Ember Burns

Name: Ember Burns

Location: Edinburgh, Scotland

Welcome! I'm passionate about exploring the world through an engaging lens, and sharing NVC with a sufficient sprinkling of humour to have some serious fun. I create spaces where we tackle tough topics together, at the same time as nurturing connection and collective well-being.

Like Dr Rosenberg I too am deeply inspired by the work of Paulo Freire. These ideas and methods are often called critical pedagogy or problem posing education, and they were an integral part my MSc in Public Sociology. For me education can be a work of empowerment and liberation, a very different approach to many of the ways of teaching that those of us educated in a western style will have experienced in school. My view is that these methods and ideas are deeply integrated into NVC. As such I am not a 'teacher' of NVC, I do not see students as vessels to be filled with authoritative knowledge (the western model), rather I seek to share my understanding of NVC in a way that invites collaboration that builds new knowledge.  In other words, we learn from each other.

Like Dr Rosenberg I too am inspired by the work of Dr Thomas Szasz ('The Myth Of Mental Illness') and likewise I am inspired by Marshall's critical rejection of numerous ideas that are embodied in the mental health profession, for example diagnostic thinking.  As such I have been honored to lecture in critical psychiatry and neurodiversity in the university. NVC has been a gift that supports me to do this with deep care and compassion for such complexities.

For me, NVC makes it more possible to notice power dynamics and injustices while fostering an awareness of our feelings and needs. By encouraging self-reflection, NVC empowers us to engage in meaningful conversations about social justice and transformation. My sense is that this is a fundamental part of Dr Rosenberg's work.

I am also deeply interested in the decolonisation of IT, and have sold, serviced, advocated and trained people in using alternatives to Big Tech for over 20 years. I continue that work now with an NVC lens. I am curious how I can help you if that is a journey you wish to take.

I am a grief worker. I ran grief ceremonies, online and in person every month for 3 years. I am honored and grateful to do this profound work. I would love to see grief work as a normal part of our modern society.

I warmly invite everyone to join me on this journey. We have a lot to learn from each other.

Preferred Pronouns: She/her