Last January we held our workshop on consent to treatment. This week we want to introduce one of working pairs from that workshop. Reshma joined us from India to share her story at our January event. She has been working with Roxanne Mykitiuk. Videos of the presentations will be uploaded soon.

My name is Reshma Valliappan aka Val Resh.

I am from Malaysia and India.

I speak English, Bahasa, Marathi, a little Hindi and gibberish.

I have experience of story telling, giving talks and lectures, have authored a book, few papers, and advocacy.

I want to share a story about recovery, healing, making meaning out of madness, shamanism, relationships, alternate universes, gender-sexual and existential fluidity.

My 7 word autobiography is an alien who spreads love through madness

I joined the VOICES project because…

I hear voices but wasn’t having mine heard for over a decade. I think everyone should hear voices because that is when they realize they can voice themselves. The voices projects is what allows me to do that.

What was your favourite part of the first workshop?

Connecting and forming personal bonds with others. Getting to know them, listening and getting feedback on what works in context to my story and how it can resonate in context to particular CRPD article that needs to be highlighted. I learnt that there was a balance in all stories being brought to the Voices Project which is so important.

What are you hoping to learn from the project?

I have no idea really. Everything is a learning process so I can’t pin point something in particular that I would hope to learn since it doesn’t stop.