FROM THE ASSESSOR, Towe Widstrand

Ilze will be the first Certified Trainer in Latvia and has concrete plans to build an NVC community in Latvia and stay connected to the international NVC community. Ilze is experienced as a trainer and is clear and focused. She already has a consulting business, to which NVC will be a great contribution. She has a wide area of interest regarding sharing NVC, particularly the NGO sector and the medical and educational sectors.

Ilze has high standards and integrity in sharing NVC, according to Marshall. Her challenge is to express herself with fewer words, particularly under pressure. I wish for her to handle her inner Jackals more and more with compassion.

From Ilze:

I discovered NVC during my Peace and Conflict Master studies in the United States in 2008. For the first years, I was merely focused on learning and using it as a method for constructive conflict resolution and facilitation of restorative dialogues in my work as a mediator and peace builder. By 2021, when I committed to the certification path, I had shifted my focus and view of NVC as an internal and external navigation system to practice empathic realism and conscious choosing in my daily actions.

Deep embodiment evolved as a precondition for being in NVC consciousness rather than doing formal NVC, and it merged into my years-long Iyengar yoga and meditation practice. For me, the certification journey was about gaining confidence for having processed and, on a deeper level, understanding Marshall’s work. It has also been about honoring the job done before taking responsibility towards the NVC community and honoring Marshall Rosenberg's legacy. It was also a way to become more confident and vulnerable as I welcomed all sorts of feedback and internal deep dives into realms of my consciousness. The certification path has contributed to my sense of belonging. I feel so much more connected to the NVC community thanks to all my trainers, the European NVC assessor team, fellow certification candidates, and, notably, the NVC community in Finland, who gave me support and encouragement when I so needed it and never failed in maintaining a graceful balance between radical honesty, humor, and care.

Being the first and only certification candidate from Latvia and now the first certified trainer has been like traveling wilderness with graceful and patient guidance from my Assessor, Towe Widstrand, for which I’m deeply grateful. As I continue sharing and teaching NVC in Latvia, the Baltics, and beyond, I look forward to becoming a trustworthy partner for other NVC trainers and developing solid, life-enriching partnerships.

FROM THE ASSESSOR, Michael Dillo

[EN] Tilman Rieger has been living in Shanghai for almost ten years. Our connection arose through a recommendation from my co-assessor, Summer Li from Beijing, who met Tilman at the first IIT in China in 2018. He is German and has family roots in an area where I spent many years of my youth. Tilman also spent some time working in Switzerland, where I have lived for 30 years. We, therefore, had a common background and experience right from the start.

Since 2021, we have regularly exchanged information online. In the summer of 2023, we were able to meet in person during Tilman's trip to Germany. It's important to me to meet my candidates in person, even if they live far away geographically, like Tilman. During our conversations, I learned about Tilman's path to Nonviolent CommunicaWon (NVC), which began in 2014 with coaching training. During his training, Tilman also dealt intensively with transactional analysis and the PQ (PosiWve Intelligence) program, which he also teaches and applies in workshops and consultations. Both approaches overlap in many topics and contents with Nonviolent CommunicaWon. We discussed how to clearly differentiate between these methods, and I had the impression that Tilman understood my concerns about mixing the methods.

During our conversations, it was important to me that Tilman was able to switch from ‘sending’ to ‘receiving’. At first, I found it difficult to interrupt him in order to be heard. This changed steadily over the course of our dialogue. I have the impression that a relationship of trust on an equal footing has developed in the course of our work together. I got to know Tilman's NVC skills, both in online formats and in a workshop on empathy that we offered together in Shanghai before the IIT in China in December 2023. I was impressed by both Tilman's sovereignty in leading the group and the playful ease with which he was able to cooperate with me, and was convinced of Tilman's teaching skills.

I was able to experience the third NVC focus on the cerWficaWon path (Living NVC) impressively at the China IIT 2023, where Tilman had taken on the task of putting together a The translation team is supervising it during the IIT. In many different small observations, I (and the entire team of trainers) was able to experience very impressively how Tilman mastered the not-always-easy task of maintaining a safe framework for the team of translators and providing balance when it was needed. Not least for this reason, the team of trainers (with four assessors) organized a session during the IIT, which we regarded as the conclusion of the pre-assessment.

Six months later, Sylvia Haskvitz and I had the opportunity to organize the final assessment during a personal visit to China. An outstanding feature of this event was Tilman's empathic support of a participant who dared to confide in Tilman in a group of ‘strangers’ with a real, existential issue. The subsequent feedback showed that this assessment was an impressive experience for everyone involved and that the recommendation to recognize Tilman as a certified trainer is fully justified.

[DE] Tilman Rieger lebt seit fast zehn Jahren in Shanghai. Unsere Verbindung entstand durch eine Empfehlung von meiner Mitassessorin Summer Li aus Beijing, die Tilman beim ersten IIT in China 2018 kennenlernte. Er ist Deutscher und hat familiäre Wurzeln in einer Gegend, in der ich viele Jahre meiner Jugend verbrachte. Zudem hat Tilman einige Zeit in der Schweiz gearbeitet, wo ich seit dreißig Jahren lebe. Wir haben dadurch von Anfang an einen verbindenden Erfahrungshintergrund.

