FROM THE ASSESSOR, JIM MANSKE

I'm grateful to have been a part of making history in Japan. Yukari has become the first certified trainer in Japan that does not speak English. And since I don't speak Japanese, we had lots of puzzles to solve.

I'm grateful for the support of CTs Shigeko Suzuki and Ken Anno who mentored Yukari (and me) through the process. We also got precious support from candidate Tomomi Karube-Muir and interpreter Skip Swanson. along with many other trainers, candidates, and community members in Japan.

I first met Yukari several years ago when offering NVC in Japan. Years later when we started talking about her becoming a candidate, I had apprehension about how it could work. And yet without a fluent Japanese assessor, what else could Yukari have done. I wondered, how can NVC help us transcend the barrier of language?

The answer? Yukari's creativity, stamina, and devotion to NVC, as well as the support of the community she is part of in Japan. I can barely imagine the extra energy and love required to work with an assessor who does not speak Japanese. Additionally, the number of resources available to Japanese speakers are limited compared to those available for English-speaking or bilingual candidates and practitioners. Can you imagine if you wanted to become certified within a program where you spoke your birth language, but every resource and support system was in Martian?

Her work is helping me, along with 6 other certified trainers in Japan, to develop an assessment system in Japan in alignment with the Certification Preparation Process as well as the culture of Japan. Please join me in offering a warm welcome to Yukari to our Global Community of Certified Trainers.

From Yukari:

[EN] Ever since I was a little girl, I loved spending time in nature. I picked flowers and grass, found insects, and found nuts to take home and collect in drawers and boxes. At school, I enjoyed caring interactions with my friends. Despite my attraction to warmth and beauty, in my family, fathers dominated mothers, mothers dominated their children, and when they didn't like what was happening, they would use their power to make them bow down to them.

I was scolded for being my true self. To protect my life from violence, I left my parents at the age of 16 and chose to live on my own. Furthermore, by discovering and continuing to learn NVC, I was able to choose to communicate with my husband and children in a way that continued to celebrate life itself and foster connection, rather than the disconnected communication I had received from my own parents. Going through the certification process was a journey of integration for my own life. 

[JP] 私がなぜ、NVCを伝えるか、その意図と願い

私は、小さいころから自然の中で過ごす時間が好きでした。花や草を摘み、虫をみつけたり、木の実をみつけては家に持ち帰り、引き出しや箱に集めていました。学校では友達たちと思いやりに満ちた交流を楽しんでいました。温かな心や美しいものに心が惹かれるのとは裏腹に私の家庭では父親が母親を支配し、母親が子どもたちを支配し、気に入らないことが起きると、パワーでひれ伏させるということが日常的にあり、家庭は安心な場所ではなく、親の顔色を気にして自分を抑制しなくてはならず、本来の自分でいたら叱られる、そんな環境でした。私は私の命を暴力から守るために親元を16歳で離れ、独りで生きてゆくことを選び、苦労の末、映像制作の道へ入りました。さらに、NVCに出会い、学び続けることで、自分の親から受け取った、関係を断絶するコミュニケーションではなく、私の夫や子どもたちに対し、命そのものをお祝いし続け、つながりを育むコミュニケーションを選択することができました。認定プロセスを歩むことは、私自身の人生を統合する旅路でした。

FROM THE ASSESSOR, Gina Lawrie

Manuela is from Romania and shares NVC through her work in a school. She was part of a group of parents and teachers who founded the school based on NVC principles. She is connected internationally with others applying NVC in schools and is translating Marianne Göthlin's materials into Romanian as well as holding an intention to share her own experience more widely. I love hearing her passion for this school and care for all the people involved. Manuela is committed to her ongoing journey befriending her jackals. I look forward to her contribution to our NVC community.

From Manuela:

My journey with NVC has been one of discovery and rediscovery, of finding inspiration to live my life with more honesty, authenticity and integrity with what I intuitively knew deep down inside me. My favourite chapter from Marshall's book is the first one, on the topic of doing things from your heart. That sounds so simple, isn't it...? It turns out it can be complicated to be simple. NVC has been a very effective tool to act from my heart in the world.

FROM THE ASSESSOR, Gina Lawrie

Marco’s NVC journey began way back in 2000, and he celebrates that he had opportunities to learn from Marshall. He was attracted to the certification path in the early 2000s and returned again more recently with a new focus. Marco has many years of experience volunteering and working internationally for world peace and social change and is now focused on the intentional community based on deep ecology that he has founded with his partner in Italy. Learning self-care and seeking empathic support has been a very important development so that he can maintain the huge energy that he puts out into the world. Although Italian by birth and settled back there now, Marco has lived in many countries, and it made sense to him to do his certification assessment in English. He is connected with the NVC community in Italy as well as internationally. I celebrate Marco’s energy and passion and look forward to his contribution as a certified trainer.

