Peacefull Communication Pour la Paix2012-02-07T10:32:47ZMélanie WhithamCopyright 2012, Mélanie WhithamSPHPBLOGTraining and support for organizations working with youth Educators and program administrators will learn simple, yet powerful tools to:
* Develop their own and their student’s emotional vocabulary, including understanding the needs we all have in common
* Effectively diffuse anger or violent situations without coercion, violence or threat of punishment
* Assist youth to shift away from blame, judgment, or victim mentality behavior
* Express meaningful empathy to students -- allowing students to really be heard, often for the first time
* Utilize self-empathy to reduce stress and retain focus in difficult situations
* Connect – at any given time – to the needs behind all behavior, especially behavior we don’t like
* Assist youth to consider how to meet their needs with positive strategies, rather than with violence, substance abuse, etc.
* Resolve conflicts in a way that is satisfying to all involved
* Express themselves honestly in a way that they are more likely to be truly heard
At risk youth educators, administrators, workforce development specialists, youth mentors and others who have integrated some aspect of NVC into their work have experienced the following benefits:
* Substantially improved trust between youth and educator/administrator
* Reduced conflict and/or violence
* A deeper, fuller, more mutually respectful connection between youth and educator that allows the youth to make better use of the help he/she is receiving
* By utilizing empathy to identify the needs met by youth’s behavior, educators bring a sense of rationality to the conversation, helping the youth visualize how other behavior could better meet their needs
* Empowerment in youth who are often heard for the first time; a powerful step toward their own self-care
* Reduced overall stress and emotional toll on educators
Services offered for community organizations Basic skills training for staff 12 hours of training plus one 3-hour follow-up included Practice group for staff Once the basic skills training has been completed, every 2 weeks or once a month for a minimum of 3 meetings
Individual or small group coaching To integrate more fully the notions of NVC into the organisation Training and practice groups for the clientele of the organization Same formula as for staff
Empathic presence For staff and\or clientele ]]>http://www.peacefullcommunication.com/index.php?entry=entry080919-1642022008-09-19T00:00:00Z2008-09-19T00:00:00ZChildren's testimonials"WOW!" after having used a game adapted from the No-Fault Zone. (an NVC-based conflict resolution tool developped by Sura Hart and Victoria Kindle-Hodson) "I'm hapy because now I know what to do if I have a problem."
"Now I know that problems can be solved without blame."]]>http://www.peacefullcommunication.com/index.php?entry=entry080919-1639332008-09-19T00:00:00Z2008-09-19T00:00:00ZWorkshops - For SchoolsFor teachers, school administration, daycare service staff & support staff
Would you like to inspire cooperation and learn alternatives to punishment and rewards? Would you like to prevent, reduce and resolve conflicts peacefully? Would you like to end power struggles with your students? Would you like to co-create a life-enriching learning community with your students?
Through games and role-plays and by using real situations from our everyday lives as teachers, see how it is possible to live our relationships with our students and colleagues in harmony with our values. *Resolve conflicts in a way that is satisfying to all involved *Find effective and creative solutions to challenges, big and small *Listen to and better take care of ourselves *Express ourselves authentically as we listen to others with compassion *Deepen our empathic listening skills helping us to effectively diffuse conflictual situations and allowing students to really be heard *Transform judgements, demands and punishments into opportunities for deep connection where we listen and express ourselves from our hearts
Workshops are tailored to meet the needs of your school team and can include follow-up support in integrating the principles of NVC into classrooms as well as into the culture of the school.
Click here for stories about school workshops ]]>http://www.peacefullcommunication.com/index.php?entry=entry080915-1854562008-09-15T00:00:00Z2008-09-15T00:00:00ZWorkshops, activities and services offered for schools Basic skills training for staff 14 hours of training plus one 2-hour follow-up where we learn about the No-Fault Zone, a conflict resolution tool. We use: games, exercises and role plays based on your daily school situations. Practice group for staff After the basic skills has been completed, every 2 weeks or once a month for a pre-determined amount of time. The questions and needs of the group are used to plan each practice. Individual or small group coaching To help you plan how to integrate more fully the notions of NVC into your school or your classroom.Can be done individually or in small groups. Can also be done through direct modelling in the classroom.
Activities and training for the classroom Classroom sessions (variable number of sessions possible), accompanied by individual sessions with the teacher depending on his or her objectives. Includes No-Blame Game training, a game adapted from the No-Fault Zone.(see useful links)
Young mediators training 10 sessions of one hour each, followed by 3 monthly practice sessions. Max. 15 participants. For children 6 years or older. Empathic presence and\or mediation For staff, parents and students, upon request or on a regular basis. ]]>http://www.peacefullcommunication.com/index.php?entry=entry080915-1843002008-09-15T00:00:00Z2008-09-15T00:00:00ZParent testimonials“The workshop has definitely helped me to communicate better with my children, helping them to feel safer to express themselves with me! It is wonderful!”
“I came in wanting a way to better control my children’s behaviour and I’m leaving wanting to work on myself and wanting more connection with them.”
