FROM THE Assessor, Rodger Sorrow

Gail is a Communication Counselor and Mediator with a practice in Santa Monica, California. She supports clients individually and in all sorts of groups and constellations. She has also brought NVC to a wide variety of organizations. Beginning in 2010 and continuing to the present, Gail offers weekly in-person and online NVC workshops and practice groups.

Gail marries NVC with other modalities for self and relationship transformation. Her community-building work began as a Waldorf school class teacher, where she led a class of children for eight years through both academic learning and interpersonal connectedness. She is still in touch with several of those “children”! She then married an Australian and had the joy and challenge of raising two boys, now grown and purposeful young men. After returning to the US, Gail became a facilitator of community-building workshops developed by Dr. M. Scott Peck. 

Her love of mediation led her to train and receive certification as a mediator for the NY court system, where she worked for several years. Once she experienced the life-changing skills of NVC, she knew that was the direction in which her mediation practice was headed. She had the good fortune to study with Marshall Rosenberg and learn from other exceptional trainers. Gail also has certificates in two forms of “transpersonal counseling psychology” - Psychosophy and Psychosynthesis. Her work with clients is an amalgam of all the personal and relational transformation skills she has been gifted to study.

From Gail:

My NVC journey began about 17 years ago when I was a mediator for the New York State court system. I went to an NVC presentation and immediately knew that learning/practicing NVC was the path I had been unconsciously seeking as a mediator. After moving to Southern California, I attended many NVC trainings and classes with wonderful guides. Especially important for my learning and self-growth was having the blessing and honor of attending an IIT with Marshall Rosenberg. 

About 13 years ago, I began an NVC counseling and mediation practice and acquired an Assessor to move toward certification. I let the process lapse until recently, when SoCal NVC was formed, and I could complete the process with greater ease and connection with my present Assessor. I continue to share NVC in workshops, practice groups, and private counseling and mediation sessions.

FROM THE ASSESSOR, Johannes Henn

[EN] When I met Frank, I was immediately impressed by his enthusiasm for sharing NVC in seminars, even in unusual and challenging places (e.g., in the company where he works). He wants to make a contribution and change something in this world, and he starts very consistently with himself. Authenticity and genuineness are a big issue for him. The encounters with him, which often revolved around these topics in the area of “living NVC,” were a great inspiration for me.

It was often about accessing his own feelings and dealing with his own anger, and it was a great pleasure for me to accompany his growth process in dealing with his own strong feelings, especially his anger. I have witnessed several times how he was able to use his skills in dealing with teams and groups on mentoring and assessment days to resolve conflicts in the group.

[DE] Als ich Frank kennenlernte, war ich sofort begeistert von seinem Elan, GFK in Seminaren auch an ungewohnten und herausfordernden Orten (z.B. in der Firma, in der arbeitet) weiterzugeben. Er will etwas beitragen und ändern in dieser Welt und fängt dabei sehr konsequent bei sich selbst an. Echtheit und Authentizität sind für ihn ein großes Thema. Die Begegnungen mit ihm, die sich oft um diese Themen im Bereich „GFK Leben“ drehten, waren eine große Inspiration für mich.

Dabei ging es auch oft um den Zugang zu den eigenen Gefühlen und den Umgang mit seiner Wut und es war mir eine große Freude, seinen Wachstumsprozess im Umgang mit eigenen starken Gefühlen, vor allem seiner Wut, zu begleiten. Mehrfach war ich Zeuge, wie er seine Kompetenzen im Umgang mit Teams und Gruppen auf den Mentoring- und Assessmenttagen zur Klärung von Konflikten in der Gruppe einsetzen konnte.

From Frank:

[EN] When I read Marshall Rosenberg's book "What's Making you Angry?" in 2016, it was a revelation for me. Since then, I have embarked on a journey to internalize what Marshall has imparted to us. I am now 60 years old and it took me 53 years to move out of a life filled with a lot of anger, resentment, and a constant feeling of helplessness, and into a state where I could take responsibility for how I handle events and encounters in my life. The result is a deeper understanding of what I need and the ability to regulate my emotions much better.

