Opening as One Door Closes

I have been following a trajectory of opening over 23 years with Voice of Hope and then with the next iteration, BayNVC. I have no illusions about nor desire for “staying open.” Rather I experience this movement as increasing ease with oscillating between closing and

Coercion – Does It Work? Yes, but…

Co-er-cion (noun) forcing of somebody to do something, the use of force or threats to make somebody do something against his or her will force used to compel somebody, force or threats used to make somebody do something against his or her

Performance Reviews: Judgments or Collaborating?

Shelter in Place orders pressed a pause button on many businesses, not just their internal operating structures, but also for many, functioning came to a full stop. The coronavirus safety protocols are easing and many businesses are starting up again, some in limited ways and

Pivoting for Connection in Prison

Meeting the needs of NVC Students in PrisonGive today! I really like how needs for purpose and meaning are deeply met by my work with BayNVC's social justice project, Safer Communities. The project brings NVC skills and consciousness to people whose lives have diverted into incarceration. Since

This Thing We Call Empathy

I know it is not the question, “Are you feeling   x , because you need   y ?” The way I think NVC approaches empathy is not with the particular meaning of ‘feeling what another feels,’ like an empath does. This meaning of empathy is showing

Finding Compassion

Since the other name for Nonviolent Communication is Compassionate Communication, just what do we mean by compassion? For me, as a “word nerd” (translate: delighted when learning word origins, loving to understand), I wanted to uncover the original meaning of “compassion.”  It turns out to be

Use Your Creative Story-telling for Peace

Have you noticed how creative people can be? We constantly makeup stories to explain people’s words and actions, rallying our best efforts to make sense of the world. As meaning-making animals, we have elevated story-telling to an art. After retiring from her career, my step-grandmother sewed

Being Heard Can Make All the Difference

When someone really hears you without passing judgment on you, without trying to take responsibility for you, without trying to mold you, it feels damn good. . . . When I have been listened to and when I have been heard, I am able to

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