Ab 2021 tauschten wir uns regelmäßig online aus. Im Sommer 2023 konnten wir uns während Tilmans Deutschlandreise persönlich kennenlernen. Es ist mir wichtig, meine Kandidaten im persönlichen Kontakt zu erleben, selbst wenn sie wie Tilman geografisch weit entfernt leben. In unseren Gesprächen erfuhr ich von Tilmans Weg zur Gewaltfreien Kommunikation (GFK), der 2014 mit einer Coachingausbildung begann.

Tilman hat sich bei der Ausbildung auch intensiv mit der Transaktionsanalyse und dem PQ (Positive Intelligence) Programm auseinandergesetzt und lehrt und wendet diese auch in Workshops und Beratungen an. Beide Ansätze überlappen sich in vielen Themen und Inhalten mit der Gewaltfreien Kommunikation. Wir diskutierten auch, wie diese Methoden klar voneinander abzugrenzen sind, und ich hatte den Eindruck, dass Tilman meine Bedenken verstand, die Methoden zu vermischen.

Während unserer Gespräche war es mir wichtig, dass Tilman vom „Senden“ zum „Empfangen“ wechseln kann. Anfangs fiel es mir schwer, ihn zu unterbrechen, um Gehör zu finden. Dies hat sich im Laufe unserer Austausche stetig verändert. Ich habe den Eindruck, dass sich im Laufe der gemeinsamen Arbeit eine Vertrauensbeziehung auf Augenhöhe entwickelt hat. Ich lernte Tilmans GFK-Kenntnisse kennen, sowohl in Online-Formaten als auch in einem Workshop über Empathie, den wir gemeinsam vor dem IIT in China im Dezember 2023 in Shanghai anboten. Mich hat sowohl Tilmans Souveränität, mit der er die Gruppe angeleitet hat, als auch die spielerische Leichtigkeit, in der er mit mir kooperieren konnte, beeindruckt und von Tilmans Lehrfähigkeiten überzeugt.

Den dritten NVC-Schwerpunkt auf dem Zertifizierungsweg (Living-NVC) konnte ich eindrucksvoll beim China-IIT 2023 erleben, wo Tilman die Aufgabe übernommen hatte, ein Übersetzungsteam zusammenzustellen und dieses während des IITs auch zu betreuen. An vielen verschiedenen kleinen Beobachtungen konnte ich (und das ganze Trainer-Team) sehr eindrucksvoll erleben, wie Tilman die nicht immer einfache Aufgabe bewältigt hat, für das Team der Übersetzer einen sicheren Rahmen zu halten und für Ausgleich zu sorgen, wenn es das brauchte.

Nicht zuletzt aus diesem Grunde hat das Trainer-Team (mit vier Assessoren) während des IITs eine Session angesetzt, die wir als Abschluss des Pre-Assessments gewertet haben. Ein halbes Jahr später ergab sich im Rahmen einer persönlichen Anwesenheit von Sylvia Haskvitz und mir in China eine Gelegenheit, das abschließende Assessment zu arrangieren.

Herausragend bei diesem Anlass war eine empathische Begleitung Tilmans mit einer Teilnehmerin, die es gewagt hat, sich Tilman in einer Gruppe aus „Fremden“ mit einem realen, existenziellen Thema anzuvertrauen. Die anschließenden Feedbacks haben gezeigt, dass dieses Assessment für alle Beteiligten ein eindrucksvolles Erlebnis war, und die Empfehlung zur Anerkennung als zertifizierter Trainer für Tilman vollumfänglich stimmig ist.

From Tilman:

My journey with Nonviolent Communication (NVC) began in 2014, during a gap year after 15 years as an HR professional. I took a year-long NVC trainer course alongside coaching and business mediation courses. The NVC course profoundly impacted my growth, inspiring many of my coaching peers to join the program as well. I realized that NVC was life-changing, and I wanted to deepen my understanding.

In 2015, I moved to China and began working as a cross-cultural consultant and coach. I integrated NVC into my work, focusing on what connects cultures (needs) rather than what separates them (strategies). Since there were no certified NVC trainers in China at the time, I attended any available certified courses by invited international trainers. In 2018, I attended the first IIT in China, which motivated me to continue this journey. Six months later, I left my job to start my own company focused on Communication and Collaboration, supported by the process of NVC and the psychological framework of Transactional Analysis.

From 2019-22, I shared NVC (under the title Compassionate Communication) with over 1,000 people in public courses (online and F2F), deepening my knowledge and inspiring others. Furthermore, I used it in couples coaching, business mediation, and corporate settings. In 2022, I began the NVC certification process, attending a CALF training with Michael Dillo and Sylvia Haskvitz. During this training I found other peers with whom I formed an NVC Home Group of fellow candidates from the US, Germany, and Israel.

I started regular coaching sessions with Michael and attended two face-to-face meetings in Germany. Together, we also facilitated a workshop on empathy in Shanghai and traveled together to Beijing. Afterward, we then spent 9 intensive days together during the IIT retreat in Suzhou in December 2023, where I co-organized and managed the translator team. Both trainers and participants praised the smooth performance of the translator team.

