NVC Training and Development

Building the foundations

• + First steps

  If you have read a book or watched a video about Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and would like to begin truly learning and practising it, you can join an in-person or online Foundation Training of at least 12 hours whenever possible.

  These trainings are sometimes offered over two full days and sometimes spread across several weeks. Either way, they cover the foundational skills of NVC: Observations, Feelings, Needs, and Requests and the key practises

• + Foundation training skills

  Although each NVC trainer teaches from their own unique perspective, in general you will find that Foundation Trainings give you theoretical and experiential knowledge of the following as the core NVC skills

  • The four elements of NVC |  observations, feelings, needs and requests - and how each of those elements can shift you from focussing on who is right and who is wrong and help you express your needs in a way more likely to inspire others to give to you. 
  • NVC empathy and self-empathy | these are core skills needed to truly shift from blaming yourself or blaming the other. As you learn them you realise that you don't need to give up on your needs to listen. They also help you accept that you have needs and that they matter and that there is nothing 'selfish' about this as long as those needs are not imposed on another.
  • Honest NVC expression | Learning to speak up for what you need or how someone else's words have impacted you without it spiralling into a full on argument is nother core skill that we learn on an NVC foundation training

  They are usually 12 hours long spread over two days or a number of weekly classes

  You can find current foundation trainings listed on our events page here

• + Connecting with other learners

  Some ways you could find other NVC learners in your area

  • Reach out to a local trainer/facilitator listed here and ask them for support
  • Join a Facebook group (search for NVC and your region)
  • Set up a peer-led practice group and let others know through our Practice Group page and/or via social media
  • Offer to show an NVC film by Marshall Rosenberg and invite your friends to watch it to inspire others to join your enthusiasm
  • If you have no NVC trainers in your area, ask one who lives further afield to come and offer a training in your area and help them market it/ invite others to join
• + Resources

  Feelings and Needs Card sets | NVC Matters sells playing cards to help you develop your feelings and needs literacy. You can find them in our online shop. They can be used in practice groups or with children and can be used to make feelings and needs guesses. They can also be used alone. We have a free downloadable resource suggesting nine ways they can be used alone. You can purchase them here

  Feelings and Needs lists | If you prefer all your feelings and needs listed on one or two pages, you will easily find these available for free on the internet

  Other resources | The global organisation CNVC sells a variety of NVC products: books, games and other resources. Not all of them may be available to the UK but many will be. You can find them here 

  Videos | You can search on Youtube and find many videos teaching NVC including original ones from Marshall Rosenberg, the founder of NVC

• + Events

  To find a foundation training or events suitable for beginners  click here and filter for 'beginners'