Peggy Smith Yearlong Nonviolent Communication Integration Program
 
(2024.11 - 2025.11)
 
*Trainers
 
Lead Trainer: Peggy Smith
 
·      CNVC Certified NVC Trainer
 
·      Mindfulness teacher ordained by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh
 
·      Educator in public and alternative schools for 30+ years
 
·      Developed the Courageous Communication curriculum with men coming out of incarceration
 
 
 Program Planning & Design, Interpreter, Assistant Trainer: Julia Shen
 
·      CNVC Certified NVC Trainer
 
·      Founder of SpaceForHeart.com
 
·      Former Program Manager in the tech industry
 
  
Program Planning & Design, Interpreter, Assistant Trainer: Amy Qiang
 
·      CNVC Certified NVC Trainer
 
·      Parenting Leadership Trainer
 
·      Certified Resonance Healer
 
  
*Program Overview
 
 The course is designed to run throughout the year and is divided into four parts (each part lasts three months, with content that is progressive yet relatively independent, and non-repetitive). Once each part begins, the class will be closed, i.e. not accepting new students. At the end of each three-month part, there will be an open enrollment period for new students to join. The program is delivered via Zoom video conference, once a week, with each session lasting 2 hours.
 
Peggy teaches every two weeks, while Julia and Amy provide Mandarin translation throughout and lead review and practice sessions in Mandarin every two weeks. Note: The review is not a simple repetition of Peggy's teaching content, but rather an in-depth exploration and practice of each week's topic, led by Julia and Amy based on their own understanding of NVC, adapting the content to fit the culture of the Mandarin community. As such, the hours spent in the review and practice sessions will partially count toward the total NVC Trainer Certification Credit Hours in this program. For details, please refer to the “Trainer Certification Hours” section.
 
The video recordings are available for playback on the XiaoETech platform for one year (starting from the date of the last class in each cohort). If slides or other supplementary materials are used, files will also be provided.
 
*Content (Topics per each part listed below may be fine-tuned based on students’ needs)
 

Part I (Nov - Jan) – Cultivating a compassionate self with the essential elements of NVC
What happens when we are suffering? Where do we go in ourselves? How do we react to others in pain? We will study how our brains react when old traumas are stimulated and how empathy can transform old memories. We will learn about how to use presence to actively explore the space of inner calm and awareness that Carl Rogers and NVC calls Empathy. Our exercises will help us strengthen our abilities to stay in a place of presence and acceptance during a flow of dialogue.
 Topics that will be explored but not limited to:
 ~ practical neuroscience that informs NVC usage
 ~ Key elements of NVC from a practical neuroscience lens
 ~ Delving deeper into Universal Human Needs
 ~ Awakening self-awareness, calming my nervous system so we have more access to NVC
 ~ Building a self-empathy practice
 
Part II (Feb - Apr) - Staying with NVC even when things are not going the way I want
Life doesn’t always unfold as we expect or desire, and in these moments, staying grounded in NVC can be especially challenging. We will focus on how we can remain connected to NVC principles, even when situations feel frustrating or out of control. We will further explore the role of self-empathy and how it can anchor us in times of stress or disappointment, allowing us to stay present and compassionate. We will deepen our understanding of making requests in alignment with NVC, and through dedicated practice, strengthen our ability to respond with empathy, both toward ourselves and others, even when things aren’t going as planned.
Topics that will be explored but not limited to:
 ~ strengthening a self-empathy practice
 ~ delving deeper into the Request element of NVC
 ~ practice, practice, practice the classical NVC approach
 
Part III (May - July) - NVC as a Vehicle to Transform our Relationships
Relationships are usually the place where the rubber meets the road of life. This context of intimacy puts all our learning to the test. We will explore how old trauma affects our closest relationships, opening new possibilities with NVC consciousness and skills. We will also explore our cultural conditioning around judgment, holding our inner parts with tenderness and compassion. We will observe our patterns rather than getting absorbed within our stories. Using all feelings and emotions as guides to self-awareness, we connect to the needs underneath, finding our way to authenticity and self-care.

Topics that will be explored but not limited to:
~ strengthening our self-empathy practice
~ Working with “No”.  How can I express “No” with care and consideration AND how can I receive a “No” without disconnecting.
~ Using NVC to transform my self-judgments and my judgements of others
~ Giving & Receiving feedback enhanced with NVC principles
 
Part IV (Aug - Nov) - Communication Where Being Right Doesn’t Matter Anymore
We will experience bringing the art of NVC dialogue to life. These dynamic, interactive sessions will strengthen our abilities to bring NVC into our internal and external conversations. Whether we want to enrich our internal dialogues, our family/ work communications or political/activist communications, participants will practice, practice, practice within the supportive community developed over our year together.