During the IIT, I completed my pre-assessment, received valuable feedback, and applied it in my work with leaders. In July 2023 when Michael and Sylvia were in Shanghai, I completed my certification assessment, surrounded by friends and colleagues. It was a meaningful and dignified experience, emphasizing my principle of allowing the process to unfold naturally. For me, the journey is more important than the certification itself, and my partnership with Michael was one of mutual growth, not just teacher and student.

FROM THE ASSESSORS, Aga Rzewuska-Paca

We have accompanied Gosia from her first meeting with NVC, when she was a workshop participant, to co-creating and co-leading workshops. Throughout this time we have been able to experience her integration in daily interactions - the empathy towards herself and others, and vulnerability in showing herself, boundaries and choices she makes. We celebrate her self-awareness, the fluidity with which she gets in touch with her feelings and needs, the clarity with which she expresses requests. In our relationship in the roles of Assessor(s) and a Certification Candidate, we had a sense of partnership and flow of feedback.

We experience her sensitivity to words and the meaning they carry - we were particularly able to experience this when she was an interpreter during an IIT. Her creativity and awareness of NVC is also evident in the articles she writes and the materials she creates. (Feeling Cards, Playing with Empathy game). We are also experiencing her skills as a trainer and facilitation - building rapport with the group, empathy and holding structure in connection with purpose. We are happy to welcome Gosia to the Certified Trainers community.

From Malgorzata:

I started my journey with NVC in 2017 with one short workshop with Marta Kułaga, and I knew that was something I was looking for in my life and parenting and what I wanted to share with others. Since then I attended about 100 days of training with certified trainers and some more with not certified trainers and also provided training for others - mainly parents, teachers and teams in non-profit organisations and IT companies. My Certification path started in 2022 when we started Certification in Community in Poland. On our first meeting I didn't even think about becoming certified, but just about the growth process within the community. But supported by my friends and my mentor I actively joint this path and came to assessment in August 2024.

FROM THE ASSESSOR, Jim Manske

Shortly after I became an Assessor-in-Training, I decided to start experimenting with “pods”, small groups of 5-10 people who met regularly with me and with one another to learn and integrate Nonviolent Communication and build their portfolios. The first group that came together included Yu-Mei and several others in Taiwan. A few years before that I had the pleasure of visiting Taiwan for the first time. One of my first memories is meeting Yu-Mei who offered her interpretation skills for our first workshops in Taiwan. I remember her smile, her warmth, and her eagerness to learn and practice NVC. 

Over time, the pod shifted their aims and some members left to find other ways of practicing and integrating NVC. But Yu-Mei “stuck”, and together we have focused on learning and integrating NVC in a way that is congruent for Taiwan and yet holds to the integrity of NVC. Yu-Mei seemed to devote herself to not only learning and practicing NVC, but also supporting others in learning. She practiced the advice I gave her that I received from Rita Herzog, “If you want to be a Certified Trainer, start acting like one.”

So, Yu-Mei has been acting like a CT and continuing to support CNVC, including as an interpreter/leader for the recent Taiwan IIT. She also received extensive mentoring from both me and River Dunavin (an Assessor in Training working with me) and diligently built her portfolio. She apparently took Marshall’s advice to “take your time”, and now, after almost a decade of service, practice and learning, she is ready and willing to become our colleague as a Certified Trainer in Taiwan. I want to acknowledge the special effort it takes for a bilingual practitioner working with someone like me who speaks only English. Yu-Mei carried the burden for both of us in a way that I never could. Please join me in welcoming Yu-Mei to our community of Certified Trainers!

From Yu-Mei:

I am a coach and started exploring NVC in 2013. I appreciate NVC because it quickly helps me calm my emotional fluctuations while maintaining a connected relationship with my clients, assisting them in using NVC for self-empathy and empathy towards others, and overcoming various interpersonal issues. Additionally, it resolved the conflict issues among team members that I had long wanted to address.

In 2017, I became a Certified Candidate, and in 2024, I finally became a Certified Trainer—a journey that took over seven years. This extended period was because I struggled to find time to prepare the certification portfolio to the high standards I had set for myself. In 2023, I paused all coaching cases and workshops, set aside my inner high standards, and finally completed the certification portfolio, bringing my marathon-like certification journey to an end.

FROM THE ASSESSOR, Ania Mills

Łukasz has been in the Certification process for quite a while. I enjoyed his dedication to integrating NVC and slowing down to discover nuances of NVC despite being already an experienced trainer at the beginning of the journey. He works both in business and in self development areas as a trainer, coach and speaker. He is dedicated to promoting NVC on large scale in Poland and considers organising more international events. He is passionate about self discovery combining both intellectual understanding and in-depth self connection exploring presence and being in the unknown.

From Łukasz:

I discovered NVC by accident about 10 years ago when the owner of the training company where I worked recommended the book Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg. NVC became a life-changing practice for me and a hope that the world could look different and that human needs would be taken into account. This spark of fascination and desire to contribute to the transformation of the world pushed me toward certification as a trainer.

I wanted to share NVC and integrate the essence that NVC brings. The Certification took me about 9 years even though I assumed it would take much less time. I really wanted to deeply understand NVC and feel ready for certification and it happened watching Robert Gonzales' recordings in 2022. Then a profound shift of consciousness happened in me and I felt the spiritual dimension of NVC. That's when I decided to complete the certification, especially since there was an opportunity to certify with a Polish Assessor who was Anna Mills. I took part in mentoring by Anna Mills, which supports the Certification process. In addition, I joined the group Certification in NVC community, which is led by Marta Kulaga and Agnieszka Rzewuska-Paca. This gave me the opportunity to experience a lot of feedback and inspiration and exchange with others on the Certification path.