I cannot express how overwhelming it was the first time I was no longer at the mercy of my anger, but could accept it. The anger hasn't left my life, but it's a part of me now and I take responsibility for it. It's a good feeling that I want to pass on. I want to enable people to be in friendly, accepting, and compassionate contact with themselves. If that is possible, then it is also possible to connect with other people - partners, children, siblings, friends, colleagues. Experiencing and facilitating this miracle of being present together is my goal and what I want to give to people.

[DE] 2016 las ich das Buch „Was deine Wut dir sagen will“ von Marshall Rosenberg. Es war eine Offenbarung für mich. Seitdem habe ich mich auf den Weg gemacht, das zu verinnerlichen, was Marshall Rosenberg uns mitgegeben hat. Ich bin jetzt 60 Jahre alt und habe 53 Jahre gebraucht, um aus meinem Leben mit sehr viel Wut, Groll und einem ständigen Erlebenszustand des Ausgeliefertseins herauszukommen und hinein in eine Handlungsfähigkeit, in der ich für den Umgang mit Ereignissen und Begegnungen in meinem Leben selbst die Verantwortung übernehmen konnte. Das Ergebnis ist mehr Kenntnis darüber, was ich brauche die Fähigkeit, meine Gefühle viel besser zu regulieren.

Ich kann gar nicht sagen, wie überwältigend es war, als ich das erste Mal nicht mehr meiner Wut ausgeliefert war, sondern sie annehmen konnte. Die Wut hat mein Leben nicht verlassen, aber sie ist ein Teil von mir und ich übernehme die Verantwortung für sie. Ein gutes Gefühl, das ich unbedingt weitergeben möchte. Ich möchte Menschen ermöglichen, mit sich selbst in freundschaftlichem, annehmendem und zugewandtem Kontakt zu sein. Wenn das möglich ist, dann ist es auch möglich, in Kontakt zu anderen Menschen - Partnerinnen und Partnern, ihren Kindern, Schwestern, Brüdern, Freundinnen und Freunden, Arbeitskolleginnen und -kollegen zu gehen. Dieses Wunder des präsenten Miteinanders zu erleben und zu ermöglichen, ist mein Ziel und das, was ich den Menschen geben will.

FROM THE ASSESSORS, Jim Manske

My first contact with Vega was through email in November of 2020. Do you remember those dark days of the early pandemic? I had been isolated and practically alone except for Jori and Jaya for months. Supporting new candidates gave my life purpose and meaning as my in-person training opportunities were put on the shelf.

I loved the clarity of Vega's first emails as she expressed about her NVC journey and her previous experiences with assessment. It was an important moment for me as I began to understand that one of my primary aims as an Assessor is to assess the assessment process and modify it within my power to meet more needs at less cost. Vega and other pandemic-era candidates supported me in rethinking my assessment during the pandemic.

Over the years, Vega has actively participated in our online offering and explored training options with other CNVC Certified Trainers. We navigated the pandemic together even though our paths did not cross in person until three years later at the Bali IIT. What a spectacular experience to meet Vega and other Candidates I had been working with, to be with their full humanity.

Vega has helped me to contact and express my creativity. One specific example: During the pre-assessment process (which typically lasts about six months for the Candidates I serve and me), one of our meetings is a one-on-one guided experience of exploring the Pathways to Liberation: Matrix of Self-Assessment. As the moment of the Zoom call arrived, and I was sitting with the needs I was hoping to feed through our call, an invitation formed in my mind. I shared it with Vega. "Vega, I know you love to have an embodied experience of NVC through movement and dance. How about you "dance the Matrix with me." Wow! What a moving experience we co-created as Vega followed her body and her heart to discover new layers of Strengths and Edges as she explored each skill of the Matrix.

At the Bali IIT in October 2023, I offered the Candidates an opportunity to do a practice assessment event in order to gain experience and get feedback from their fellow participants at the IIT. Vega's event "worked" perfectly to help her discover and deepen her awareness of strengths and edges. I had a wonderful experience of mutual education with Vega and the participants as we explored NVC together in a challenging environment. (Bali's IIT venue is startlingly beautiful, oppressively hot, and subject to interruption and distraction from "outside." There is actually no "outside" or inside, as almost all the training spaces there are exposed to the elements.)

