Communicating authentically is vital to our well-being. How do you know if you’re being authentic? Is your body language congruent with your words? Do people move toward you or away from you? Does your intention match your impact?

What is an Authentic Communication Group? 

The purpose of our sessions is to open our hearts. The group is a powerful way to work directly on interpersonal issues as they arise in the moment. In a learning laboratory, group members interact freely with one another in the here and now. Instead of talking about what happened last week, or worrying about the future, you talk about what is happening right now. Rather than talking about your partner, your boss or your child, you talk about what’s alive in the group. Keeping it real, you describe how you feel toward each other and what happens when you receive feedback from each other.

In this experiential learning lab, you work in a small group of 8 participants with a seasoned facilitator.

“This is my online family where I totally come alive. It’s surprisingly deep. Unlike other zoom meetings, I am fully engaged, leaning into my relationships with people I truly value.”

Modalities 

We’ll rely on four pillars to support connection:

1. Nonviolent Communication
2. Internal Family Systems
3, Diversity Equity and Inclusion
4. Be Here Now

One of the most powerful ways to connect, grow and heal is to learn to speak for your parts as they arise in the moment. Expressing what comes up supports self-awareness, connection and healing. You also may find it useful to name clear observations, share your feelings, express your needs and make requests.

Format

The bi-monthly group meets on Zoom twice a month for 2 hours. And weekly group meets on Zoom every week for 2 hours.
Each meeting is recorded, so you can watch the recording later
You can meet privately with your facilitator for 30 minutes once a quarter to discuss your learning or any challenges you’re facing
This long-term ongoing group has no more than 8 participants

“I joined the group because I never knew what to say… until later. In getting to know my fears, I’ve learned to take risks. I am much more connected to myself, and to others.”

Options

In the group you might practice:

• Naming what you noticed about power dynamics
• Experimenting with new behaviors to get the results you want
• Raising difficult issues with care
• Exploring how gender, race, class, and ability impact the group
• Empathizing with yourself or others
• Giving and receiving honest, consensual feedback
• Communicating mindfully, even when you are emotionally triggered

Experimenting with new behaviors requires taking risks. When you say something about the impact of someone else’s behavior on you, you give the group a gift. You learn not only how to communicate more authentically, but also discover that doing so allows you to raise issues live and resolve them for the benefit of the whole group.

When you reveal your unique qualities, including the shadow sides of yourself, you can release shame and heal your wounded parts. As everyone in your group becomes more and more authentic, you may find that you care deeply about each member of the group.

“This sacred gathering space is with people around the world. I appreciate the healing process of true Self responsibility.”

One of the more powerful outcomes is that members build a high-trust, open-hearted, supportive group.

As the group develops ease with being present in the moment, you enter a state of flow and aliveness. In this space, you can build better relationships by:

• Getting in touch with your parts
• Expressing your vulnerability
• Finding the courage to bring up and work through difficult issues
• Communicating your anger or hurt with care
• Receiving support and care from others

Group Composition 

Our intention is to create diverse groups. Because NVC and IFS have primarily attracted white folks, and because people of color sometimes experience tokenism in these settings, we are intentionally creating groups that include people of many ethnicities, genders, sexual orientation, and social class.

Bring a colleague: 

To support diversity, we request that you bring a person from an ethnicity different from yours. If you have the means, consider offering to pay for someone with less access to resources.

“In the safety and openness of our group I come alive with energy, clarity, creativity and courage to explore, experiment, and express. The process of self-discovery and integration is accelerated.”

Facilitators 

Martha was a founding partner of Leadership that Works, where she supported social change activists to develop compelling visions, improve their communication, bring spirit into team building, and develop a coaching culture. She has authored three books: Coaching for Transformation; Facilitating with Heart; and Courageous Visions. Martha is a certified trainer for the Center for Nonviolent Communication and has led many International Intensive Trainings. She coaches visionary leaders and teams to develop a culture of collaboration, feedback, authenticity and mutual support. Martha has presented several programs at the annual conference for the International Association of Facilitators, including “Facilitating Difficult Conversations,” and “Coaching for Personal & Organizational Transformation.”

Get Started 

For more information about the group, read Get Started and Group Agreements. No matter how much detail we provide, it can be difficult to understand this form of learning until you actually experience it. That’s why we offer a free pre-group interview with the facilitator to see if the group is a good fit for you. If you decide to try it out, you can pay $150 to join the group for a month and then if you want to continue, we ask for a 6-month commitment.

Groups Info 

To see the dates and times of all our groups, go to authenticcommunicationgroup.com

To join the waitlist for any of these groups or suggest a time that would work for you, contact us.