In between, I also worked with several people in empathic twos to deepen and integrate empathic awareness to myself and other people. I am celebrating the completion of the Certification process, which has additionally become a rite of passage for me - a symbol of being able to complete a process that is important to me. This was extremely important to me because, due to my ADHD, I have never been able to complete any process in my life that I would have chosen out of my own free will rather than out of obligation such as a master's degree. Of course, I know that the development process doesn't end, and I continue to want to deepen and nurture empathic awareness, but the completion of the assessment became the sealing of an important stage in my life.

FROM THE ASSESSOR, Marianne Sikor

[EN] I'm happy to step forward with Marcus to Certification. He has been registered with me since 2022 and we have been in regular contact about his learnings in teaching, living, and knowing NVC. During five mentoring and assessment days (3 days each), Marcus was supported in his process with 360-degree feedback by my team members Johannes Henn and Vivet Alevi and our community of Certification Candidates.

When Marcus began his Certification process he already was an experienced NVC trainer having shared his understanding of NVC for 10 years to grateful and content participants. He also was and is co-working with my assessor colleague Johannes in offering a year-long training in NVC. Through his experiences in his trainings Marcus main focus in entering the process was not to learn how to teach NVC in integrity. Nevertheless I experienced him seeking and receiving feedback for his way of sharing NVC with curiosity and gratitude. What I value a lot is his enthusiasm and joy in sharing NVC and thus contributing to a more peaceful world and to the lives of his participants.

His main intention to do the process was to build up community, to savour the experience of a NVC network and make connections that will outlive the certification process. I celebrate how he jumped in in our candidates community, challenging his previous patterns and core jackal beliefs to not being “good” in living community /in groups. Seeing him in such ease and calmness on his last mentoring and assessment days filled me with joy and appreciation for his growth and his commitment to develop in this area. I'm really looking forward to see him announced as a member of our CNVC trainer network and am looking forward to his contributions. Welcome, Marcus!

[DE] Ich freue mich, mit Marcus den Schritt zur Zertifizierung zu gehen. Er ist seit 2022 mit mir registriert und wir waren in regelmäßigem Kontakt über seine Lernerfahrungen im Lehren, Leben und Wissen von GFK. Während fünf Mentoring- und Assessment-Tagen (je 3 Tage) wurde Marcus in seinem Prozess mit 360-Grad-Feedback von meinen Teammitgliedern Johannes und Vivet und unserer Kandidat*innen-Gemeinschaft unterstützt.

Als Marcus seinen Zertifizierungsprozess begann, war er bereits ein erfahrener GFK-Trainer, der sein Verständnis von GFK seit 10 Jahren an dankbare und zufriedene Teilnehmende weitergegeben hat. Er arbeitete und arbeitet auch jetzt noch mit meinem Assessor-Kollegen Johannes zusammen, um ein Jahretraining in GFKanzubieten. Durch seine Erfahrungen in seinen Seminare war Marcus' Hauptaugenmerk beim Eintritt in den Prozess nicht darauf gerichtet, zu lernen, GFK in Integrität weiterzugeben. Dennoch habe ich erlebt, wie er mit Neugier und Dankbarkeit Feedback für seine Art, GFK zu vermitteln, gesucht und erhalten hat. Was ich sehr schätze, ist sein Enthusiasmus und seine Freude daran, GFK weiterzugeben und damit zu einer friedlicheren Welt und zum Leben seiner Teilnehmenden beizutragen.

Sein Hauptanliegen im Prozess war es, eine Gemeinschaft aufzubauen, die Erfahrung eines GFK-Netzwerks zu genießen und Verbindungen zu knüpfen, die den Zertifizierungsprozess überdauern werden. Ich freue mich, wie er sich in die Gemeinschaft unserer Kandidat*innen stürzte und seine früheren Muster und Kernüberzeugungen herausforderte, im Leben von Gemeinschaft / in Gruppen nicht „gut“ zu sein. Ihn an seinen letzten Mentoring- und Assessmenttagen in solcher Leichtigkeit und Gelassenheit zu sehen, erfüllte mich mit Freude und Wertschätzung für sein Wachstum und sein Engagement, sich in diesem Bereich weiterzuentwickeln. Ich freue mich sehr, ihn als Mitglied unseres CNVC-Trainer*innen-Netzwerks anzukündigen und freue mich auf seinen Beitrag in der Verbreitung von GFK und zum Social change. Herzlich willkommen, Marcus!

From Marcus:

I started to study NVC in 2016 while working in NPO that offered day activities for people with mental challenges. Our work team wanted to have more tools in “challenging” situations with our clients, so we took part in one year of NVC training. During that year, I realized that NVC is not just a tool, it is so much more, and I wanted to continue learning it.