One final observation to celebrate. Vega courageously offered her pre-assessment and assessment events through NVC DayOne, a platform created by our colleague Eric Huang. This means that the events are via Zoom (or hybrid events), and the general public is invited.

This provides a truly "real world" experience of self-assessment and feedback from the community. Participants at both events expressed overwhelming feedback about Vega's contributions to their learning and integration. It is with complete confidence that I recommend Vega as a Certified Trainer, and I'm thrilled that she will help Auroville, the community that she lives in, to move more deeply into NVC.

From Vega:

My first encounter was in Korea around 20 years ago. Then, ten years ago, I took the intro again. But I started practicing when I began to live in Auroville, India. NVC has become more alive in Auroville for me, and when I joined IIT at the beginning of 2020, I thought of sharing NVC, especially inspired by Robert Gonzales. At the beginning of 2021, I met Jim Manske and felt connected and inspired to walk this path with him. So, I joined his weekly practice group, pod meetings for Candidates, and other pod meetings with other people.

Following Jim's sessions, I could connect to my vision, mission, and life purpose in a clear way that connects CNVC's vision and mission as well. And this really changed my life, and they became my guiding light and motivated me to move forward regardless of what's happening in my life.

At the beginning of the Certification Process, sometimes I felt alone and lonely because I wanted to have a physical certification community where I live. However, through connecting with other candidates in the world through pod meetings and meeting some of them physically in intensive training, I felt deeply connected to the wider community of NVC, and my need for belonging was met. I feel very grateful for this process of Certification because it brought more clarity, learning, meaning, purpose, love, and community.

FROM THE ASSESSOR, Vivet Alevi

[EN] David is from North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. He got to know NVC in 2013 through Marshall Rosenberg's videos. He works at the State Youth Welfare Office of Westphalia-Lippe, where he leads training courses with the help of the NVC for specialists in child and youth welfare and is involved as a staff counselor. At the same time, he works as a coach and mediator. David is committed to accompanying people into a Nonviolent world in order to promote togetherness.

We met in January 2021 when he participated for the second time in Mentoring Assessment Days and asked me to become his Assessor. I was impressed by how he persistently stood up for his needs for safety in times of corona. At the same time, he was willing to receive feedback for his own learning. In the years that followed, I observed him growing deeper into his own strength and self-confidence. I want to celebrate the ability I have observed to make clear and double requests. David has grown to stay grounded in his power and be vulnerable to asking for support when needed. This gives me trust in his ability to accompany groups with clarity and love.

[DE] Mit Freude begrüße ich David Kremer in unserer Gemeinschaft der zertifizierten Trainer*innen. David ist aus Nordrhein-Westfalen, Deutschland. Er lernte die GFK in 2013 durch Marshall Rosenbergs Videos kennen. Er arbeitet beim Landesjugendamt von Westfalen-Lippe und leitet dort Fortbildungen mit Hilfe der GfK für Fachkräfte in der Kinder- und Jugendhilfe und engagiert sich als Personalrat. Gleichzeitig ist er als Coach und Mediator tätig. David engagiert sich dafür, Menschen in eine gewaltfreie Welt zu begleiten, um das Miteinander zu fördern.

Wir trafen uns im Januar 2021, als er zum zweiten Mal an unseren MAT teilgenommen und mich gefragt hat, seine Assessorin zu werden. Ich war beeindruckt, wie er in Zeiten von Corona beharrlich für seine Bedürfnis nach Sicherheit einstand. Gleichzeitig war er bereit, die Rückmeldungen aus der Gruppe für sich zu nutzen. In den folgenden Jahren konnte ich beobachten, wie er tiefer in seine eigene Kraft und sein Selbstbewusstsein hinein wuchs. Das gibt mir Vertrauen in seine Fähigkeit, Gruppen mit Klarheit und Liebe zu begleiten. Ich möchte die Fähigkeit feiern, die ich beobachten konnte, klare und umsetzbare Bitten zu stellen. David ist darin gewachsen, geerdet in seiner Kraft zu bleiben und verletzlich zu sein, und, wenn er es braucht, um Unterstützung zu bitten.

From David:

After my marriage ended in a disaster, I was overwhelmed by feelings. A friend recommended an NVC book to me. I was stunned: My intense feelings just wanted to point me towards my needs. And if I take care of those needs, I find ease. That's how easy self-care can be. What a relief!

