WELCOME!
We are a collaborative community of learners excited to be living and sharing the transformative process and consciousness known as Nonviolent or Compassionate Communication.
COMING EVENTS and WORKSHOPS:
Photos courtesy of Bren Hardt and
Robin Youngblood www.churchoftheearth.org
ABOUT NVC (for further information, click on RESOURCES)
Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is also known as Compassionate Communciation.
It is a process developed by Marshall Rosenberg, Ph.D. and others which people use to communicate with greater compassion and clarity. It focuses on two things: honest self-expression — exposing what matters to oneself in a way that's likely to inspire compassion in others, and empathy — listening with deep compassion. Formal NVC self-expression includes four elements: observations (distinguished from interpretations/evaluations), feelings (emotions separate from thoughts), needs (deep motives) and requests (clear, present, doable and without demand).
NVC assists
Individuals to connect compassionately to themselves.
Families communicate with mutual respect and understanding.
School systems create healthy respect for differences.
Businesses increase goodwill and cooperation with co-workers and customers.
Health-care professionals develop systems that support compassion.
Social Service Agencies find ways to meet needs constructively.
Police, military, and prison personnel prevent and peacefully resolve conflicts.
Everyone!
About Us
The Committee for Compassionate Communication (CCC) Is a project of The Decade of Nonviolence-Houston, a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization, that formed to respond to the Nobel Peace Laureates appeal ultimately known as the INTERNATIONAL DECADE FOR A CULTURE OF PEACE AND NON-VIOLENCE FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD.
Vision
We envision greater Houston as a community valuing authenticity, compassion, and respect.
Mission Statement
We promote these values by facilitating the practice of a learnable process called Nonviolent Communication (NVC).
Current Committee Members:
Stephen Scholl, Bridget Jensen, Bren Hardt, Lynn McDonald, Marjorie Kirby French, Lana Shadwick and Dava Jennings
You can support the Houston NVC vision and mission. Join us in our outreach activities. Email us with your enthusiasm.
To make a tax deductible donation, please send your check made out to: "Decade of Nonviolence-Houston" with note on check that says “FOR NVC”
MAIL TO: Decade of Nonviolence-Houston, 1302 Waugh Dr., PMB# 196, Houston, TX 77019-3908
WHY WE LOVE NVC:
In my efforts to employ NVC, I have become more grounded with who I am and have found my interactions with others more meaningful and productive. – Bridget Jensen
Non-Violent Communication has changed my life in such positive ways. I can now connect heart to heart, listen with all my attention, help and support people. I’m dedicated to spreading this peaceful language.-- Marjorie Kirby French
NVC is teaching me to see non-judgmentally into myself and others. There I always find the universal essence we all share. Only true love resides in that place. How, then, can we be enemies? — Lynn McDonald
NVC has great healing potential in business, family and community. I am honored to participate in teaching and sharing this learnable process of communication. – Stephen G. Scholl
I was inspired to work toward certification from The Center for Nonviolent Communication because I am seeing more and more each day how Nonviolent Communication has the potential to empower all people to be more effective in resolving internal conflicts, family conflicts, and the struggles we see in our communities daily. – Bren Hardt
WORKSHOPS
We offer powerful, life enriching
communication skills which will help
you stay calm and compassionate
even in the most trying circum-
stances. The process helps build
your emotional vocabulary, and
provides a framework so you can
more clearly communicate your
feelings, hopes, and what you want
in ways that make it easier for others
to hear you. Tension is relieved, and
feelings can be expressed with
more ease, instead of blame, guilt and shame. When communicating with Compassionate Communication, the potential for mutually satisfying outcomes—even in the most difficult of situations—is much more possible.
We Invite You To Attend A Free Introduction. There are a variety of individuals offering training in Compassionate Communication in Houston . To gain more depth about the concept, model and consciousness of Compassionate Communication, we encourage you to experience a variety of trainings. Feel free to attend several different introductions until you find someone you’re comfortable learning with. Then we encourage you to dive in by attending more trainings and a practice group.
There are many benefits these
skills will offer you. For example,
at home, work or play you'll be
able to:
• Improve cooperation by
listening so others are really
heard and speak so others
can really hear you
• Transform conflict into jointly
arrived at solutions rather than
compromise
• Prevent future pain and
misunderstanding
• Receive someone's anger without taking it
personally
• Transform your anger before it leads to behavior
you'll regret
• Live your life by choice rather than by “should”
and guilt
• Care for your own needs with compassion
Do any of those sound like gifts you would enjoy receiving?
We look forward to sharing these life enriching and practical skills with you.
The Greater Houston area has a growing cadre of people delighting to share the life-enriching process known as NVC. Listed here are some of them. To find facilitators across the U.S and globally, see www.cnvc.org.