In 2021, I applied as a Certification Candidate with the aim of strengthening my NVC network in order to strengthen my own commitment to the partnership model. In my certification process, I have learned, grown, and found more peace in me and in my life than earlier. And even more importantly, I have learned to be present for myself when I am not “in peace.” Two of the concrete changes that I have noticed in me during this process, among other things, are:

1. to feel an emotion without reacting to it; and 
2. my ability to observe my own reaction. Also, my ability to be more aware of when I am connected with myself and when I am not (when I make conscious choices and when my actions are guided by old beliefs and habits) has increased.

I have gotten to know many new parts of myself and started to understand my own actions and ways of behaving. It has been step by step easier for me listen myself emphatically and try less to fix myself in certain shape.

from the assessor, Johannes Henn

[EN] I have accompanied Andi intensively on his Certification journey and am delighted to now be taking the final step towards Certification with him. I enjoyed each of the numerous meetings and encounters with him. He always conveyed to me a kind of serene constancy connected to life, which I was always able to relax into and which has continued to develop. Cooperation and community are important values for him, which he wants to promote and convey in his work, family and friendship contexts. In doing so, he wants to build on what he thinks Marshall meant by his place of "natural givings": a community in which unconditional acceptance is lived and which is also open to tension in a mindful and powerful way. I look forward to experiencing Andi as an active member of our trainer community.

[DE] Ich habe Andi intensiv auf seinem Zertifizierungsweg begleitet und freue mich, mit ihm jetzt den abschließenden Schritt zur Zertifizierung zu gehen. Ich habe jedes der zahlreichen Treffen und Zusammentreffen mit ihm genossen. Er vermittelte mir stets eine Art von gelassener und mit dem Leben verbundener Beständigkeit, in die hinein ich mich immer wieder entspannen konnte und die sich stetig weiterentwickelt hat.

Kooperation und Gemeinschaft sind bedeutende Werte für ihn, die er in seinen Arbeits-, aber auch Familien- und Freundschaftszusammenhängen fördern und vermitteln will. Dabei will er an das anknüpfen, was er denkt, das Marshall mit seinem Ort des „natural givings“ meinte: Eine Gemeinschaft, in der bedingungslose Akzeptanz gelebt wird und die gleichzeitig auf achtsame und kraftvolle Weise auch für Spannungen offen ist. Ich freue mich darauf, Andi als aktives Mitglied unserer Trainer*innengemeinschaft zu erleben.

from Andreas:

[EN] My journey with Nonviolent Communication (NVC) began in 2016 and has profoundly transformed my life ever since. NVC not only opened up new perspectives for me but also took me on an inner journey of discovery where I learned to take responsibility for my feelings and needs. On this path, I met someone very special: myself. Through the power of empathy, I learned to better understand my own needs and to connect with mindfulness and self-compassion. A particularly formative moment for me was when a friend and mentor first offered me her genuine empathy, truly hearing me in my pain—a moment that deeply touched me and encouraged me to continue down this path.

The certification process was a significant milestone in this journey. During my first mentoring and assessment days, the challenges brought about by the pandemic were immense, as many uncertainties arose within the community. How do we interact with one another when so much is unclear? How can everyone be heard, and how can we find the greatest possible consensus? I often found myself grappling with the balance between speaking and listening: What contribution is helpful for the group? What is my intention in speaking at this moment? What does the group need right now? During this exciting time, I increasingly found my position and stance, learning to use my power-with approach both sensitively and clearly.

I discovered my ability to provide helpful input that offers structure and orientation. At the same time, I reflected on which of my contributions were truly necessary. Socrates' "Three Sieves"—are my words true, necessary, and kind?—greatly supported me in this process. For me, the last sieve especially has a lot to do with empathy. The community became a safe space for me to test and further develop these abilities. The deep connections that emerged from working together and engaging in intense exchanges showed me how essential community, belonging, and purpose are for my personal growth. Even after the certification process, it is clear to me: I want to remain part of this community because it creates a space where I can flourish and grow.

[DE] Meine Reise mit der Gewaltfreien Kommunikation (GFK) begann 2016 und hat seitdem mein Leben tiefgreifend verändert. GFK hat mir nicht nur neue Perspektiven eröffnet, sondern mich auch auf eine innere Entdeckungsreise mitgenommen, auf der ich gelernt habe, Verantwortung für meine Gefühle und Bedürfnisse zu übernehmen. Dabei habe ich eine ganz besondere Person kennengelernt: Mich selbst. Durch die Kraft der Empathie habe ich gelernt, meine eigenen Bedürfnisse besser zu verstehen und mich mit Achtsamkeit und Selbstmitgefühl zu verbinden. Besonders prägend war für mich der Moment, als mir eine Freundin und Mentorin erstmals ihre aufrichtige Empathie schenkte und mich in meinem Schmerz wirklich hörte – ein Augenblick, der mich zutiefst berührte und mich ermutigte, weiter in diese Richtung zu gehen.

Der Zertifizierungsprozess war für mich eine bedeutende Etappe auf dieser Reise. Bereits bei meinen ersten Mentoring- und Assessment-Tagen (MAT) waren die Herausforderungen durch die pandemische Situation groß, da viele Unsicherheiten in der Gemeinschaft aufkamen. Wie gehen wir miteinander um, wenn so vieles unklar ist? Wie können alle gehört werden und wie finden wir den größtmöglichen Konsens? Besonders oft stellte sich für mich die Frage, eine Balance zwischen Sprechen und Zuhören zu finden: Welcher Beitrag ist hilfreich für die Gruppe? Was ist meine Absicht, genau jetzt etwas zu sagen? Was braucht die Gruppe gerade? In dieser spannenden Zeit fand ich zunehmend meine Position und Haltung meine Macht-Mit sensiblen und zugleich klar einzusetzen.