The following NVC retreats I attended gradually helped me to honor my everyday conflict partners (my children, my ex-wife, my boss, and my colleagues…) and their feelings and needs, too. Today, I am grateful to have resolved difficulties and stayed connected more easily. The Certification Process in the trainer community program (TCP) with Vivet, Marianne, and Johannes mirrored unmistakably my protective mechanisms, moving me to more clarity and confidence in communities and in dealing with authority and power - including my own. What an exciting ride.

For many years, I've been offering NVC retreats and enjoy contributing towards connection. I hope having a certificate will encourage outsiders to trust and choose my offerings. I am happy to be a part of the trainer community. I am also active as a coach, couple therapist, and mediator. NVC is my most important foundation in supporting understanding. In addition, I invite participants to participate in tantric workshops to meet their needs by uniting heart connection with embodied touch. I love and live clarity, love, passion, and courage - those everlasting and evanescent NVC qualities. I am looking forward to further explorations.

FROM THE ASSESSOR, Shona Cameron

Tom has committed to a life of personal growth and contribution. He brings an integrity to his NVC practise, always wanting to walk his talk. Tom has been an active member of the community in the U.K. and in the North of England. He has lead practice groups locally for many years and is involved in local projects that support sustainability. He is continuing to work on growing self responsibility and self care and standing for his own needs.

From tom:

I first read Marshall’s book in 2018 when the housing co-op I lived in at the time was in a deep state of conflict. I was thrilled. It was both new and familiar at the same time. I recognised a world-view in it that I had come across in Charles Eisenstein’s writing but hadn’t known the name of: Nonviolence. I did my Foundation Training, then joined an International Intensive Training that had been organized in the U.K., which was absolutely mind-blowing.

In 2019, I registered as a Certification Candidate and started sharing NVC locally through practice groups hosted at my house every week. In the years that followed, I joined peer-support pods for Candidates, offered more practice groups locally, and assisted and collaborated with other NVC trainers to offer workshops in the North of England.

I took a break from progressing towards Certification in 2022/23, though stayed connected with the NVC community, continuing to offer practice groups and integrate the consciousness of Nonviolence, particularly through engaging with Miki Kashtan and NGL’s work. I made a decision in late 2023 to work towards final assessment and produced my portfolio in January and February 2024. I found it very challenging and also incredibly insightful. I wish I’d started compiling it earlier, as the process of doing so gave me a new appreciation for all the different elements involved.

My pre-assessment was in April 2024 and was again very insightful. I came away with lots of appreciation for the care and depth of understanding I experienced with my Assessor, Shona Cameron. I attended the assessment event in May 2024 and found it really quite challenging! If I had known beforehand how difficult it would be for me to find it to be assessed in the community, I would have spent more time preparing myself internally, receiving empathy support, and journalling about it. I experienced a great deal of connection and camaraderie with the other Candidates going for assessment. I found them inspirational, each in their own way. I learned a lot from event, both about NVC and myself, and am now more excited than ever to be sharing this work.

FROM THE ASSESSOR, Towe Widstrand

[EN] I met Geneviève in 2017 when she was discovering NVC and all it's potential; I quickly encountered her strong impulse to contribute to this consciousness and this way of bringing oneself into the world. And then I was a privileged to witness the descent of this idealism into its living reality, I saw her learn to let herself be touched, to truly embark into relationships, to increasingly embrace interdependence. I saw Geneviève embody more and more this incredible paradox of being both vulnerable and completely in her strength, I saw her quietly switch from being led by her head, to letting her powerful intellect support the flow of life. Through a singularly challenging separation, I saw Geneviève find the right place of responsibility, which was hers, leaving the rest to others.

Professionally, I particularly celebrate her interest in Positive parenting, as well as for organizations that want to solidify their dynamism and update their values by discovering the full potential of relationships rooted in truth, kindness, and trust. I always have great pleasure in hearing her make connections with multitudes of approaches, her curiosity and liveliness of mind are a source of joy!

