What is Nonviolent Communication?
Nonviolent Communication (NVC), also known as Compassionate Communication, is both a style of communication and a framework for understanding how to communicate based on empathy, respect and deep listening. It allows us to:
“express ourselves with honesty and clarity, while simultaneously paying others a respectful and empathic attention. In any exchange, we come to hear our own deeper needs and those of others” (Marshall B. Rosenberg in Nonviolent Communication: A language of Life)
It helps us understand ourselves and others better, as well as helping us move past conditioned patterns such as judgements, criticism, attacking or withdrawing – in short, any and all of our communication pitfalls.
Why is Nonviolent Communication an Everyday Skill?
If you see and talk to people every day, then this is an important skill. Us humans are a beautiful lot, but we are also messy and imperfect, which means conflict and disagreement arises. Rather than letting our habitual, reactive habits dominate, we can learn this beautiful style of communication which allows us to interact with respect for the dignity and worth of ourselves and whoever we’re talking to.
The quality of our relationships is a really important component of our overall health and happiness. We all know what it’s like to be at odds with someone (or multiple someones) and it hurts. It’s stressful, and it can make us angry, sad or depressed. I’m not claiming we’ll never feel these things, or experience great conflict with people, but by using NVC and communicating skillfully we can help to alleviate little everyday relationship stressors.
How does it contribute to Self-Connection?
Nonviolent Communication gives us an amazing skillset for tuning into ourselves. NVC Is based on universal human needs. We all have them and the quest to fulfill them drives all our skillful and unskillful behaviour. Using awareness and some techniques we can enhance our ability for moment-to-moment self-connection.
How does it help with Health Sovereignty?
Health Sovereignty is taking a proactive, empowered approach to your health. Relationship stress – whether marriage, kids, co-workers or neighbours takes a direct toll on our physical health. Sometimes these physical symptoms shows up straight away and are easy to link to a particular relationship conflict. At other times, it’s just one more stress that contributes to chronic disease and pre-mature aging.
More than just being concerned with direct physical health, I think having good quality, harmonious relationships with those around us is a priority for most people. We love our family and friends, and NVC gives us a toolkit for putting this love into practice, rather than leaving it aspirationally sitting on a shelf, while we yell at the kids… again.
Events
We don’t have any trainings booked at the moment, but we run Foundation training courses and practice days regularly. The best way to hear about upcoming trainings is by joining the newsletter list – sign-up below.
NVC Practice Groups
Nambour
First and third Sunday of the month. 10am – 12noon at Nambour Community Centre.
Contact: Debs Mosely: 0417 624 417, and Glenda O’Sullivan 0405 210 251
Eumundi
First Friday of the month, 9:30 – 11:30am.
Contact Miho: miho.dance.tree@gmail.com