Ich stellte fest, dass ich die Fähigkeit besitze, hilfreiche Impulse zu setzen, die der Struktur und Orientierung dienen. Zugleich reflektierte ich, welche Beiträge meinerseits wirklich notwendig sind. Die „Drei Siebe“ von Sokrates – sind meine Worte wahr, notwendig und freundlich? – unterstützten mich stark in diesem Prozess. Vor allem das letzte Sieb hat für mich viel mit Empathie zu tun. Die Gemeinschaft war für mich ein sicherer Raum, in dem ich genau diese Fähigkeiten erproben und weiterentwickeln konnte. Die tiefe Verbindung, die durch das gemeinsame Arbeiten und den intensiven Austausch entstanden ist, hat mir gezeigt, wie essenziell Gemeinschaft, Zugehörigkeit und Sinn für mein eigenes Wachstum sind. Auch nach dem Zertifizierungsprozess ist für mich klar: Ich möchte in dieser Community bleiben, da sie einen Raum schafft, in dem ich mich selbst entfalten und wachsen kann.

FROM THE ASSESSOR, Irmtraud Kauschat

[EN] I met Olha in Kharkiv in 2016. At the time, she was organising a NVC training course to which I was invited via an NGO in Berlin. Over the next few years, I got to know her more as an organiser and she slowly grew into her role as a NVC trainer, taking part in the one-year Peace Engineers training and giving workshops in Kharkiv. In November 2021, she took part in our MAD in Wiesbaden with two friends from Kharkiv. She made the long journey from Ukraine to Germany to do so. She also took out a loan to pay the costs. That shows me how seriously she took this journey and how important the need to contribute was and is to her. I was able to experience this again and again with Olha, even after the war began.

In June 2022, we organised the MAD online, also to give the Ukrainian candidates who were registered with me the chance to take part despite the ongoing full-scale war. After Olha fled to Germany with her son, we stayed in close contact. I was particularly impressed by Olha's commitment to supporting people who are socially marginalised with NVC training. She had founded an organisation called ‘Razom’, which worked with schools, for example, to provide vocational training for young people who had no opportunities in the "normal" school system. At the time, she invited me to mediation training sessions and I was impressed by how committed the young people were to NVC and mediation.

During the coronavirus period, Olha invited me to contribute online to her NVC course for the LGBTQ community in Kharkiv. This commitment shows me how much Olha wants to contribute to social change and how important inclusion is to her. It took her a while to arrive in Germany after she fled. She soon became involved in online empathy groups for both Ukrainian refugees and those living in Ukraine, particularly in Kharkiv, where people are still living under constant bombing and other attacks. I am impressed by her resilience when she tells me that she has many (online) empathy meetings with traumatised veterans, family members of fallen or missing soldiers or people who have lost family members in bombings. Our team has also created a special assessment method for their specific situation:

A large part of the pre-assessment took place online in several meetings in a group with other Ukrainian Certification Candidates with translation. The assessment consisted of two parts: In May, I travelled to Ukraine for mentoring assessment days with the Ukrainian candidates, for which Olha also came to Ukraine. There I could see how much she is involved in the Ukrainian NVC community. The feedback for her was unanimous and warm.

At the IIT in Germany in September/October, she also received a lot of appreciative feedback for her presentation and for how she showed up from the entire community, including many Ukrainian women. This strengthens and supports me and my team, Doris Schwab and Edith Sauerbier, in our YES to her Certification, which comes from the bottom of our hearts. I am very pleased that we have travelled this path together and that Olha is now also an officially certified trainer.

[DE] Ich schreibe diese Empfehlung auf Deutsch, weil das die Sprache ist, in der Olha und ich uns verstehen. Ich lernte Olha 2016 in Charkiw kennen. Damals organisierte sie ein GFK-Training, zu dem ich über eine NGO in Berlin eingeladen war. Ich habe sie auch den nächsten Jahren eher als Organisatorin kennengelernt, langsam wuchs sie in die Rolle als GFK-Trainerin hinein, nahm an dem 1-jährigen „Peace Engineers-Training“ teil und gab Workshops in Charkiw. 2021entschloss sie sich, den Weg der Zertifizierung zu gehen.

2021 nahm sie im November mit zwei Freundinnen aus Charkiw an unseren MAD in Wiesbaden teil. Dafür nahm sie die lange Reise aus der Ukraine nach Deutschland auf sich. Außerdem nahm einen Kredit auf, um die Kosten zu bezahlen. Das zeigt(e) mir, wie ernst sie diesen Weg nahm, auch wie wichtig ihr das Bedürfnis nach Beitragen war und ist. Das habe ich mit Olha immer wieder erleben dürfen, auch nachdem der Krieg begonnen hatte.

