The Everyday ‘Unusual’ Experiences information handout explores common experiences that are considered unusual, describing their nature and prevalence.
Offers theory, guidance, and prompts for mental health professionals. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.
Includes client-friendly guidance. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.
An editable Microsoft PowerPoint version of the resource.
Everyone has powerful experiences from time to time, and there are many very ordinary reasons why people have experiences that are considered ‘unusual’. Understanding their experiences in the context of other powerful - but ‘common’, ‘normal’ and ‘everyday’ - experiences can help clients to appraise what is happening to them less negatively. The Everyday ‘Unusual’ Experiences information handout explores eight common experiences (or causes for experiences) that can be considered unusual, describing the nature and prevalence of each experience.
This resource helps clients understand unusual experiences and reduce negative appraisals associated with them.
Helps clients understand and make sense of voice-hearing experiences.
Provides insight into the nature of trauma memories.
Describes unusual experiences that sometimes follow bereavement.
Share the handout during sessions to educate clients about unusual experiences.
Use as a basis for discussing clients' interpretations of their experiences.
Highlight that many unusual experiences are common to reduce anxiety and shame.
Everyone has powerful experiences from time to time, and there are many very ordinary reasons why people have experiences that are considered ‘unusual’. Common and powerful experiences include déjà vu, hearing voices, delirium, the effects of grief or sleep deprivation, synaesthesia, and trauma memories.
People’s reactions to these occurrences can vary greatly; even the same experience can be interpreted in very different ways depending on its context. For example, the intense consciousness-altering effects of hallucinogens are welcomed by those who take them recreationally, but would very frightening to those who didn’t understand why they were having these experiences. Among those who hear voices or have strong traumatic memories it is often the case that the experiences are appraised in a negative light.
Understanding their experiences in the context of other powerful – but ‘common’, ‘normal’ and ‘everyday’ – experiences can help clients to appraise what is happening to them less negatively. The Everyday ‘Unusual’ Experiences information handout explores eight common experiences (or causes for experiences) that can be considered unusual, describing the nature and prevalence of each experience. It is designed to help clients normalize and make sense of their experiences, while the language has been kept simple enough to use with a wide range of clients.