From Marco:

Gratitude for Nonviolent Communication is a mainstay of my inner experience when I ponder on my NVC journey. It has been such a profound and powerful transformation, meeting needs for meaning, connection, and hope, among others. I consider myself to have been blessed by life with the opportunity to train with Marshall himself and many, many different CNVC Trainers on several occasions between 2000 and 2005. A candidate for certification back then (2002-2005), I was immediately enthused to share NVC within contexts of great distress and violence, e.g., working with street children in Peru and in many other socially ‘intense’ opportunities.

The social change aspect of embodying and sharing NVC has gained an even deeper meaning in recent years – since 2018 in particular – when I could both share and live NVC within the Extinction Rebellion, as well as working with pacifists groups in Italy, and now, since well over two years ago, working and living in a deep-ecology intentional community in the Alps of NW Italy, which I co-founded with my partner Isabel, also an enthusiastic sharer of NVC. Sharing NVC as a non-certified trainer for many years, I recently realized I needed belonging and companionship and decided to resume and complete the certification path.

I am surprised by how deeply meaningful and nourishing this most recent leg of my journey was. I sat down many early mornings to put together my portfolio and felt deeply moved to reconnect to all the different periods of my journey, between Belgium and France, and Switzerland, the U.K., then Italy, in four different languages. In just a couple of months, I revisited 23 years with NVC and celebrated my learning and discoveries, and much fun. I felt sorrow recalling interactions with people long gone, including Marshall and Vilma Costetti. I cherished the time to reflect, as well as all the unexpected additional learning, especially with the community events and feedback offered and feedback received, and all the new people I have grown close to.

I feel grateful for the experience of final assessment done in community, developing together an experience of transformation towards a partnership paradigm. I found myself so much nourished in my needs for connection, learning, growth. I have a huge smile on my lips as I connect to gratitude for all the people with whom I have shared my journey so far, and I am eager to continue journeying together.

FROM THE ASSESSOR, JOHANNES HENN

[EN] I met Kristina in 2019 when she decided to start the process of certification. From the beginning I felt very comfortable in our contact, I found in it eye level, openness and an unconditional desire to grow and develop. On our various mentoring days, she demonstrated her skills in facilitating group processes and leading exercises. I was inspired to see how she was touched by feedbacks and reactions from her peer group, her networking and also her family. It seemed to me that she absorbed the topics and always understood them as an impetus and support in working on her growth areas.

Again and again, she also impressed me with her pictorial and yet very clear language. I liked Kristina's genuineness and her commitment, which was expressed in her handling of her and our resources and her participation in the Repaircafe. And now I find that again and celebrate that she wants to continue to be involved in our candidate community after her certification and support and guide future candidates moving towards assessment in an assessment circle. I am happy to welcome her to the international circle of our certified trainers!

[DE] Ich habe Kristina 2019 kennengelernt, als sie sich für den Prozess der Zertifizierung entschieden hat. Von Anfang an habe ich mich in unserem Kontakt sehr wohl gefühlt, ich fand in ihm Augenhöhe, Offenheit und den unbedingten Wunsch zu wachsen und sich zu entwickeln. Auf unseren verschiedenen Mentoringtagen zeigte sie ihre Kompetenzen beim Moderieren von Gruppenprozessen und beim Anleiten von Übungen. Mich inspirierte es, zu sehen, wie sich von Rückmeldungen und Feedbacks aus ihrer Peergroup, ihrer Netzwerkarbeit und auch ihrer Familie berühren ließ. Mir schien es, als ob sie die Themen aufnahm und sie stets als Anstoß und Unterstützung bei der Arbeit an ihren Wachstumsfeldern begriff.

Immer wieder beeindruckte sie mich auch durch ihre bildhafte und dabei sehr klare Sprache. Mir gefiel Kristinas Echtheit und ihr Engagement, das sich in ihrem Umgang mit ihren und unseren Ressourcen und ihrer Mitarbeit im Repaircafe ausdrückte. Und auch jetzt finde ich das wieder und feiere, dass sie sich auch nach ihrer Zertifizierung weiter in unserer Kandidat*innengemeinschaft engagieren möchte und zukünftige Kandidat*innen, die sich auf das Assessment zubewegen, in einem Assessmentkreis unterstützen und begleiten möchte. Ich freue mich, sie im internationalen Kreis unserer zertifizierten Trainer*innen begrüßen zu können!