I celebrate the lucidity that Geneviève demonstrates regarding her journey, her strengths and her growing edges. I am delighted to see her embody NVC as a Certified Trainer, may her strength and humility combine to inspire others on their path of growth and discovery of new possibilities. In the appreciation of the complicity with my co-assessor, Marcelle Bélanger.

[FR] J’ai rencontré Geneviève en 2017, alors qu’elle découvrait la CNV et tout son potentiel; j’ai rapidement rencontré son fort élan de contribuer à cette conscience et cette façon de s’amener dans le monde. Et puis j’ai été témoin privilégiée de la descente de cet idéalisme dans sa réalité vivante, je l’ai vue apprendre à se laisser toucher, à embarquer pour vrai dans des relations, à apprivoiser l’interdépendance. J’ai vu Geneviève incarner toujours de plus en plus ce paradoxe incroyable d’être à la fois vulnérable et tout à fait dans sa force, je l’ai vue basculer tranquillement d’être menée par sa tête, vers laisser son puissant intellect se placer au service du vivant. À travers une séparation singulièrement défiante, j’ai vu Geneviève trouver la juste place de la responsabilité qui lui revenait, laissant le reste à d’autres. 

Professionnellement, je célèbre singulièrement son intérêt pour la parentalité bienveillante, ainsi que pour les organisations qui veulent solidifier leur dynamisme et actualiser leurs valeurs en découvrant tout le potentiel des relations de vérité, de bienveillance et de confiance. J’ai toujours beaucoup de plaisir à l’entendre faire des liens avec des multitudes d’approches, sa curiosité et sa vivacité d’esprit sont source de joie!

Je célèbre la lucidité dont Geneviève fait preuve quant à son cheminement, ses forces et ses pistes de vigie. Je suis ravie de la voir incarner la CNV comme formatrice certifiée, que sa force et son humilité se combinent ainsi pour en inspirer d’autres sur leur chemin de croissance et de découverte de nouveaux possibles. Dans l’appréciation de la complicité avec ma co-certificatrice, Marcelle Bélanger.

From Genevieve:

[EN] It is with overflowing passion that I devote my energy to sharing the richness of NVC, inviting everyone to reconnect with their own vitality and embrace the beauty of authentic relationships. Humans, their interactions and their relational systems, have always fascinated me. Even as a child, I sought to understand meaning in others, often to better protect myself from them, despite my desire to enter into relationships. My master's degree in psychology fueled this quest, but the human mystery persisted. Specializing in program evaluation and development, I chose to help organizations and groups through collaborative processes.

At the dawn of motherhood, the desire to understand seized me again, and I turned to Positive parenting, abandoning my academic career. NVC captivated my attention during training in 2017, marking the start of a profound transformation. My first steps were marked by curiosity, fueled by a constant need for stimulation. Then, NVC brought me back to life.

I learned to let myself be touched and embrace my vulnerability to better ground myself in my inner strength. I learned to engage authentically in relationships and take my fair share of responsibility. Sharing NVC is much more than a mission; it’s a celebration of life. Within Spiralis in Montreal, I co-created the Conscious and Caring Parenting Program with trainer Guillaume Lanctôt-Bédard. I am currently interested in the challenge of proposing changes in organizational culture ​​to combine trust, kindness and performance.

[FR] C’est avec une passion débordante que je consacre mon énergie à partager la richesse de la CNV, invitant chacun à renouer à sa propre vitalité et à embrasser la beauté des relations authentiques.  Les humains, leurs interactions et leurs systèmes relationnels m’ont toujours passionnée. Même enfant, je cherchais à comprendre le sens chez les autres, souvent pour mieux m’en protéger, malgré ma soif d’entrer en relation. Ma maîtrise en psychologie a nourri cette quête, mais le mystère humain persistait. Spécialisée en évaluation et développement de programmes, j'ai choisi d'aider organisations et groupes à travers des processus collaboratifs.

À l'aube de la maternité, l’envie de comprendre m’a saisie à nouveau et je me suis tournée vers la parentalité positive, abandonnant ma carrière académique. La CNV a captivé mon attention lors d'une formation en 2017, marquant le début d'une transformation profonde. Mes premiers pas étaient empreints de curiosité, alimentée par un besoin constant de stimulation. Puis, la CNV m’a ramenée à la vie. J'ai appris à me laisser toucher et à embrasser ma vulnérabilité pour mieux m’enraciner dans ma force intérieure. J’ai appris à m'engager authentiquement dans les relations et à y prendre ma juste part de responsabilité.