Bren Hardt
As a life long teacher and
peace advocate, I cherish the
opportunity to share Compas-
sionate Communication with
others as I see it as empower-
ing each of us to “be the
change we wish to see” for
a peaceful world. I feel hopeful when thinking how these tools contribute to harmony, collaboration and connection in all my relationships. My special desire is for children to be connected to the beauty and power that is within them. That's why I'm passionate about supporting parents, grandparents, caregivers and teachers. I’d like us to move from the “power-over” strategies to “power-with” where everyone’s needs are valued and we see the tremendous power and joy involved in enriching life cooperatively. When I meet so many people wanting to use their power in this way, I have great hope.
A few organizations I have shared NVC with include:
o The City of Houston and HISD’s LINK UP Conference in 2006, 2007, 2008
o A National Conference on justice of The United Methodist Church 2008
o The 2009 International Conference for Unitarian Universalist Women
o St. Catherine’s Montessori School
CNVC Certified Trainer Candidate
bbhardt_gmail.com
713-303-3403
Location: Brenham, TX
J. Lynn McDonald
My 30+ years
resolving disputes in the
construction industry
kindled my passion for
conflict resolution.
I now practice mediation full time, focusing on family, relationship, and organizational conflict. NVC is integral to how I help people resolve conflict.
NVC has transformed my personal and professional relationships and helped me connect with the divine, life energy in myself and others. I have chosen teaching and facilitating NVC practice to more effectively integrate NVC into my way of being.
NVC PRACTICE GROUPS
Joining a NVC practice group is a highly effective way of deepening your integration of NVC, and is also likely to offer satisfying interpersonal connections.
How to Co-ordinate a Practice Group or Empathy Circle
http://www.nynvc.com/aboutCommunityGrps.htm#how
CURRENT PRACTICE GROUPS
Some practice groups take in new members any time and others do so periodically. If you do not find a practice group that fits for you, please contact us for support in starting one in your area.
Galleria or Bellaire area
Peer-led Empathy Practice and Study using the Companion Workbook
Contact Shonali Jacob, (832) 771-3193; shonali_jacob_yahoo.com
Heights Area
Peer-led Empathy Practice and Study. Started July 2009.
Contact Steve Scholl, (713) 828-2981; steve_solveconflict.com
Humble/Kingwood
Peer-led Practice and Study
Contact jlynn.mcdonald_comcast.net
RESOURCES TO SUPPORT YOUR LEARNING
On-line and Telephone Learning and Connection
o Empathy Now- Resource for finding people to connect with empathically.
o NVC Academy - Internet-based NVC learning and Tele-classes with certified trainers.
o Growing Compassion - Telephone-based NVC learning resource
o NVC wiki- Collaborative web site for recording information on NVC related projects
o There are on-line discussion groups for PARENTS, for those in EDUCATION, and for those wanting to
become CNVC certified trainers of NVC.
EXERCISES
o THE EXERCISE - a tool to move you toward compassion.
o “Releaseful Empathy” Exercise from Gail Taylor: Exercise - Releaseful Empathy
NVC Books and Products
o Center for Nonviolent Communication - main international NVC organization; bookstore
o PuddleDancer Press - Publisher of NVC books. Offers some valuable free resources for sharing NVC.
o Galloping Giraffe Enterprises - Makers of GROK feelings and needs card decks
o Kindle-Hart Communications - Makers of No Fault game for classrooms
o Heartfelt Communication – US Distributor of NVC Dance Floors
o NVC on YouTube BayNVC’s TV Show “Solve Your Conflicts”
National/International (just a few)
o Center for Nonviolent Communication - The main international NVC organization
o NVC Training Institute - Offers NVC workshops worldwide
o BayNVC - Serves the San Francisco Bay Area; programs with national scope
o Boston NVC - Serves Boston
o Compassionate Communication - Central Ohio - Serves Columbus and Central Ohio
o Georgia Network for Nonviolent Communication, Sacred Space, Inc. - Serve Atlanta and surrounding region
ADVANCED LEARNING (Programs that provide extended learning over a period of 6 months or more)
o The Compassionate Leadership Program offered by Jim and Jori Manske and Roger Sorrow.
o The Bay NVC Peer Parent Leadership Program offers training in NVC parenting.
o Brooklyn NVC's Facilitating Change program focuses on empowering social change.
o John Kinyon and Ike Lasater offer a 9-Month Mediation Program.
o The 2-year LIFE program and other programs by Robert Gonzales concerning the spiritual dimension of NVC are popular enough so as to be minimally advertised. A one-year "Deepening into Living Compassion" program is also offered.
overview.nvc.transforming.by.bren.hardt
Contact Us
Phone:
713-802-1284
or
call Bren at:
email: HoustonNVC_gmail.com
