Immersive NVC Level 2 residential workshop with movement and dance
26th Nov 2024 - 1st Dec 2024
5pm start / 3pm end
Fixed cost: £300 (to secure your place) + Sliding scale contribution (to be given at the end): £200 - £600. 1 bursary place available
Led by: Cath Burke | Contact Cath
The Surprising Purpose Of Anger & The Freedom Of Sorry
November 26th (5pm) – Dec 1st (3pm) 2024
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.
“The retreat provided an intense experience of living empathically within NVC. I learnt a lot but also experienced tremendous love and compassion from the leaders and the whole group. The combination of NVC practice and theory, along with the dancing, provided an amazing workout for mind, body and spirit and I left feeling renewed and inspired.”
— Andy, London
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 places where you can enjoy silence to support self-connection.
There’s also the option of a sauna and outdoor fire.
“Cath created a safe and accepting environment that enabled me to be much more aware of my needs as they arose. I have noticed that I have been more aware of my feelings following the course, and am more consistently expressing my needs as they come up through the day.”
— Kate, London
Theme: The Surprising Purpose of Anger & the Freedom of Sorry
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.”
As well as gaining resource to be with anger, our own and other people’s, we’ll also build capacity to be with regret and step into the surprising power and liberation of saying sorry when our words or behaviour have fallen short of our values.
Our discoveries will unfold in a supportive compassionate community. The dance sessions are an integral part of deepening our embodiment of NVC.
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