From Kristina:

For many years I worked as an editor because communication has always interested and fascinated me. But it wasn't until the idea of Nonviolent communication came into my life that I understood what it means to speak from the heart – and to really listen. I am so gratefull for all the changes through NVC in my life: a new openness and vulnerability, at the same time I feel more inner strength. It was NVC that made me realize the natural power and spirituality we all have beeing deeply connected. Working as a trainer now, I love to support others on their way to find more of theese qualities in their lifes. And there are so many magic moments ... Facing a world in big trouble, it gives hope to me to be part of the CNVC-community. I want to help watering this flower, let it grow.

FROM THE ASSESSOR, RODGER SORROW

I’m celebrating Leina Ball stepping into the role of Certified Trainer with the Center for Nonviolent Communication. I have been honored to accompany Leina on this journey. We met and began collaborating in 2017. I saw a community builder as she stepped up and organized the 11th Annual NVC Conference and as a leader in the SoCal NVC community, SoCal Certification Pod, and a frequent presenter at NVCDayOne. She has a passion for sharing NVC with families and schools and brings a genuine warmth and presence anchored in self-connection with strong empathy

From Leina:

I earned my Master’s in Teaching through a whole child program in 1998, then spent a dozen years navigating the traditional education system. In 2007, as a burned-out educator with an at-risk teen at home I became a consultant for the National Writing Project (NWP). Through my work with the NWP, I realized everyone is a writer and writing is a powerful tool to think, learn, heal, remember, release, transform limiting beliefs, and so much more!

In 2010 I was hired at an NVC-based charter school. This began my introduction to NVC skills and consciousness, and the shared power partnership paradigm. In 2011, I began attending annual NVC conferences organized by Rodger Sorrow. With my writing practice and compassionate communication skills and consciousness waves of relief rippled into my work life and my home life. I started to disentangle from the stories I was telling myself and all the misery they were causing. As I awakened to the programming I was running, I felt well supported amid my community of skillful communicators. I found liberation moving beyond right-wrong and good-bad dualistic thinking traps.

As an educator I knew I wanted to share the skills and consciousness of NVC with young people, their parents, and my fellow educators. My ever-expanding NVC community gifts me with a space to practice being heart-centered, expressing myself authentically, and nourishing empathy exchanges. Heaven! When you find something that makes life more wonderful you want to share it with others, which inspired my path to become a certified trainer.

I will be co-hosting a family heart camp in southern California starting in the summer of 2024. I am excited to join a community of trainers who hold a shared vision of a world where all needs are held with care, where we can have more authentic communication with awareness of power differences, more ease, more equity and more connection. I look forward to our collaborations and my ongoing learning.

FROM THE ASSESSOR, MICHAEL DILLO

[EN] Natalie learned about Nonviolent Communication (NVC) in 2009 and decided to pursue the certification path in 2015. In October 2015, she got in touch with me and participated in the Mentoring and Assessment Days (M&A Days) organized by the German-speaking Swiss Assessor Team (CHD Team) for the first time.

Natalie's motivation for seeking certification was that she often felt on the outskirts of communities in her life. NVC deeply touched her heart, and going through the certification process meant committing herself to a group of people who would walk this path together. It was like a test to see how wholeheartedly she could align herself with this movement. She was aware that this journey would make her face her own vulnerability, but she saw it as an opportunity to feel alive and experience personal growth.

Natalie's intention was to bring the principles of NVC into familiar contexts. She planned to offer introductory courses in social institutions and Steiner schools, where she already had a network. Additionally, she wanted to provide individual support to people involved in caring for intellectually disabled or dementia patients.

During the early years of her candidacy, we encountered each other several times in different situations, such as seminars, M&A Days, and one-on-one conversations. It was sometimes challenging to find common ground. Natalie often felt a sense of inequality within a group. We worked together to shape the certification process in a way that focused on “power with” and collaboration rather than "power over" or "power under." Throughout this process, we both experienced moments of confusion and occasional discomfort. 

In 2020, Natalie decided to contribute to "Fokus Empathie" and remained active there for two years. The institute is led by Benedikt Loser and Patricia Walker (both members of our CHd team). She became a co-trainer in NVC-Practitioner seminars and actively participated in practice and community days. During this time, she evolved as a trainer, transitioning from using many words to a calmer and more quietly present style. She became adept at making precise and concise statements and demonstrated empathetic understanding, especially in small group settings and individual support sessions.

Natalie continued to attend the M&A Days twice a year as a participant. We observed her becoming increasingly composed and empathetic in guiding and facilitating group processes. This gave us confidence that she lives and shares NVC in a way that aligns with our values. Therefore, as a team, we have decided to recommend Natalie for certification.

[DE]  Natalie hat GFK im Jahr 2009 kennengelernt und sich im Jahr 2015 entschieden, sich auf den Zertifzierungsweg zu begeben. Sie hat im Oktober 2015 Kontakt mit mir aufgenommen und daraufhin auch zum ersten Mal an den Mentoring- und Assessmentagen (M&A-Tage) des Deutsch sprechenden Schweizer AssessorInnen Teams (CHd Team) teilgenommen. 

