I have been interested in personal healing since I was a teenager growing up in North Seattle. I’ve wanted to discover how to find peace within and how to heal families so that the world may become a more loving, compassionate place. I am so excited to be sharing NVC because I believe this work is so meaningful. It is very important for me to contribute to others in a meaningful way and I have seen so many people benefit from this. Also, sharing NVC keeps me closer to the consciousness that has become such an important, core part of my life.
To follow my interests I received a B.A. in Sociology with a Minor in History in 1988 from the University of New Mexico. I received my teaching certificate for Social Studies 7-12th grade the next year. When my husband and I returned to Washington, I became an Ameri Corps volunteer and worked at Kitsap County Project Family, a non-profit agency for the prevention of child abuse. There I worked with pregnant and parenting teens, and parents of young children. I learned many parenting programs and curricula. I received my most important "degree" in 1993, when our first child was born. I then got a "double major" in 1996 when our twins were born. And all the parent education preparation didn’t help me understand how to deal with my feelings, let alone help me teach my children how to self-regulate. Thankfully, I was asked if I might be interested in joining an NVC parent practice group in 2006 and my life changed. NVC helped me to know how to become self-aware and how to connect with others with compassion. I finally have a tool to teach my children how to become self-aware and self-responsible and therefore have compassion for themselves and others. I have realized my dream of helping people to heal, starting with myself, so we can be grounded adults that spread compassion to the world. Nonviolent Communication has greatly impacted every aspect of my life and for the first time I have a sense of inner peace that I carry with me at all times. NVC has benefited my relationship with myself, my children, my husband, my colleagues and my world. Now I want to help others explore this meaningful work.
Within the last 15 years I have taught 3rd and 4th graders NVC using Sura Hart’s The No Fault Classroom and worked as an aid for 4 years while also serving as the school’s Student Support Coordinator. I have been volunteering at the Washington Correctional Center for Women sharing NVC since 2010 and I have been teaching middle schoolers NVC at the local Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. I completed my certification in August, 2011. As part of the certification you are asked to have 50 days of training, which I have far exceeded. I have facilitated workshops and trainings to many different groups, from children to adults, including being a guest lecturer at the University of Washington School of Nursing Communication course and at Virgina Mason Hospital's Family Medicine Residency Program. I have supported numerous schools, parenting groups, The League of Women voters, faith communities, and have taught student leaders at the University of Puget Sound. Other groups I've worked with are the Q Center for LGBTQ youth, the Sunfield Waldorf School in Chimmacum, Washington, the Cedars Unitarian Universalist church on Bainbridge Island, 40 Years of Zen, and the Chobo-Ji Zen Center in Seattle, WA.
I have a passion for sharing NVC with anyone who is interested in exploring self-growth and learning a different way of speaking and listening. I especially love to work with parents and teachers. I have attended NVC Family Camp with my family since 2010, I have been staff since 2011. I provide community workshops, class series, introductory lectures and facilitate practice groups in Kitsap County and surrounding areas. I also reach people all over the world through visual learning. I work with individuals, organizations, families and couples and offer Nonviolent Communication mentoring and empathic coaching.
To follow my interests I received a B.A. in Sociology with a Minor in History in 1988 from the University of New Mexico. I received my teaching certificate for Social Studies 7-12th grade the next year. When my husband and I returned to Washington, I became an Ameri Corps volunteer and worked at Kitsap County Project Family, a non-profit agency for the prevention of child abuse. There I worked with pregnant and parenting teens, and parents of young children. I learned many parenting programs and curricula. I received my most important "degree" in 1993, when our first child was born. I then got a "double major" in 1996 when our twins were born. And all the parent education preparation didn’t help me understand how to deal with my feelings, let alone help me teach my children how to self-regulate. Thankfully, I was asked if I might be interested in joining an NVC parent practice group in 2006 and my life changed. NVC helped me to know how to become self-aware and how to connect with others with compassion. I finally have a tool to teach my children how to become self-aware and self-responsible and therefore have compassion for themselves and others. I have realized my dream of helping people to heal, starting with myself, so we can be grounded adults that spread compassion to the world. Nonviolent Communication has greatly impacted every aspect of my life and for the first time I have a sense of inner peace that I carry with me at all times. NVC has benefited my relationship with myself, my children, my husband, my colleagues and my world. Now I want to help others explore this meaningful work.
Within the last 15 years I have taught 3rd and 4th graders NVC using Sura Hart’s The No Fault Classroom and worked as an aid for 4 years while also serving as the school’s Student Support Coordinator. I have been volunteering at the Washington Correctional Center for Women sharing NVC since 2010 and I have been teaching middle schoolers NVC at the local Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. I completed my certification in August, 2011. As part of the certification you are asked to have 50 days of training, which I have far exceeded. I have facilitated workshops and trainings to many different groups, from children to adults, including being a guest lecturer at the University of Washington School of Nursing Communication course and at Virgina Mason Hospital's Family Medicine Residency Program. I have supported numerous schools, parenting groups, The League of Women voters, faith communities, and have taught student leaders at the University of Puget Sound. Other groups I've worked with are the Q Center for LGBTQ youth, the Sunfield Waldorf School in Chimmacum, Washington, the Cedars Unitarian Universalist church on Bainbridge Island, 40 Years of Zen, and the Chobo-Ji Zen Center in Seattle, WA.
I have a passion for sharing NVC with anyone who is interested in exploring self-growth and learning a different way of speaking and listening. I especially love to work with parents and teachers. I have attended NVC Family Camp with my family since 2010, I have been staff since 2011. I provide community workshops, class series, introductory lectures and facilitate practice groups in Kitsap County and surrounding areas. I also reach people all over the world through visual learning. I work with individuals, organizations, families and couples and offer Nonviolent Communication mentoring and empathic coaching.