Im Juni 2022 organisierten wir die MAD online, auch um den ukrainischen Kandidat*innen, die mit mir registriert waren, die Chance auf eine Teilnahme zu geben.
Nachdem Olha mit Ihrem Sohn nach Deutschland geflohen war, blieben wir weiter in engem Kontakt. Besonders beeindruckt hat mich, wie sehr Olha sich engagiert hat, um Menschen, die gesellschaftlich eher am Rande stehen, mit GFK-Trainings zu unterstützen. Sie hatte eine Organisation „Razom“ gegründet, die z.B. mit Schulen zusammenarbeitete, die Jugendlichen eine Berufsausbildung ermöglichte, die im üblichen Schulsystem keine Chancen hatten. Sie hat mich damals zu Mediationstrainings eingeladen, ich war beeindruckt, wie engagiert die jungen Menschen die GFK und Mediation aufnahmen.

Während der Corona-Zeit hat Olha mich eingeladen, online einen Beitrag zu ihrem GFK-Kurs für die LGBTQ-Gemeinschaft in Charkiw zu leisten. Dieses Engagement zeigt mir, wie sehr Olha zum sozialen Wandel beitragen will, wie wichtig ihr Inklusion ist. Nach ihrer Flucht brauchte sie eine Zeit, bis sie in Deutschland angekommen war. Schon bald engagierte sie sich in Online-Empathie-Gruppen sowohl für geflüchtete ukrainische Menschen als auch solche, die in der Ukraine leben, insbesondere in Charkiw, wo die Menschen unter andauernden Bomben- und anderen Angriffen leben.

Ich bin beeindruckt von ihrer Resilienz, wenn sie erzählt, dass sie viele (online) Empathietreffen hat mit traumatisierten Veteranen, Familienangehörigen von gefallenen oder vermissten Soldaten oder Menschen, die bei Bombenangriffen Familienangehörige verloren haben. Für ihre spezielle Situation haben wir in unserem Team auch einen besonderen Weg zum Assessment kreiert:

Ein großer Teil des Pre-Assessments fand online in mehreren Treffen in einer Gruppe mit anderen ukrainischen Zertifizierungskandidatinnen mit Übersetzung statt. Das Assessment bestand aus zwei Teilen: Im Mai reiste ich in die Ukraine für Mentoring-Assessment-Tage mit den ukrainischen Kandidat*innen, zu denen Olha auch in die Ukraine kam. Dort konnte ich sehen, wie sehr sie eingebunden ist in die ukrainische GFK-Gemeinschaft. Das Feedback für sie war einstimmig und herzlich.

Beim IIT Im September/Oktober in Deutschland erhielt sie für ihre Präsentation ebenfalls viel wertschätzendes Feedback aus der gesamten Gemeinschaft, darunter auch viele Ukrainerinnen. Das stärkt und unterstützt mich und mein Team, Doris Schwab und Edith Sauerbier, in unserem JA zu ihrer Zertifizierung, das aus vollem Herzen kommt. Ich freue mich sehr darüber, dass wir diesen Weg gemeinsam gegangen sind und Olha jetzt auch offiziell zertifizierte Trainerin ist.

From Olha:

[EN] My journey in the field of Nonviolent Communication (NVC) began with the realization of how important empathy and supportive dialogue are, not only in my work as a psychologist but also in my private life. Since 2016, I have been practicing Nonviolent Communication, and I notice how it has transformed both my own life and that of my clients. It gives my life more meaning and creates support systems—not only for me but also for the people with whom I practice. Since 2016, I have been working with representatives from communities, educational institutions, and social services, organizing and facilitating dialogues, workshops, training sessions, and mediations in the city of Kharkiv and the Kharkiv region.

The certification was a natural continuation of my process to better understand my feelings, states, and needs, connect with myself, and deepen my connection with others—especially in 2022, when I, along with my child and many of my clients, had to flee our home to save our lives. Participating in the certification process not only helped me structure my knowledge and adapt it for work with displaced persons, refugees, military families, and those experiencing grief and loss, but also allowed me to reconnect with myself, hear my own needs, and build a new life in Germany.

The skills I have acquired enable me to support both myself and my clients while maintaining a balance between empathy and practicality. My goal is not only to raise my clients' awareness but also to help them find inner resources for sustainable growth, even in the most difficult situations.

[UA] Мій шлях у сфері ненасильницького спілкування почався з усвідомлення важливості емпатії та підтримуючого діалогу не тільки в моїй практиці психолога, а і в моєму приватному житті. Я практикую ненасильницьке спілкування з 2016 року. І я помічаю, як воно змінює моє власне життя та життя моїх клієнтів. Додаючи більше сенсів та створюючи системи підтримки як для мене, так і для тих людей з ким я практикую. З 2016 року я працювала з представниками громад, освіти та соціальних служб організуючи та проводячи діалоги, воркшопи тренінги та медіації у м. Харків та Харківській області.

Сертифікація стала для мене природним продовженням процесу усвідомлення своїх почуттів, станів та потреб, зв’язку з собою та поглибленням зв’язку з іншими людьми, особливо у 2022 року, коли мені з моєю дитиною, як і багатьом моїм клієнтам, довелося тікати з рідного дому, щоб врятувати наші життя. Участь у сертифікації допомогла не тільки структурувати знання та адаптувати їх для подальшого використання в контексті роботи з переселенцями та біженцями, родинами військових та людьми які проживають горе та втрату, а і з’єднуватися з собою, чути себе та свої потреби та будувати нове життя в Німеччині. Отримані навички дозволяють мені підтримувати і себе і моїх клієнтів зберігаючи баланс між емпатією і природністю життя. Моя мета – не тільки сприяти розвитку усвідомленості клієнтів, а і допомагати їм віднайти внутрішні ресурси для стійкого зростання, навіть у найскладніших ситуаціях. 

