Through practice groups and coaching I teach and guide groups and individuals to connect powerfully, honestly, and compassionately with themselves and others. Using my understanding of NVC and Buddhist teachings, principles and practice I support skills in deep reflection, listening, speaking, and acting with authenticity, open-mindedness and open-hearted compassion. I support transformation that arises from deep awareness, curiosity and understanding and that engenders creative forward movement to lives of fulfillment and joy.

I teach and facilitate living with loving kindness and compassion as a means to foster wellbeing, peace, and social justice. I began studying the consciousness, principles, and skills of Nonviolent Communication developed by Marshall B. Rosenberg, Ph.D. about 25 years ago. However, it was the shootings on the Virginia Tech campus in the spring of 2007 that focused my desire to become an NVC trainer and to share my knowledge and skills in this subject with my wider community.

Over the years I have developed and taught an undergraduate course in NVC at Virginia Tech and workshops in compassionate connections to staff and students of the university. I also have taught workshops in NVC and facilitated group meetings using the principles of NVC for businesses, spiritual groups, and community groups in the New River Valley of Virginia and surrounding areas.

In addition, for over 14 years I facilitated a two-hour weekly community practice group whose purpose was to support anyone in the community interested in learning and growing in the understanding and skills of listening, speaking, and living with authenticity, open-heartedness, and compassion.

More recently as my life commitments are slowing down, I am integrating my understanding and practice of Buddhism into my teaching and facilitating of NVC to help practice group participants gain an understanding of how our minds create our experience and how we can tame and train our minds with Buddhism and NVC principles and practice to allow our hearts to open and to lead lives of loving kindness and compassion toward all beings.