Ihre Begründung für die Zertifizierung war damals, dass sie sich in ihrem Leben oft am Rande von Gemeinschaften erlebt habe. Die GFK habe ihr Herz tief berührt. Sich auf den Zertifizierungsprozess zu begeben, bedeutete für sie, sich verbindlich auf eine Gruppe von Menschen einzulassen, mit denen sie gemeinsam diesen Weg gehen würde. Der Weg bedeutete also eine Prüfung, inwieweit sie sich mit ganzem Herzen dieser Bewegung anschliessen kann. Sie war sich bewusst, dass sie sich damit ihrer eigenen Verwundbarkeit stellen würde, und sah dies als Chance sich lebendig zu fühlen und Wachstum zu erleben. 

Natalie’s Absicht war das GFK-Gedankengut in ihr bekannte Zusammenhänge hineinzutragen. Sie hatte von Anfang an die Absicht, Einführungskurse in sozialen Institutionen und in Steinerschulen anzubieten, wo sie bereits ein Verbindungsnetz aufgebaut hatte. Gleichzeitig war ihr Anliegen, einzelne Menschen, die in die Betreuung geistig behinderter oder dementer Menschen involviert sind, individuell zu begleiten.

In den ersten Jahren ihres Weges als Kandidatin begegneten wir uns mehrmals in verschiedenen Situationen (Seminare, M&A-Tage, Einzelgespräche), wo es manchmal schwierig war, einen gemeinsamen Boden zu finden. Natalies Thema war oft das Gefühl, sich in der Gruppe nicht gleichwertig zu fühlen. Wir arbeiteten daran, den Zertifizierungsweg so zu gestalten, dass es nicht um "Macht über" oder "Macht unter" geht, sondern um das gemeinsame Teilen von Macht ("Mach mit"). Dabei erlebten wir beide auch irritierende und zuweilen schmerzhafte Momente.

Natalie entschied sich 2020, bei "Fokus Empathie" mitzuarbeiten und war dort zwei Jahre lang aktiv. Das Institut wird von Benedikt Loser und Patricia Walker (beides Mitglieder unseres CHd-Teams) geleitet. Sie fungierte als Co-Trainerin in GFK-Practitioner-Seminaren und nahm engagiert an Übungs- und Community-Tagen teil. Während dieser Zeit entwickelte sie sich als Trainerin weiter, indem sie von anfänglich vielen Worten auf der Gedankenebene zu mehr Ruhe und stiller Präsenz fand. Sie konnte treffende und kurze Aussagen machen und zeigte empathisches Einfühlungsvermögen, besonders in Kleingruppen und Einzelbegleitungen.

Natalie kam weiterhin regelmässig als Teilnehmerin zu den zweimal im Jahr stattfindenden M&A-Tagen. So konnten wir erleben, wie Natalie zunehmend ruhiger und einfühlsamer Prozesse in einer Gruppe begleitet, anleitet und hält. Dies hat uns das Vertrauen gegeben hat, dass sie GFK in den von ihr angestrebten Kreisen auf eine Art lebt und weitergibt, die im Einklang mit unseren Werten steht. So ist es eine gemeinsame Entscheidung des Teams, Natalie die Empfehlung zur Zertifizierung auszusprechen.

From Natalie:

[EN] I distinctly recall the moment I first heard about Nonviolent Communication. I was a farmer and mother of five children and was training to become a Waldorf teacher. During that time, I had a strong desire to develop myself and to enhance my abilities to support young people to develop individually. But years of intense challenges passed until GFK grabbed me again in 2008 and has never let go since. At that time, the quote "Do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy? You can't be both" made a deep impression on me. I began to pause and reflect on what was important for me as a quality of life. 

I soon discovered what profound change I could bring to my life by dropping the desire to be right, taking responsibility for my feelings and needs, and letting go of expectations for others to be as I wanted them to be. However, it took years to overcome deeply ingrained patterns and to truly embrace this new version of myself. Self-doubt kept surfacing, preventing me from finding my inner strength and cultivating a compassionate attitude towards myself and others.

When I think of all my companions and trainers on this journey, especially Marshall Rosenberg (whom I had the pleasure of meeting briefly), my heart fills with gratitude and love for the enrichment they have brought to my life. I would especially like to mention Simone Anliker, Patricia and Benedikt from Fokus Empathie, and my assessor Michael Dillo. These coaching personalities have provided me with a challenging and intensive learning experience, for which I’m extremely grateful.