Partager la CNV est bien plus qu'une mission ; c'est une célébration de la vie. Au sein de Spiralis à Montréal, j'ai cocréé le Programme en parentalité consciente et bienveillante avec le formateur Guillaume Lanctôt-Bédard. Je m’intéresse actuellement au défi de proposer des changements de culture d’équipe et de valeurs organisationnelles pour allier confiance, bienveillance et performance.

FROM THE ASSESSOR, Thera Balvers

Boris Nauta lives in the Netherlands. For Boris, this journey was a challenging Journey, especially because of all the private issues that came along during his Journey. I experienced Boris as always willing to face his vulnerability and staying open and curious about everything he could learn, with enormous eagerness to develop himself.

He connected more and more with the power inside himself and started to see his own inner shining light more and more. This self-acknowledgement is still a work in progress and in his full awareness. I experience Boris as a person in whom I deeply celebrate his qualities and special gifts he will bring to the world as in CNVC. I am in full trust in recommending Boris as our new colleague. 

From boris:

For years, I was constantly annoyed, surprised, angry, and indignant about all kinds of things. I often had the idea that other people were totally insane, and I had firm ideas about how the world worked, about what was smart or stupid and right or wrong. I was flabbergasted when I heard a friend had voted for a right-wing political party and I couldn't believe how rational people like my parents could believe in God. Even worse, people could live outside the city center of Amsterdam! And why spend a lot of money on a big car when you can make a world trip for the same money? Oh yeah, why on earth would anyone want to have kids?!

In 2013, I first learned about Nonviolent Communication. And this gradually made me look at the world differently. A lot has changed since then. Surprised, indignant and angry thoughts still pop up, but I no longer live in the centre of Amsterdam but in the suburb of IJburg together with my three children and I have a car that we all fit in easily. I now wonder why everyone keeps traveling all the time while the planet is warming up, and I think it is way too busy in the center of Amsterdam. Who would want to live there?

There is a huge difference between how I perceive my thoughts now compared to before. I don't take my thoughts so serious anymore and I'm no longer firm in my beliefs. It is now clear to me that everything that I find normal, reasonable, and logical is not necessarily what someone else finds normal, reasonable, or logical. It just depends on the experiences you've had, where you grew up, what situation you find yourself in, and what needs you have in that moment. I can be amazed at how many judgements I discover in myself now that I have started to observe and recognize them.

Nonviolent communication has given me a completely different view of the world. For me it has been, and still is, a journey in discovering my own authenticity and needs. How do I look at myself and others? Why do I react the way I react? How do I hear the messages of others, which messages do I send out myself and are these messages always as objective, constructive or loving as I may think?

Through reflection, connection, and learning within the NVC community, I grew. Since 2018, I followed training with Hester Macrander and Helmie Willems, Anja Nekeman and Elkie Deadman, Martin van der Meulen, and Christiaan Zandt. And Thera Balvers and Dionne Verbeet, who became my Assessor and co-reader, and gave me so much support and valuable feedback.

Meanwhile, life happened. The last few years were some of the most challenging years of my life. Illness and health, love and grief, anger, resistance, and acceptance visited my guesthouse. How lucky I have been to have had the power of NVC and its community by my side to help me through all of that. I am looking forward meeting and working and learning with you all!

from the assessor, Marianne Sikor

[EN] Almut registered with me in 2017, and we have been in regular contact about her learnings in teaching, living, and knowing NVC. During four mentoring and assessment days (three days each), my team members Johannes, Vivet, and our Candidate community supported Almut in her process with 360-degree feedback.

I have been in close contact with Almut as she was assisting in training with me. I value her empathic way of being with participants (and with me, when needed) and her clarity in providing theoretical input and answering questions. I was in full trust when she was accompanying participants in small groups, and I celebrate the appreciative feedback she got for that. Her beautiful voice has also contributed to the group by her singing on several occasions!

