Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is a practical, learnable, restorative process.

It offers a means of transforming judgements so as to develop mutual respect and understanding, and provides tools for dealing effectively with challenging situations, and with collaborative decision-making,  at work, at home,  in one’s community and in society as a whole.

It is a practice and a tool that enables us to contribute to social change and to peaceful solutions at a local, national and a global level. It is used in over fifty countries worldwide, by people from all walks of life.

Our training focuses awareness on the needs and values that we all have in common,  and helps people to communicate what matters to them with power and compassion.

How does NVC work?

NVC brings creativity, effectiveness and heart to connection with oneself, and to communication with others. It enables a shift from blame, judgement and criticism, to honesty, empathy and trust.

Both when expressing ourselves and when listening with empathy to others, NVC helps us to focus attention on a simple yet effective four step process for communicating:

Observations
noting without judgement what affects or stimulates us
Feelings being aware of how we are instead of analysing or blaming others
Needs & Values identifying what is really important to us and others
Requests making clear requests that elicit
co-operation for meeting our needs


NVC tends to be effective because it seeks to offer compassionate listening and to address the needs of all involved
.

What are the benefits?

NVC increases our ability to:

  • Build relationships based on compassion and understanding.
  • Hear others with empathy, even when they are expressing themselves in a hostile manner.
  • Make requests in a way that increases the likelihood of getting what we’re looking for.
  • Resolve conflicts in ways that increase trust and mutual understanding.
  • Break patterns of thinking that lead to anger, guilt, blame and depression.
  • Offer feedback and evaluate performance in ways that promote learning and lessen resistance.
  • Celebrate what is going well and stand up for what is really important to you.

Nonviolent Communication (NVC) was developed by Marshall Rosenberg, international peacemaker and founder of the Centre for Nonviolent Communication

For the past 35 years, Dr. Rosenberg and his associates have provided NVC training around the world, offering workshops and conflict resolution sessions for government officials, councils, health care providers, mediators, managers, prisons, police, faith communities, schools, teachers, counsellors and others.

Peace programmes have been initiated in a number of areas with conflict including Rwanda, Burundi, Nigeria, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Sierra Leone, Colombia, Serbia, Croatia Northern Ireland and the Middle East.

Further reading
Marshall Rosenberg’s book, Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life (PuddleDancer Press, 1999) has been translated into eight languages.

An article “The Day of the Jackal” in the April 2012 issue of “Healthcare Counseling and Psychotherapy Journal” by Suzanne Adey provides an accessible introduction to Nonviolent Communication, based on her experience of attending training with Laura Harvey.