NVC has permeated my life and touched all aspects of it. In my role as a social therapist, as a mother and as a partner, I have observed how preconceived notions of what is good for others, what is expected, what is done out of sheer duty or because it is "normal", jeopardise the wellbeing of individuals or of the whole community. So-called helping actions can quickly become abusive, well-intentioned actions can lead to traumatic experiences, and criticism can end in a dead end. Reclaiming the life force present in every human being (the divine energy) that longs to manifest and unfold in a safe space call for mindfulness and new structures. 

For me, it has become crucial to question old thinking that has often become engrained in the structures of communities and to practice open and non-judgmental encounters. This means cultivating observation, including of my own thinking, and practising this with others. In this mindful "awareness" I experience the essence of life that nourishes me and others with love.

As a companion and as a coach I want to see myself as a midwife who accompanies birth processes without pretending to, who opens space for resources and supports painful phases lovingly and empathically. I want to be someone who asks in every situation what share of resources I can provide and who retains openness and curiosity for what wants to emerge anew. 

[DE]   Ich erinnere mich genau an den Moment, als ich zum ersten Mal von der Gewaltfreien Kommunikation hörte. Ich war Bäuerin und Mutter von fünf Kindern und befand mich in der Ausbildung zur Waldorflehrerin. In dieser Zeit hatte ich den starken Wunsch, mich weiterzuentwickeln und meine Fähigkeiten zu verbessern, junge Menschen zu unterstützen, sich frei zu entfalten. Doch Jahre voller intensiver Herausforderungen vergingen, bis mich GFK 2008 erneut packte und seither nie mehr losliess. Damals beeindruckte mich das Zitat "Willst du Recht haben oder glücklich sein? Beides zusammen geht nicht". Ich begann innezuhalten und zu überdenken, was für mich als Lebensqualität wichtig ist. 

Bald entdeckte ich, welch tiefgreifende Veränderung ich in mein Leben bringen konnte, indem ich den Wunsch fallen liess, recht zu haben, die Verantwortung für meine Gefühle und Bedürfnisse übernahm und die Erwartungen an andere, zu sein, wie ich sie haben wollte, losliess. Es dauerte jedoch Jahre, bis ich tief verankerte Muster überwunden und diese neue Version meiner selbst wirklich angenommen hatte. Immer wieder tauchten Selbstzweifel auf, die mich daran hinderten, meine innere Stärke zu finden und eine mitfühlende Haltung mir selbst und anderen gegenüber zu kultivieren.

Wenn ich an alle meine Wegbegleiter und Trainer auf dieser Reise denke, insbesondere an Marshall Rosenberg (den ich kurz kennenlernen durfte), füllt sich mein Herz mit Dankbarkeit und Liebe für die Bereicherung, die sie in mein Leben gebracht haben. Besonders erwähnen möchte ich Simone Anliker, Patricia und Benedikt von Fokus Empathie, und meinen Assessor Michael Dillo. Diese Trainerpersönlichkeiten schenkten mir Inspiration, Lernmöglichkeiten und Herausforderung, für die ich extrem dankbar bin.

NVC hat mein Leben durchdrungen und alle Aspekte davon berührt. In meiner Rolle als Sozialtherapeutin, Mutter und Partnerin habe ich beobachtet, wie vorgefasste Meinungen darüber, was für andere gut ist, was erwartet wird, was aus blosser Pflicht oder weil es «normal» ist, getan wird, das Wohlergehen von Einzelnen oder von der ganzen Gemeinschaft gefährdet. Sogenannte Hilfsaktionen können schnell übergriffig werden, gut gemeinte Aktionen können zu traumatischen Erfahrungen führen, und Kritik kann in einer Sackgasse enden. Die Rückbesinnung auf die in jedem Menschen vorhandene Lebenskraft (die göttliche Energie), die sich danach sehnt, sich in einem sicheren Raum zu manifestieren und zu entfalten, verlangt nach Achtsamkeit und neuen Strukturen. 

Für mich ist es entscheidend geworden, altes Denken, das sich oft in den Strukturen von Gemeinschaften eingraviert hat, zu hinterfragen und offene Begegnungen zu praktizieren. Das bedeutet, die Beobachtung in mir zu kultivieren, auch die meines eigenen Denkens, und dies mit anderen zu üben. In diesem achtsamen "Gewahrsein" erfahre ich die Essenz des Lebens, die mich und andere mit Liebe nährt.

Als Wegbegleiterin, Coach und Workshop-Organisatorin möchte ich mich als Hebamme verstehen, die Geburtsprozesse begleitet, ohne sie zu vorzugeben, die Raum für Ressourcen öffnet und schmerzhafte Phasen liebevoll und empathisch unterstützt. Ich möchte jemand sein, der in jeder Situation fragt, welchen Ressourcenanteil ich zur Verfügung stellen kann und der sich Offenheit und Neugierde für das bewahrt, was neu entstehen will.