She is integrating NVC in her work, living it with her colleagues and thus bringing its gift to persons who probably would not attend a NVC workshop. I'm touched and impressed how she navigated the challenges in her private life and how she managed to integrate learnings and growth in the last two years. I value a lot the depth of her staying in her responsibility and her continous growth in the field of self-acceptance. I so much like the strenght and power she developed and love to see it in action. I'm really looking forward to seeing her as a member of our CNVC trainer network and am looking forward to her contributions. Welcome, Almut!

[DE] Ich freue mich, mit Almut Walte den Schritt zur Zertifizierung zu gehen. Sie ist seit 2017 bei mir registriert und wir waren in regelmäßigem Kontakt zu ihrer Entwicklung im GFK lehren, leben und wissen. Während vier Mentoring- und Assessment-Tagen (je 3 Tage) wurde Almut in ihrem Prozess mit 360-Grad-Feedback von meinen Teammitgliedern Johannes und Vivet und unserer Kandidat*innen-Gemeinschaft unterstützt.

Ich stand in engem Kontakt mit Almut, da sie bei mir bei Seminaren assistiert hat. Ich schätze ihre empathische Art, mit den Teilnehmenden (und mit mir, wenn nötig) umzugehen, und ihre Klarheit, wenn es darum geht, theoretischen Input zu geben und Fragen zu beantworten. Ich hatte volles Vertrauen, wenn sie Teilnehmende in kleinen Gruppen begleitete, und ich freue mich über das anerkennende Feedback, das sie dafür bekam. Auch ihre wunderbare Stimme hat bei mehreren Gelegenheiten durch ihren Gesang für die Gruppe beigetragen! Sie integriert die GFK in ihre Arbeit, lebt sie mit ihren Kolleginnen und Kollegen und bringt sie so auch Menschen nahe, die wahrscheinlich nicht an einem GFK-Workshop teilnehmen würden.

Ich bin berührt und beeindruckt, wie sie die Herausforderungen in ihrem Privatleben gemeistert und wie sie es geschafft hat, das Gelernte und das Wachstum in den letzten zwei Jahren zu integrieren. Ich schätze es sehr, wie sehr sie in ihrer Verantwortung bleibt und wie sehr sie auf dem Gebiet der Selbstakzeptanz weiter wächst. Ich mag die Stärke und Kraft, die sie entwickelt hat, sehr und sehe sie gerne in Aktion. Ich freue mich sehr, sie als Mitglied in unserem CNVC-Trainer*innen-Netzwerk zu sehen und bin gespannt auf das, was sie beitragen wird. Herzlich willkommen, Almut!

from almut:

I got to know NVC by chance in 2011 when I accompanied my parents to an introductory seminar and was immediately impressed: everything about NVC seemed so beautifully clear and simple to me, and it was very easy to grasp intellectually. In the years that followed, I gradually came to realize that nonviolent interaction is simple but far from easy when you have lived for decades in a society where rewards and punishment are the order of the day.

Especially with my children, but also as a manager, I had incredibly high expectations of myself and was hard on myself if I didn’t succeed in making my fellow human beings "happy." I was often insecure because I wanted to do it "right" at all costs and lost my sense of proportion. Deep down, I believed that it was more important to take responsibility for others and their needs than to take responsibility for myself and my needs. I longed for self-love and acceptance. However, it took a marital crisis and the great pain it caused to finally enable me to stand up for myself and my needs. Along the way, I learned that anger enables me to love myself if I recognize it in time and transform it into clarity. My relationships – with my husband, my family, and my fellow human beings – have become more lively for me since then and I have gained a lot of security. 

As an NVC trainer, I want to inspire other people to take themselves seriously, to stand up for themselves without violence and to take the risk of being imperfect. I want to contribute to an empathetic and lively community – not just between us humans but in connection with all living things.

from the assessor, Sylvia Haskvitz

I am excited, along with my colleague Michael Dillo, to recommend Yael Brisker as a CNVC-Certified Trainer. Yael has been committed to this path of certification and sharing NVC over many years. As you will learn from her, her reach has been amazing in connecting so many different communities. The impact has delighted and amazed me. Now, especially during this time of war in her area, she continues to support bridges of peace and connection with the Palestinian community.

