ABSTRACT
Voice hearers interpret their experiences from a variety of perspectives, amongst which spiritual/religious (S/R) frameworks of meaning are important. For many mental health professionals, S/R interpretations are either not considered at all, or else are explicitly excluded. For others, S/R and medical interpretations are considered as mutually exclusive options, whereas in fact it is not clear that they need to be. An experience of mental illness can also be a spiritual experience within which voices are significantly meaningful. S/R voices may also be heard in the absence of any diagnosable mental disorder, and in the context of prayer. They arise in the context of traditional religious beliefs and practices, but also in the experience of those who identify as spiritual but not religious. Even where voices are not in any sense S/R, spirituality and/or religious faith can be an important coping resource, especially where the experience is a negative one.