“I feel empowered to help others meet my need for understanding by clearly stating my feelings and needs. I also feel empowered to develop strategies to meet my own needs.”
"I am leaving today with a huge burden uplifted. I understand that this is not just another tool I have to be perfect at."
“I would like here to express again my deepest thanks for what you gave me. I will remember my whole life what empathy means thanks to you, thanks to the so particular energy you could give me. As Marshall says, the map is not the territory, and similarly it is difficult to describe with words what I could feel through you. You have a gift that is very precious, and I hope you will be able to share it with other people.” ]]>http://www.peacefullcommunication.com/index.php?entry=entry080915-1758172008-09-15T00:00:00Z2008-09-15T00:00:00ZOther services offered for familiesPersonalized trainings Half-day, full day or several days Activities chosen according to your families needs
Empathic presence, coaching and mediation On a regular basis or by appointment ]]>http://www.peacefullcommunication.com/index.php?entry=entry080915-1712102008-09-15T00:00:00Z2008-09-15T00:00:00ZThe No-Blame Game: Building a Conflict Resolution Tool as a FamilyThis 3-hour workshop offers families the opportunity to create and learn to use a conflict resolution tool called the No-Blame Game, adapted from the No-Fault Zone.(see useful links)
The No-Blame Game is a game board played with a deck of cards - cards with feelings and needs vocabulary written on them. The goal of the No-Fault Zone is to create a safe place where everyone can be listened to, everyone can express how they felt and what they need, and conflicts can be resolved. No punishments, no consequences because no one really did anything wrong. We are all simply choosing strategies to get our needs met and sometimes, those strategies don't work for others. With this attitude, we aren't cutting ourselves off from others by our judgements about right and wrong. This makes real healing, through understanding and compassion, possible.
Families will create their own No-Blame Game complete with playing cards and board and then receive training in how to use it to create more harmony and connection with each other. We will also play games and begin a family chain of gratitude. Wondering what that is? You'll find out at the workshop!
Contact me if you have any questions or would like to organize a workshop for your family or a group of families you know. ]]>http://www.peacefullcommunication.com/index.php?entry=entry080903-1943152008-09-03T00:00:00Z2008-09-03T00:00:00ZOther services offered for familiesPersonalized trainings Half-day, full day or several days Activities chosen according to your families needs
Empathic presence, coaching and mediation On a regular basis or by appointment ]]>http://www.peacefullcommunication.com/index.php?entry=entry080815-1912102008-08-15T00:00:00Z2008-08-15T00:00:00Z<b>Sharings from school staff participants in PEACEfull Communication workshops </b> “NonViolent Communication is, in my opinion, a tool that is as essential to learning as the pencil we put in the child’s hand so he can learn to write. Essential if we want our youth to develop their social abilities and our world to be a better place to live.” Principal, Sutton School “I now have a deeper connection with co-workers and a better understanding of how we each see things differently. I’m leaving feeling positive and grateful for the experience.” Teacher, Sutton School
My challenging class is my seventh grade, particularly one student. My biggest question is what is it that he/they need. I went into work on Monday and was able to interact with him and the rest of his classmates from a place of calm and a place of caring. I used observation, feelings, needs, and requests. The class responded in an amazingly cooperative way. Today one of the students in the class came to me after school and asked me if I would listen to a poem that he had written. I was surprised but agreed. He sat down and read me a three page rap that he had written to me telling me about who he was. It was heart wrenching to hear, but his message was loud and clear: "Don't judge me for the way I look or how I act sometime. There is so much going on inside of me that no one can see or know." I was almost speechless when he finished. What he said was so HUGE. I went for the feeling, "I feel honored that you shared this with me." From there we talked some. I'm quite worried about him, but at least a door has been opened. I feel that my compassionate way of communicating with his class in the past two days opened that door. I'm humbled by this experience. Theresa I’ve been using some of the empathetic response strategies I was reading a little about (e.g., "I'm guessing that you're feeling pretty upset right now" ... "Would you like to find a time when we could talk about what happened, later?"), rather than my traditional directives (e.g., "I need you to begin working on the assignment in the next few minutes, or I'll have you work on it with me during recess"). I'm happy to report that, on several occasions, that simple strategy of reflecting back in words what I'm seeing/interpreting from a child's body language seems to free her up to move on, out of a stuck place, and to be able to talk, or simply to re-engage in the class activity. Aha! Dell
Another interesting effect of practicing this is it slows my reaction/response time down because I'm working to figure out exactly what I'm feeling, what need isn't being met, and what my request it. That makes me less likely to respond impulsively out of some angry emotional place. Great, huh? Revell ]]>http://www.peacefullcommunication.com/index.php?entry=entry080815-1905202008-08-15T00:00:00Z2008-08-15T00:00:00ZPlay in the Wild for Adults July 6-14, 2010 at Réserve Faunique Papineau-Labelle Experience a safe place to share, be heard and hear others Build trusting relationships through having fun outdoors Live NonViolent Communication in community with others Break through barriers of fear and judgment Cultivate the Way of NonViolence