I was amazed and excited by the many of Yael’s skills that I witnessed and her integration into NVC. She has made significant strides in living NVC with her family, which, for many of us, are our greatest teachers. I still smile, thinking about the interview she did with Michael and me on Zoom before a workshop in her country. The depth of the questions and the connection during the process captured the aliveness and authenticity that I so value. I still use the keychain that she crafted, created, and gifted to me during our CALFING event in Italy in 2019. Her music during the CALF event in Spain in January brought Marshall’s music and her gift of song alive.

So heartened by all she is doing now and during COVID to provide an online space for an ever widening community for people to receive empathy regularly. Join me in warmly welcoming Yael to the CNVC community. I trust you will enjoy her participation and gifts. Her final assessment was joy filled with over 30 people from around the globe and is a testament to her gift of creating community with warmth and deep connection.

from Yael:

In 2000, I embarked on a transformative journey as a new mother of twins, a moment I had eagerly awaited throughout my youth. My fervent desire was to parent in a way that resonated with me – one defined by profound attunement to my children's needs. Fate led me to an enlightening article titled "Compassionate Connection’ in Mothering Magazine, authored by the remarkable Certified Trainer Inbal Kashtan (may her memory be a blessing) Formerly the head of the Parenting Division in CNVC. In that very instant, I experienced an epiphany, an awakening. A week later I was in my first NVC course with Certified Trainer Arnina Kashtan, her sister, marking the inception of my profound NVC journey.

Two decades have passed, and I have since brought the transformative process of NVC to both personal and societal levels, by delivering numerous training sessions; in education and mental health groups, as well as couples and families, and an ongoing Empathy Space Community I founded in 2019. Living in Israel, I have had opportunities to build a bridge and create peace by mediating between Jews and Arabs living in Israel as well as other polarized factions in our society. NVC has been (and will continue to be) healing for me on the deep personal level of much needed self acceptance and a relief from debilitating self judgment. It will continue to help me with my work with individuals and couples.

The process of Certification was eye opening to me and with the guidance of my Assessor Sylvia, I came to understand on an even deeper level the myriad ways to live and continue developing myself in this process. For me, in particular, the concept of “power with” as I experienced with Sylvia in all our interactions was very meaningful, and gave me hope that we can create a more harmonious world. I am thrilled to be part of the larger CNVC community and to continue the work of healing for all in need of it in the troubled and traumatized region in which I live. Being certified strengthens my unwavering commitment to disseminating Nonviolent Communication and the practice of empathy wherever I can.

from the Assessor, Thera Balvers

I experience Lysbeth as a warm and dedicated person who is very committed to and interested in NVC. Her own experiences in combining the body and mind are inspiring for me. Her curiosity and eagerness to learn, in combination with her ideas and (self)reflections, were heartwarming for me during our connection and helpful for me to stay aware and sharpen my own reflections. I am fully convinced that Lysbeth is able to present the NVC work and will use her knowledge around body and mind in a creative way. And I believe that she will continue with her learning edges.

from Lysbeth:

I started my NVC path in 2018 with a year-long NVC training, "Living Life to the Fullest." I longed for more connection and aliveness. The training was an eye-opener, working in all kinds of ways with the feelings and needs that exist. After also following a training with Body-based NVC, I knew for sure that I wanted to contribute sharing NVC. I have been working as a trainer in the field of personal development for 20 years, where I let the body do the talking. The NVC has enriched my work enormously. More clarity, more connection and contact by focusing on the universal language of needs and longings. I experience much more space, pleasure and connection with myself in my life, with my husband and 4 children and in all my relationships around me.

The Certification Process has been joyful, full of learning, and sometimes difficult and challenging. I struggled a lot with the journaling and dreaded it. During the pre-assessment meeting it became clear to me how valuable and in-depth journaling can be, for which I am very grateful to my Assessor, Thera Balvers. In journaling I have learned to look beyond the surface of what I assume is going on and descend to the depths of my bloody jackals who long to be seen with my often hidden needs. It helps me to get a better idea of what is really going on. By doing this often (and still) I have gained more insight into what is important to me. For me, living NVC is an ongoing path to becoming Nonviolent towards myself. By clarifying my needs, I can take better care and become much more compassionate towards myself. This is essential for me to be able to be Nonviolent to my environment. Compassion and contribution then arises very naturally.