Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life was written by Marshall Rosenberg and is published by PuddleDancer Press
Nonviolent Communication (NVC), also called Compassionate Communication, is a powerful tool for peacefully resolving conflicts through empathic listening and honest self-expression. NVC empowers us to see and connect with the humanity in ourselves and others. Marshall Rosenberg created and began teaching NVC in the 1960s.
What I want in my life is compassion, a flow between myself and others based on a mutual giving from the heart.
— Marshall Rosenberg
NVC is based on the assumption that all human beings have the capacity for compassion and empathy. People only resort to violence or behavior harmful to others when they do not recognize more effective strategies for meeting needs.
When practicing NVC, it helps to have lists of feelings and needs:
Empathy for ourselves and others is central to NVC. The following document summarizes ways to be empathic (and not!) and includes a list of interpretations, which are often confused with feelings.
The Compassion Course Online is a great way to learn about and practice NVC. It is a year-long course, beginning each year in June. It includes weekly emails with NVC concepts and exercises, and monthly conference calls.
In January 2024, I gave a presentation (PDF) on NVC at Birmingham Unitarian Church.
Thanks to Metro Detroit Nonviolent Communication and the New York Center for Nonviolent Communication for curating the lists of feelings and needs, and for providing the Empathy and Interpretations document.