Topics that will be explored but not limited to:
 ~ strengthening and broadening our self-empathy practice
 ~ Using NVC to calm our inner conflicts (internal mediation)
 ~ Making Amends, using NVC to make a repair when I think I have harmed a connection
 ~ Speaking from NVC consciousness without sounding like an NVC robot
 ~ Practice,  Practice,  Practice
 
*Dates & Times
 
Option 1 [Class will open only if a minimum of 10 participants enroll.]
 
Eastern Time: Monday 19:30-21:30 pm/ Pacific Time: Monday 16:30-18:30 pm
 
Part I：11/4, 11/11, 11/18, 11/25, 12/2, 12/9, 12/16, 1/6, 1/13, 1/20
 
Part II：2/10, 2/17, 2/24, 3/3, 3/10, 3/17, 3/24, 3/31, 4/7, 4/14
 
Part III：5/5, 5/12, 5/19, 5/26, 6/9, 6/16, 6/23, 6/30, 7/7, 7/14
 
Part IV：8/11, 8/18, 8/25, 9/8, 9/15, 9/22, 9/29, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3
 
 
China Standard Time: Tuesday 8:30-10:30 am (Nov 2024- Mar 2025)/  7:30-9:30 am (Mar 2025 – Nov 2025)
 
Part I：11/5, 11/12, 11/19, 11/26, 12/3, 12/10, 12/17, 1/7, 1/14, 1/21
 
Part II：2/11, 2/18, 2/25, 3/4, 3/11, 3/18, 3/25, 4/1, 4/8, 4/15
 
Part III：5/6, 5/13, 5/20, 5/27, 6/10, 6/17, 6/24, 7/1, 7/8, 7/15
 
Part IV：8/12, 8/19, 8/26, 9/9, 9/16, 9/23, 9/30, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4 
 

Option 2 [Class will open only if a minimum of 10 participants enroll.]
 
China Standard Time: Tuesday 8-10 pm
 
Part I：11/5, 11/12, 11/19, 11/26, 12/3, 12/10, 12/17, 1/7, 1/14, 1/21
 
Part II：2/11, 2/18, 2/25, 3/4, 3/11, 3/18, 3/25, 4/1, 4/8, 4/15
 
Part III：5/6, 5/13, 5/20, 5/27, 6/10, 6/17, 6/24, 7/1, 7/8, 7/15
 
Part IV：8/12, 8/19, 8/26, 9/9, 9/16, 9/23, 9/30, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4 
 
 
 Eastern Time: Tuesday 7-9 am (Nov 2024 - Mar 2025)/ 8-10 am (Mar 2025 – Nov 2025)
 
Part I：11/5, 11/12, 11/19, 11/26, 12/3, 12/10, 12/17, 1/7, 1/14, 1/21
 
Part II：2/11, 2/18, 2/25, 3/4, 3/11, 3/18, 3/25, 4/1, 4/8, 4/15
 
Part III：5/6, 5/13, 5/20, 5/27, 6/10, 6/17, 6/24, 7/1, 7/8, 7/15
 
Part IV：8/12, 8/19, 8/26, 9/9, 9/16, 9/23, 9/30, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4 
 
 
*Target Audience: Individuals who wish to learn and practice Nonviolent Communication in their lives to improve interpersonal relationships, enhance resilience, and create a more harmonious and fulfilling life. This also includes those who aspire to share Nonviolent Communication.
 
If you enroll from the first session: We encourage you to read Nonviolent Communication at least once before the course begins to familiarize yourself with the basics of Nonviolent Communication (observation, feelings, needs, requests).

*Price
· Enroll the yearlong program:CAD $2,653+13% HST  
· Enroll one part of the program:CAD $690+13% HST

If you’re interested in learning but find the tuition to be a barrier, please reach out to Julia or Amy. We’d like to work with you to find a solution that works for both of us.
  
*NVC Trainer Certification Hours
 Students aiming to apply for trainer certification at the Center for Nonviolent Communication who complete at least 80% of Peggy-led sessions will receive a certificate confirming their online course hours. The hours on the certificate are calculated as follows: Peggy's teaching hours count as 100%, while the review and practice hours led by Julia/Am count as 50%.

 
 
If you participate in this course from the second session onwards: To ensure the effectiveness of your learning, please complete at least 12 hours of training facilitated by a certified Nonviolent Communication trainer before participating in this course.