FROM THE ASSESSOR, VINCIANE MARLIÈRE AND LAURENCE BRUSCHWEILER

We are delighted to recommend Catherine PIEL for certification. What we like is her ability to express herself authentically, without imposing her values. Coming from a background in healthcare and then education, she is now mainly involved in these fields. She is also very active in creating local networks linked to NVC.

From Catherine:

from the assessor, STEPHANIE BACHMANN MATTEI

It is hard for us (Susan and Stephanie) to translate into words the joy we experience to present our colleague Beth Morgan as a Certified Trainer. Beth's journey with NVC started almost two decades ago with a workshop led by Faye Landey (2007). Beth has been a faithful participant first (2013) and assistant then for several years of the Parent Peer Leadership Program (PPLP) contributing to parents all over the world by honestly sharing her joys and challenges to integrate the partnership consciousness in daily life with her two grown up daughters.

Of the many strengths I see in Beth, there are two that I want to celebrate here: 1) One is her ability to share NVC through personal life stories. Whenever Beth shares an episode of her life, I feel completely engaged and curious, fully listening to her words; 2) The capacity I have consistently witnessed to make clear, doable requests. Visually impaired, Beth has skillfully learned when and how to say NO in order to stay in her personal power and when and how to honestly ask for support when needed. Please, join us in welcoming Beth into our community of certified trainers. ~ Stephanie Bachmann Mattei and Susan Jennings 

from beth:

I am a person who is “differently abled” with very little vision. But oh, have I learned patience! I also depend on creativity, resilience, and authenticity to get me by. And most importantly, a healthy dose of trust in the innate caring of the human heart. I first discovered NVC in 2008 and officially began the certification path in 2019. I was an assistant in the Parent Peer Leadership Program for 7 years. My heart is full of joy and gratitude to the following people for their care and support: Stephanie Bachmann Mattei (Assessor), Susan Jennings (Assessor in Training), and Tricia Martin (certification buddy and playmate).

I joyfully celebrate being part of the world wide web of NVC trainers and practitioners, sharing a vision of interconnectedness and egalitarianism with empathy and authenticity. Weaving these ideas into my interactions and presentations supports my vision of uniqueness and diversity, finding common ground in our shared humanity and working together for the well-being of all life, including our planet.

I hope to advocate for and collaborate with individuals and organizations to support an understanding of power differentials; support an understanding of the impact of access or lack of access to resources; support an understanding of the value of community to co-create and share the whole range of human experiences. Out of this understanding, change that supports the enrichment and well-being of all can begin. I am drawn to contributing to the following communities:

• Children and family systems, focusing on power differentials, creative/playful problem solving, and the valuation of all voices.
• Nursing homes, senior facilities, and similar situations, focus on dignity, autonomy, and quality of life.
• People who are differently abled, neuro-divergent, and/or who have physical challenges, supporting their empowerment in navigating and influencing change that facilitates their inclusion.

Whatever is ahead for me on my journey, I will approach it with NVC consciousness, anchoring in self-connection, choosing empathic listening and/or authentic expression to create a bridge of connection across frequently turbulent waters. | “If I keep a green bough in my heart, the singing bird will come.” - Old Chinese Proverb

from the assessor, MICHAEL DILLO

[EN] Uma and I first met in April 2018 at the 10 Years D-A-CH e.V. Congress in Mannheim, Germany. We were both participants at the event. At that time, Uma was in the final stages of her registration as a trainer with the Fachverband e.V. (Germany). I remember our first encounter on the banks of the Rhine because Uma was already very open about the challenges she faced in her personal relationships and with other NVC trainers, even though we had just begun our shared journey (which we didn't know back then...). From our initial conversations, it became apparent to me that our path together would be unusual and likely challenging for both of us.

Uma's main intention with NVC is to reach people in her immediate social circle. She advocates for social change, specifically supporting individuals with limited resources, and she continuously seeks new, creative ways to implement her projects with minimal financial means. Over the years, I have been present at various occasions where Uma shared NVC with others. I have seen Uma accompany individuals with great warmth and empathy, as well as moments where she aimed for more than the situation allowed, leading to a disconnection with the participants.

Uma and I extensively explored the misunderstandings that could arise through emails, especially WhatsApp messages and voice notes. At the same time, I recall numerous intense Skype/Zoom conversations where we experienced a deeply touching and mutually nurturing connection. Despite several moments of irritation and frustration along our shared path, we have never lost mutual respect and always trusted that NVC would guide us towards understanding and connection. I deeply admire Uma's persistence and seriousness in addressing her own life themes and her unwavering commitment to self-discovery.

