as well as the potential positive and supporting role of voices in various attachment scenarios, and in the overcoming of difficult and traumatic life events. She is also specialised in selective mutism. She works in a community-based psychiatric facility for children and young people in Hanover, Germany. 

She has been publishing regularly on hearing voices work in both German and English. She is also a trained Voice Dialogue Facilitator (working with parts) via Voice Dialogue UK. 

From 2008 - 2016 Suzanne Engelen was active as part of the efc training team. She was a very able and inspiring trainer. We thank her for her great commitment over all these years and wish her all the best for her future.

She studied mental health sciences as well as social paedagoy in Maastricht/Netherlands. 

As an expert by experience, she is also an active member of Intervoice. Engelen did work, amongst other things, for Weerklank (Dutch hearing voices network) and the TREE project (recovery focussed training). The TREE project aims to facilitate recovery, empowerment and expertise based on experience. 

Suzanne Engelen has worked as a speaker and trainer on voice hearing and recovery internationally, for example in Belgium, Germany, Scotland, Denmark, Bulgaria, Albania, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Ireland and Australia.