Based in Northern California, Aya Caspi brings her unique blend of vision, practical clarity, and deep commitment to the transformative power of Nonviolent Communication to settings as varied as schools, colleges, parenting, couples counseling, mediation, nonprofit organizations, social change communities, and media.

Aya has served as an educational consultant on several preschool series, creating original curricula and advising on show development and scripting. Her client list includes Warner Bros., Discovery Media, 9 Story Media Group, Cartoon Saloon, Field Day Entertainment, the Cartoon Network, and Max. Watch below video testimonials from the head writers and executive producer of the show 'Lu & The Bally Bunch'.

Aya has been sharing the work of NVC internationally via online classes and in-person retreats. She continually grapples with the joys and challenges of being raised in Israel and finds deep open hope in applying NVC to the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

* Watch Aya being interviewed by KTVU-TV (Oakland, California) in the video, "Solutions for parents dealing with pandemic fatigue." 

* Read the article that she co-authored with Paige Hector, "From Protection to Collaboration: What to Do and Say to Empower Ourselves When Hearing a Difficult Message - Caring for the Ages."

TESTIMONIALS

Mediation

“What Aya has to offer is powerful medicine for all relationships: intimate, family, work, community, and global. Communication is the highest form of education and she is paving the way to a better way of relating. I have received one-on-one coaching with Aya, taken her workshops, and also used her for mediation with my siblings when settling my father’s estate. Our family is close, but we didn’t learn how to easily express our feelings with each other, especially when there is conflict. Aya showed us a new way of communicating — something far better than using a legal mediator. Aya helps get to the heart of the matter. The heart that heals, loves, and opens ourselves and others up to connection and understanding. I feel that connection creates a much more ‘juicy’ way to live, much better than being walled off or shut down, and Aya’s deep knowledge of NVC has helped me to live a life of greater connection.” – Anna-Thea

Working with Couples

“Though there was a lot of pain and distrust between us, somehow through her, through our trust in her, we restored our trust in each other. I can say without a doubt that if it were not for her, I would not be with my husband today, nor would I have had such compassion and understanding as a guiding force.” – Rachel Gamolsky

Parenting

“Life-changing work happens when Aya applies her unique gifts for seeing truth and innocence in situations that feel stuck, unsolvable, and helpless. As a parent, I am certain beyond a doubt that my flourishing connection with my 10-year-old child, my capacity for handling challenges that arise daily and the promise of a future in which he and I trust each other and stay bonded, are all a result of the work I’ve done with Aya. Her vision and her teaching empower you by showing a way to nonjudgement and non-reactivity, while not denying my own needs as a mother, as a person. I have continued to study with her for over seven years because of the tangible improvements I’ve seen in my relationships, my increased enjoyment of parenting, and my ability to co-create with a community of other parents who are choosing NVC as the path to walk in their own journeys.” – Celest

Personal Coaching and Healing Work

“My communication, my ability to empathize, my ability and willingness to consider other people’s feelings and needs, my willingness to be open and vulnerable, etc., have already changed my life in a number of ways. I have signed multiple new contracts for my company and begun to heal multiple damaged relationships, and all of my interactions from a rental car person to a bus driver or a customer-support person on the phone are now not only friendlier but actually rich and enjoyable. My overall happiness and excitement about life and my journey in this life are forever enhanced.” – Mike Jenkins

Workshops and Retreats

“Aya truly embodies the essence of NVC consciousness, seamlessly tending to the many needs of the group, and doing so with care and compassion. This course addressed many relevant topics, especially in today’s climate, including power and privilege, and strategies from an NVC lens on how to dismantle some of the challenges that arise within this context. She doesn’t shy away from harder topics, and in fact courageously walks toward them with the faith that the tools she has learned through the many years of training that supports her in navigating these difficult situations.” – Lynda Vu

Schools

" I had the distinct pleasure of participating in a Non-Violent Communication (NVC) training led by Aya, an exceptional and insightful trainer. Her ability to create a safe and empathetic space for learning was truly transformative. Through skillful guidance, she imparted the principles of NVC with clarity and practicality, fostering a deep understanding of compassionate communication. Aya's commitment to non-violence and their genuine passion for helping individuals connect on a deeper level were evident throughout the workshop. We collectively left with invaluable tools for navigating challenging conversations, resolving conflicts peacefully, and fostering meaningful connections. Aya's expertise, coupled with her warm and approachable demeanor, made the learning experience not only enlightening and accessible. Aya was a warm and welcoming presence with our faculty and came at a time when the world truly needed her expertise and kind and open heart. I sincerely recommend Aya's NVC training to anyone seeking to enhance their communication skills and cultivate more harmonious relationships. " ~ Melissa Skiles, Director of Community Well-Being, Hamlin School, SF

Guest Speaker

" My experience with the two-hour informal discussion we held called “Is Peace Possible in the Middle East” gave me a renewed appreciation for Aya and Non-Violent Communication. Aya Caspi was one of our three panelists—the other two being a historian and a diplomat. We had invited Aya to advance the discussion by asking her to share her personal feelings and experience from being an Israeli American. We thought that her experience in Non-Violent Communication would help the audience see and understand the suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians and develop a bit more empathy for both sides. Well, we didn’t have much of a chance for that. The audience had passionate and diverse opinions, some defending the Israeli people and some defending the Palestinians . The tension in the room rose quickly. Each time Aya stepped in, and calmly and graciously addressed the person that was animated, by repeating what she thought that person had said, and then asking him/her if that was correct. And each time the person said yes and in a much calmer tone. Then Aya would ask him or her if they had felt “heard” and if they felt safe. The answer was always yes. And the tension in the room was diffused, every single time. Aya’s skills saved the day for me (I had organized the whole event), for our chapter and for everyone in the room. It was a successful event because it was not only about history and facts. It gave people the opportunity to vent, and at the same time to be heard, validated and understood as human beings. The best part was towards the end of the two hours when Aya asked who in the room wanted the Israeli people to be safe, and everyone raised their hand. Then she asked who wanted Palestinians to be safe, and again, everyone raised their hand. The event ended with the many people expressing their appreciation for having attended such an event and for holding this discussion in a civil and respectful manner. I cannot be more grateful to Aya for her grace and her skills. " - Katherine, UNA-Golden Empire Chapter, President

In the Workplace

“I really experienced a paradigm shift internally relative to business management. I realized that: 1) People were by far the most valuable asset a company can have, and that 2) You cannot, nor would you want to, make others do anything they did not choose to, of their own will. I understood that only by truly empowering everyone to do whatever they deeply want to and feel capable of doing, that their loyalty, commitment, and engagement can be won. Aya showed a talent of hearing people’s inner, unspoken voices, behind their spoken words. As a result of this two-year process, work atmosphere in the offices was dramatically more harmonious and cheerful, communication much improved, number of sick days was down, and the company achieved profitability for the first time in its history. I personally felt fortunate to have met her and have found ways to use the same communication skills I learned in my relationship to all other people in my life. She helped me become a better person.” – Gideon Beinstock

Educational Consultant to Media

“I have worked closely with Aya on several preschool shows for HBO Max and Cartoonito. Aya develops specific curricula for our shows, and reviews scripts at every stage. She has made a huge impact on our children’s programming by integrating NVC philosophy into several of our shows. Writers are not only inspired by how she deepens their narratives, but how in doing so, she’s actually changing their own lives.” – Kimberly Howitt, Senior Creative Executive, Kids and Family, Warner Bros., Max, and Cartoonito