Welcome to the Voice of hope community!
Voices of Pain and the Voice of Hope is a resource for everyone - regardless of age, gender or culture. It is more than a book, it is an experience! Engage your senses in this mindful journey from pain and isolation to hope and community.
Everybody has times in their lives where they feel alone, unheard and helpless. Everyone has heard the 'voices of pain' (or negative patterns of thinking) detailed in this book to one degree or another. Everyone has needed encouragement and a sense of love and community around them in times of struggle. We can all relate!
The problem with these 'voices of pain' is that they inevitably leave people feeling isolated, hopeless and
alone - this is the biggest tragedy of all! You are not alone and you are not helpless!
Below is information about the content of the book as well as purchasing details. Make sure you have a look at the Freedom Blog for up to date book info as well as "Voices of Hope." These are the interviews and stories of people who are walking their journeys from pain to freedom and life. Be encouraged!
Book Purchase options are at the bottom of the page.
The Book.....
Voices of Pain and the Voice of Hope is a Visual, Emotional, Spiritual and Tactile journey through from Pain to Hope. It is written as a poem that is designed to expose the common patterns of negative thoughts, feelings and behaviour that keeps people trapped in their pain.
The majority of the poem is divided into two repeating sections: Pain and Hope. The pain pages detail the repetitive voices from seven different common areas of emotional pain or mental health: Eating Disorders, Abuse, Anxiety & Depression, Chaotic Lifestyles, Attachment Issues, Self Hatred and Suicide. Alongside each 'Voice of Pain' is a corresponding picture drawn by someone whilst they were in the midst of their pain.
Following this is a "Selah." Selah means "pause and reflect." The purpose of the Selah is to help people to see that even in the worst times there is still beauty and life and hope. It also teaches the practice of turning towards and through the pain; rather than avoiding it (and worsening the problem!) The words of the selah have been photo-shopped into beautiful panoramic pictures of the New Zealand landscape. This is designed to teach readers to engage their senses in the moment (mindfulness). When they are fully in the moment they are able to realize that (even though things are hard at the moment) they are actually ok - and powerful to make a good choice. The conclusion of the poem is an exhortation to move from the lies and isolation; to face and move through the pain, and to engage in community and hope.
Printing......
The book is designed to have a textural element as part of the reading experience. For example, the 'pain' pictures are printed in grey-scale on translucent plastic-feel paper - so the words of 'pain' will show through the image. This leads to a very tactile and 'mindful' experience while reading. It is also metaphorical as an identity based on pain and shame can be very 'thin' and lacking in substance or depth. The book is hard cover and has a ribbon as part of it's binding so one can pause and reflect throughout their journey through the pages.
Hope......
The final section of the book contains the 'resolved' pictures from each client and a short reflection sharing a part of their journey through their pain. The idea is to encourage those at the beginning of their journey to keep going - because there is life and joy on the other side!
The book also contains brief information on mindfulness and self care for those suffering from emotional pain. Further resources can be found on this website.
A Girl Called Hope.....
An important part of this project is that ALL the profits from the book will go to "A Girl Called Hope." A Girl Called Hope is a residential home for young women (aged 16-28 yrs.) with Life Controlling Issues based in Auckland, New Zealand. They offer a free 6 month program that includes weekly counselling, life skills training; dietician and fitness support. I worked at A Girl Called Hope for over five years and saw first hand the incredible change experienced by the residents.
AGCH receive no Government funding and so are constantly having to fund raise and petition for support. My dream for this book is that it would bring in enough money to significantly ease the fundraising pressure for them. That way they can focus their attention on the excellent and life changing work that they do.
Purchase a Book:
For NZ Customers, feel free to use the below PayPal button, or the following bank details:
Account Name: Voice of Hope Number: 01 0482 0057252 03 Book Price per Item: $25 Courier Nationwide: $5
For multiple book purchases, please email: info@freedom.ac.nz for a discount price!