The workshops and trainings listed alphabetically below are currently being offered, have been or could be if there is interest and support for organizing it. The asterisk (*) indicates that class/workshop requires having attended a basic introduction either with us, Marshall or other trainers, or some fluency in NVC and/or agreement of trainer.

Compassionate Communication This approach to communication teaches four simple steps to enhance already rich relationships and heal painful ones. Participants learn skills to speak in a way that does not trigger defensiveness and labeling. It is a language from the heart, addressing feelings and needs, rather than a language from the head that destroys connection through hurtful analysis, diagnosis and criticism. In this 10 week course participants learn how to: Handle difficult or painful relationships, Create connection before going to solutions, Have the confidence to share unpleasant feelings, Understand where anger comes from. This course is for those beginning or those wishing to gain fuller grounding in Nonviolent Communication. We will focus on the work of Marshall B. Rosenberg, Ph.D. and participants are strongly encouraged to read his book, Nonviolent Communication, A Language of Life. This class is offered at Santa Barbara City College's Schott Center.

Compassionately Communicating: NVC Conference May 3 - 4, 2008 This weekend begins with keynote addresses by Jori and Jim Manske, coming from Albuquerque and John Kinyon, fom the Bay Area, on developments in using NVC in a variety of settings from personal life and relationships to business, education, justice and government. Well know for their exciting workshops on several continents and sevice with the Center for Nonviolent Communication, Kinyon and the Manskes will join local CNVC Certified Trainers Rodger Sorrow and Liz Otterbein for breakout sessions. Times and topics will be developed dynamically during the conference to ensure that participants will have an opportunity to explore topics of greatest interest. This is sponsored by Santa Barbra City College Continuing Education at the Wake Center, 300 N Turnpike Rd, Santa Barbara, CA. For registration info, please contact Becky Saffold, 805-683-8236 or email saffold@sbcc.edu

Compassionate Communication; A Foundation in Nonviolent Communication: This foundation weekend: Presents Dr. Marshall Rosenberg's Nonviolent Communication (NVC), Introduces you to the steps of the NVC process for use in expressing yourself, listening to others and listening compassionately to yourself, Will give sufficient information and practice to start using NVC in your daily life, Is run in an experiential style using Dance Floors and working with participants' examples, Is challenging, moving, supportive and fun. This emmersion weekend is based on the work of Marshall Rosenberg, Ph.D. as contained in his book Nonviolent Communication, A Language of Life.

Have the Relationship You Want is a training where couples will have an opportunity to learn how to express scary honesty that does not include criticism or blame. Learn how to talk about those things that are hard to talk about vs. withholding. Discover the magic of deep appreciation and gratitude as it builds trust and nourishes relationships. See how NVC gives us the tools to do this and live the love we have for one another.

* Conflict Resolution with NVC This is a one day training that will demonstrate how we can use NVC in a dialog to:
- See the humaneness of those with whom you disagree
- Transform enemy images and moralistic judgements
- Reduce tension and open the door to peaceful resolution
- Prevent future conflicts by making clear requests for future actions
- Develop professional and personal relationships based on mutual respect, compassion and cooperation
This will be very interactive working with examples from participants and role play.

*How to Enjoy Anger is a training where you will learn that when we're angry three things are happening: 1) We're upset because we are not getting what we want; 2) we're blaming someone or thing for us not getting what we want; and 3) we're about to speak or act in such a way that will guarantee that we will not get what we want. Learn how to change this pattern and connect with the life serving purpose of anger. Discover where anger comes from and learn how to express it in a way that you and others can enjoy.

 

Introduction to Nonviolent Communication may be anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours in lenght and includes an overview of the process with a focus on the intention or purpose of NVC. Typically very interactive and fun.

Men's and Women's Circles: A sacred circle will be opened and a safe place will be created for women to share from their hearts in openess and honesty what it has been like to be a woman and the men will listen. The men will share how it has been to be a man and the women will listen. Healing takes place by being heard and knowing we are not alone. Some of the myths and falsehoods we carry about the opposite sex will be debunked. Transformation is possible when we get present to the fictional stories we have been telling oursleves and believed. Learning and discovery about oursleves and each other occurs for many. Paticipants will emerge with more hope for connecting authentically with the opposite sex.

*Sel f Empathy or Enjoying the Jackal Show is a training in a process that enables you to know your own heart so that you may follow it. Learn how to enjoy your own inner Jackals (critic) and transform those messages to ones of feelings and needs. Get in touch with your own needs before speaking and thereby increase the probability of getting them met. Experience deeper connection with yourself and others. The workshop will include the use of Dance Floors and the Jackal Cafe. This (May be included in a Deepening)

Start and Lead A Practice Group We would like to assist you in starting a practice group. This is a one day event that includes a discussion of how to get a practice group started and keep it going by exploring the different strategies we have seen work. This is also for those who are currently leading a practice group and would like to deepen their skills. We will experience and discuss some of the ways to facilitate a practice group and some of the different activities and resources that can be used. We can role play difficult situations that have come up in the past. In our opinion, Living NVC requires a lot of support and creating and participating in a practice group is one of our favorite ways to manifest community and support for ourselves and others.