Nonviolent Communication

Do you want to resolve conflicts - with yourself and others - in ways that honor your deepest needs? Do you want solutions that work for you and also meet the needs of others? Nonviolent Communication is about how to make that happen. It's about creating the kind of relationship that helps to meet, or at least honor, everyone's needs. It doesn't always get us what we want, but it greatly increases the chances of truly satisfying our underlying needs.

Therapy is all about relationships and communication: relationships with ourselves, with our partners, attachment figures, with our communities, with our environments. And communication is the primary way we interact with all of those entities. Nonviolent communication is a specific and mindful way of speaking that requires emotional identification and vocabulary, self regulation, attunement, and trust. Ultimately, it's a method of communication that will improve all of your relationships.

Most of us have been taught to communicate passively, critically, or manipulatively––and that’s so normal to us that we don’t even realize we’re doing it. That is, until we find ourselves feeling powerless to get our needs met, repeating the same conflicts with those we love, and feeling alone or trapped in our relationships. The nonviolent framework provides a systematic approach by teaching us to be present to our own needs, feelings, and requests without blaming others or internalizing shame.

I have found nonviolent communication to be extremely helpful in clearer and more accurate expression. Additionally, the use of nonviolent communication bypasses many of the standard miscommunications and perceived offenses of standard conversation, facilitating information flow without argument. Interestingly, the use of nonviolent communication may also make the speaker appear more charismatic and persuasive.

Step by step guidelines to express our feelings, needs, and requests.  Applies to communication, setting boundaries, and relationships.

Nonviolent communication helps to communicate from a place of compassion and empathy to share thoughts, feelings, basic human needs, self-responsibility, and the desire for connection.

Often we struggle within our relationships due to a lack of understanding of how to communicate. Nonviolent communication gives us a good framework to learn the art of communication.

I use Non-violent Communication (NVC) in my life both personally and professionally because it's such a direct way to speak to our feelings and needs while respecting ourselves and the person we're communicating with. I find it's most helpful as a tool when people are just beginning to speak more kindly to themselves and meet their needs. NVC is great for improving your self-talk, not just how you communicate with others!

Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is a wonderful technique for helping you connect to your own feelings and needs, and figure out ways to work through conflicts with others in a clear and compassionate way.

I enjoy teaching Nonviolent Communication (NVC) to families and individuals as a framework for difficult, emotion-heavy conversations. I find that it reduces conflicts and makes it easier to discuss tough topics.

I believe the way we communicate is very important. The words we choose and how we say them NVC is a way to express our needs and ask for what we want without blaming or accusing the other person. Learning to express our needs in a way that others can hear and receive and maybe even understand and acknowledge their own needs can make relationships flow much better.