In November 2020, Uma made the decision to end our journey together, with me as her assessor. However, she continued to participate as a participant in the twice-yearly mentoring and assessment days organized by our German-speaking Swiss assessors’ team. Even though I wasn't her assessor anymore, she actively stayed in touch with me and the other trainers/assessors on our team. She never stopped pursuing her path with determination. As a result, the entire team and I witnessed Uma becoming more adept and sensitive in guiding, instructing, and holding group processes. This gave us the final confidence that she lives and shares NVC in a way that aligns with our values. Consequently, it was a unanimous decision by the team to recommend Uma for certification.

[DE] Uma und ich sind uns erstmals im April 2018 beim 10 Jahre D-A-CH e.V. - Kongress in Mannheim (Deutschland) als Teilnehmende begegnet. Uma war damals gerade in der Endphase ihrer Registrierung als Trainerin beim Fachverband e.V. (Deutschland). Diese erste Begegnung am Ufer des Rheins ist mir in Erinnerung geblieben, weil Uma schon zu Beginn unseres gemeinsamen Weges (was wir damals noch nicht wussten …) sehr offen von ihren „Baustellen“ erzählt hat, die es sowohl in ihren persönlichen Beziehungen als auch zu anderen GFK-TrainerInnen gab. Aus unseren ersten Gesprächen war für mich ersichtlich, dass ein gemeinsamer Weg ungewöhnlich, vermutlich auch - für uns beide - herausfordernd sein würde.

Uma hat die Absicht, mit GFK vor allem Menschen in ihrem näheren Lebensumfeld zu erreichen. Sie unterstützt dabei den sozialen Wandel, indem sie sich speziell für Menschen mit geringen materiellen Ressourcen einsetzt und für sich selbst nach immer neuen, kreativen Wegen sucht, ihre Projekte mit geringen finanziellen Mitteln umzusetzen.

Über die Jahre bin ich bei verschiedenen Anlässen zugegen gewesen, bei denen Uma GFK mit anderen Menschen geteilt hat. Ich habe Uma in Situationen erlebt, in denen sie einzelne Personen mit grosser Wärme und Empathie begleiten konnte. Und ich habe auch Situationen erlebt, in denen sie mehr erreichen wollte, als in der Situation gerade möglich war und dann die Verbindung zu den Teilnehmenden unterbrochen war.

Uma und ich haben ergiebig getestet, welche Missverständnisse sich durch Mails, vor allem aber durch WhatsApp Messages und Sprachnachrichten auslösen lassen. Gleichzeitig erinnere ich mich an eine Vielzahl von intensiven Skype-/Zoom-Gesprächen, in denen wir oft eine sehr berührende, beidseitig als nährend empfundene Tiefe erlebt haben.

Trotz einer Reihe von Irritationen und Frustrationen entlang des gemeinsamen Weges haben wir den gegenseitigen Respekt nicht verloren und fest darauf vertraut, dass wir mittels GFK einen Weg zu Verbindung und Verstehen finden. Ich empfinde in mir eine grosse Achtung dafür, dass Uma mit Beharrlichkeit und Ernsthaftigkeit ihre eigenen Lebensthema bearbeitet und nicht lockerlässt, sich selbst zu ergründen.

Im November 2020 hat sich Uma entschieden, den Weg mit mir als Assessor zu beenden. Uma kam aber weiterhin als Teilnehmerin zu den zweimal im Jahr stattfindenden Mentoring- & Assessment-Tagen unseres deutsch sprechenden Schweizer AssessorInnen-Teams. Obwohl ich sie nicht mehr als „ihr“ Assessor begleitete, hat sie trotzdem aktiv den Kontakt zu mir und den anderen TrainerInnen/Assessoren unseres Teams gehalten. Auch hier hat sie nicht abgelassen ihren Weg mit Beharrlichkeit zu verfolgen. So konnten ich und das ganze Team erleben, wie Uma zunehmend leichter und umsichtiger Prozesse in einer Gruppe begleitet, anleitet und halten kann. Dies hat mir und uns das letzte Vertrauen gegeben hat, dass sie GFK auf eine Art und Weise lebt und weitergibt, die im Einklang mit unseren Werten steht. So ist es eine gemeinsame Entscheidung des Teams, Uma die Empfehlung zur Zertifizierung auszusprechen.

from Uma:

[EN] I am grateful that despite experiencing severe violence as a child, I longed for freedom, peace, and dignity. This longing led me to Nonviolent Communication. I met Michael Dillo at an NVC congress in April 2018, and we regularly encountered each other until November 2020. I am thankful that he engaged with me and set boundaries. Through this experience, I learned that other people indeed have different approaches than my own strategies.

Through Michael, I understood that contributing requires asking others what they need (I suspect he was highly committed to this). And in doing so, I discovered that self-expression only makes sense if the other person is willing to listen. This realization enriched my life, and I am grateful for Michael's persistence. After my time with Michael, Marianne Känel-Möckli, the former assessor from the Assessment Team Switzerland, became my empathic companion and supervisor for two and a half years. With her, I grasped the significance of listening for development, healing, and spirituality. I understood how empathic listening is related to non-judgment and being present in the moment.

