Immersive NVC Level 2 residential workshop with movement and dance. The surprising purpose of anger
24th Nov 2026 - 29th Nov 2026
5pm start / 3pm end
Fixed cost: £380 or EARLY BIRD RATE of £350 if paid by Oct 15th (to secure your place) + Sliding scale contribution (to be given at the end): £220 - £660. 1 partial bursary place available
Led by: Cath Burke | Contact Cath
The Surprising Purpose Of Anger
Winter workshop in Devon
Have you glimpsed the potential of NVC, but are forgetting or finding it hard to use in everyday life? Or have you been practising NVC for a while, but still wish you were more in your heart and less in your head? Are you daunted, trying to do things differently in a world that seems harsh and exhausting? Do you spend a lot of time online or alone, and are longing for community, whilst perhaps being a bit wary of it?
These 5 days offer a supportive space to learn and practise NVC, in an embodied way, in good company, whilst having fun, with time to relax and restore in nature.
It is an invitation to grow your confidence and competence in NVC and leave with greater capacity to meet whatever life throws at you with courage and love – including tough-love. You may end up more ok with yourself, more real, or readier to make changes at home or at work that feel aligned with who you are.
“Cath’s NVC anger and dance retreat brought me warmth and connection with others, but most importantly with myself. It was a rediscovery of a love for, and the deep importance of, movement, open space, natural light and the warmth and comfort of genuine connection and community for my well-being.”
— Tina, France
Book your place here
What to expect
A group of about 12 people spending the mornings practising NVC. We will work with reflective and communicative exercises, role play and NVC kinaesthetic ‘dance floors’ (as developed by Gina Lawrie and Bridget Belgrave).
There’ll be a dance session each afternoon where you get to embody different aspects of NVC through movement. If you’ve never tried ‘conscious dance’ before you are especially welcome. No experience is necessary – you cannot do it wrong! And all ages, body shapes, abilities and fitness levels are welcome.
You’ll have the option to meet daily in small groups for an empathy exchange (a chance to be heard without judgment for anything at all and to practise listening to others with empathy), dyad enquiry (exploring needs) or further practice of your choice.
To keep costs down and NVC practice up, we’ll be cooking meals for ourselves 🙂 Menus and ingredients will be provided and you’ll be asked to cook a couple of simple vegetarian meals, alongside a couple of others, with the support and ‘supervision’ of an assistant.
There’ll be plenty of time between sessions when you’re not cooking to rest or walk in the beautiful surrounding countryside. We will have a short period of silence daily over breakfast to support self-connection.
There’s also the option of a sauna and outdoor fire.
“This course has been beautifully crafted. It was intellectually stimulating, physical, and it touched my soul.”
— Dyane, Devon
Theme: The Surprising Purpose of Anger
For many of us anger is frightening to experience and receive. For some it’s exhilarating and others barely feel it in a direct way. For many of us it’s a normal and inevitable part of life and sometimes necessary and appropriate. For example, when we witness someone being bullied, the energy of anger can give us the courage to intervene in service of safety, care and inclusion.
But without building our awareness and inner resources, anger can destroy relationships and be the source of tremendous hurt and harm, benefitting no one.
In this workshop we’ll see how to transform the energy of anger into powerful life-serving actions. Gandhi famously said of anger, “It fuels you to move forward and get to a better place. Without it, we would not be motivated to rise to a challenge.”
Our discoveries will unfold in a supportive compassionate community. The dance sessions are an integral part of deepening our embodiment of NVC.
Board & accommodation
All food & drinks are provided. Participants will prepare and cook meals (see ‘what to expect’ above) which will be simple, vegetarian and mainly organic. We can cater for special diets but PLEASE inform us of your needs IN ADVANCE.
You’ll be sharing a room with 1, 2 or 3 others, or have your own private space in a partitioned dorm. There are very few single rooms, allocated on the basis of need. You can also sleep in your own camper van.
“I left this retreat with a completely different perspective on my anger and other people’s anger as well. I understand how anger is a bell, alerting me to unmet needs, and I can honestly say that I now welcome not only my own anger but that of other people. I’m not afraid of it anymore. ”
— Stephanie, Cornwall
Cost
Payment for this event is in 2 parts
a) Fixed cost: £380. Or EARLY BIRD RATE of £350 if paid 10 weeks in advance of the event start date. The fixed cost is paid in advance as confirmation of your booking. It covers the basic expenses of running the workshop including accommodation, food, drinks, printing, basic expenses for Cath & one assistant.
If it’s easier for you, please pay a £200 deposit to secure your place (including Early Bird place), and the remainder one month in advance of the start date.
If you sleep in your own camper van the fixed cost is £300 or EARLY BIRD RATE of £270. You can also camp ONLY between Oct and April (NOT May to Sept) for this price. Camper van and camping spaces are limited to 2.
b) Sliding scale contribution: £220 – £660 to be given at the end of the workshop. You choose within the sliding scale what you are willing and able to contribute to Cath for her facilitation and all the organisation that goes into putting on such an event.
About the sliding scale
I offer a sliding scale for what you give to me because I want to reduce the financial barriers to attending my events. I am also open to payment being made in instalments that work for you. The sliding scale also allows those who are financially abundant to contribute according to their means, thus supporting me to offer lower fees to others.
Partial Bursary
If any amount beyond the £380 fixed cost puts this event out of reach for you, please get in touch. I am willing to waive the sliding scale contribution to me completely for 1 person. I will use a lottery system if more than 1 person applies and make the offer 6 weeks before the start date. So the partial bursary cost is £380 in total.
Location and travel
Eden Rise Retreat Venue, Sandwell Barns, Harberton, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 7L J
Train to Totnes
Short taxi ride (about £10 / 10 minutes) to Eden Rise
If you drive there’s parking space
Cath works closely with London Certified Trainers – Ceri Buckmaster, Carolyn Davies, Daren De Witt and Tracy Seed. We are a collaborative group of London-based CNVC Certified Trainers working together to offer you clear learning and progression options to suit you. We are committed to creating community and a supportive network for those learning, living and sharing NVC in London. Many of our trainings are currently online, so if you live outside of London, you are welcome to participate. Follow this link to discover more