 In the past year, there were personal encounters with Michael again. The fact that we were able to meet openly once more reassures me that the attitude of Nonviolent Communication indeed leads to connection. I am intrigued by Marshall's words that Nonviolent Communication also applies to people like Hitler; otherwise, it is not valid because every person tries to fulfill their needs through their actions and words. This will continue to be my guiding principle.

[DE] Ich bin dankbar, dass ich mich trotz massiver Gewalterfahrungen als Kind, nach Freiheit, Frieden und Würde sehnte. Diese Sehnsucht hat mich zur GFK geführt. Michael Dillo lernte ich auf einem GFK-Kongress im April 2018 kennen und wir begegneten uns regelmäßig bis November 2020. Ich bin dankbar, dass er sich auf mich eingelassen und auch abgegrenzt hat. Ich lernte dadurch, dass andere Menschen tatsächlich andere Vorgehensweisen haben als meine Strategien.

Durch Michael habe ich verstanden, dass Beitragen voraussetzt, den oder die anderen zu fragen, was sie brauchen. )Ich vermute, dass sein Engagement dafür sehr hoch war.) Und damit entdeckte ich dass, Selbstausdruck nur Sinn macht, wenn der andere mich überhaupt hören will. Diese Erkenntnis hat mein Leben bereichert und ich bin dankbar für Michaels Beharrlichkeit.

Nach der Zeit mit Michael wurde Marianne Känel-Möckli, die ehemalige Assessorin aus dem Assessment-Team Schweiz für 2 ein halb Jahre zu meiner Empathischen Begleiterin und Supervisorin. Mit ihr begriff ich, was Zuhören für Entwicklung, Heilung und Spiritualität bedeuten kann. Wie Empathisches Zuhören im Zusammenhang steht zu Bewertungsfreiheit und gegenwärtiger Präsenz.

Im letzten Jahr gab es wieder persönliche Begegnungen mit Michael. Dass wir in der Lage waren, uns erneut offen zu begegnen, gibt mir Sicherheit, dass die Haltung der Gewaltfreien Kommunikation tatsächlich zu Verbindung führt. Fasziniert bin ich von Marshalls Worten, die Gewaltfreie Kommunikation gilt auch für Menschen wie Hitler, sonst stimmt sie nicht. Denn jeder Mensch versucht mit seinen Handlungen und Worten Bedürfnisse von sich zu erfüllen. Das wird weiterhin mein Leitfaden sein.

from the assessor, EDITH SAUERBIER

With great joy, I recommend Liane Lauprecht, Duisburg, Germany, for certification. We met first in January 2019 when she contacted us as team for registration. I was impressed by her creativity because she introduced herself with a short video clip to us. During the last four years I could see her growing deeply into her own power and self awareness. This gives me faith and trust into her stamina and her ability to cope with difficult group situation too. I enjoy her humor and her way to put ease and lightness into serious situations. That gives me joy and fulfil my need for playfulness.

I could witness her yearly in our MAD and saw her development and her contribution to the group processes. She was already working as trainer and in education and wanted to bring nvc into her organisation where she is employed. She was and still is successful with it. Liane has a deep need to contribute to the empowerment of women and girls what I really share with her. She focuses on that in a women’s association she founded and was organizing. Intercultural and inter-religious aspects are very dear to her and through her life experience she brings a lot of competence and knowledge in that engagement.

During her assessment I gave her the feedback that the mixture of vulnerability and courage which I experienced with her gave me reassurance for my clear YES to her certification.

from Liane:

I had the wonderful chance to take part in my first NVC and Mediation Training called by my town community, who offered it for free for people working in social institutions. I was stunned by my wonderful trainers, Conny Timm and Kurt Südmersen, who presented to me a completely new way of being with myself and others in love and compassion - and I was not able to stop going this way.

So I went for another year of training with them, this time only for NVC – to dive deeper. This time, I really went into my personal relationships, into my core conflicts in life, but also into a new way of working in teams and being in contact with my source of life energy. Conny, who used to be a long-time assistant to Robert Gonzales, was extremely supportive in this direction. So I went for Robert Gonzales also, in 2018/2019 in Oberlethe, exploring living compassion, Trauma, Felt sense, and the transformational power of dyads and sharing honestly with others.

Entering the certification process was only a natural part of that journey for me. Although it had quite nothing of the caring trainer-trainee relationship I was used to, it challenged me to try myself out with experienced assessors and other trainers and receive quality feedback, which was very helpful to my personal growth and to my practical experiences als a trainer.