[DE] Mein Weg im Bereich der Gewaltfreien Kommunikation begann mit der Erkenntnis, wie wichtig Empathie und unterstützender Dialog nicht nur in meiner Arbeit als Psychologin, sondern auch in meinem Privatleben sind. Seit 2016 praktiziere ich die Gewaltfreie Kommunikation, und ich bemerke, wie sie mein eigenes Leben und das meiner Klienten verändert. Sie verleiht meinem Leben mehr Sinn und schafft Unterstützungssysteme – sowohl für mich als auch für die Menschen, mit denen ich praktiziere. Seit 2016 arbeite ich mit Vertretern aus Gemeinden, Bildungseinrichtungen und sozialen Diensten, organisiere und führe Dialoge, Workshops, Trainings und Mediationen in der Stadt Charkiw und der Region Charkiw durch.

Die Zertifizierung war für mich die natürliche Fortsetzung meines Prozesses, meine Gefühle, Zustände und Bedürfnisse besser zu verstehen, mich mit mir selbst zu verbinden und meine Verbundenheit mit anderen Menschen zu vertiefen – besonders im Jahr 2022, als ich mit meinem Kind und wie viele meiner Klienten aus meinem Zuhause fliehen musste, um unser Leben zu retten. Die Teilnahme am Zertifizierungsprozess hat mir nicht nur geholfen, mein Wissen zu strukturieren und es für die Arbeit mit Vertriebenen, Flüchtlingen, Militärfamilien und Menschen, die Trauer und Verlust erleben, anzupassen, sondern auch, mich mit mir selbst zu verbinden, meine eigenen Bedürfnisse zu hören und ein neues Leben in Deutschland aufzubauen.

Die erworbenen Fähigkeiten ermöglichen es mir, sowohl mich selbst als auch meine Klienten zu unterstützen und dabei ein Gleichgewicht zwischen Empathie und Lebensnähe zu bewahren. Mein Ziel ist es, nicht nur das Bewusstsein meiner Klienten zu fördern, sondern ihnen auch zu helfen, innere Ressourcen für nachhaltiges Wachstum zu finden, selbst in den schwierigsten Situationen.

from the assessor, Stephanie Bachmann Mattei

It is with the deepest of joy that I present Mary May from Indiana, USA, to our community. Mary and I started our journey of companionship on this path in 2016 B.K. (Before Mary had Kids). As a teacher, she enrolled in the Parent Peer Leadership Program as a participant. She is now the mother of two beautiful daughters who as Mary shares, are her greatest teachers. And Mary has been serving the PPLP as an assistant. I want to celebrate the Certification journey that Mary has wholeheartedly, patiently, and diligently engaged in. And I want to celebrate who she is and how I have witnessed her embrace in a way that has shaped her to be who she is today. 

When we gathered for her assessment, Susanna Warren, Susan Jennings, Jennifer Warnick (Assessors) and Tricia Martin, Beth Morgan (Certified Trainers) together with the community of candidates, friends and Mary’s partner, we all celebrated the teachings skills; such as normalizing all experiences, the capacity for storytelling, and the mindfully crafted questions to invite an inquiry into one's own experience.

And above all, we celebrated being invited into an awareness of interdependence by being reminded, in many creative ways, that who we are is not only the result of our own efforts, but rather is the result of a wide net of influence from so many people who have touched our hearts and our lives. An awareness of compassion and care for all who were present and absent. Please help me welcome Mary into our network.

from Mary:

At the beginning of my candidate journey, seven years ago, I had no idea what was about to happen in my life. Unexpected, and for me extraordinary, life circumstances gave my intentions and values an extensive opportunity for practice, deepening my understanding and integration. Living through some enormous challenges and staying committed to the practice and trusting both the consciousness of NVC and the process that supports that consciousness, I was able to uncover my growth edges and deepen my self-connection. I have learned and more fully understand how much of NVC is inside work and how that supports my connections with others. In my journey, I also experienced the power of growth and healing in community. I feel a deep appreciation and profound awe when I think about how being in community has impacted me. The opportunity to reflect and practice empathy, self-expression, stepping into my power and offering and receiving feedback when working in pods and with other practitioners supported my understanding and integration.

With my background in education, there is a throughline in my life for my passion to support children and families to contribute to peace in the world. I also feel invigorated by the expansion of my experience and practice to include sharing NVC with those in committed partnerships to support connection, healing and growth. I currently feel drawn to work with parents, families and now with couples. Homeschooling my 5- and 6-year-old daughters in a self-directed learning environment, I hope to continue to share NVC with parents and children in this capacity. In the future, I hope to share NVC with teachers, classrooms and schools.

My intention in becoming a Certified Trainer is to continue the path of learning, practicing, integrating and sharing NVC in my life. It is joyful for me to share this love with others with the hope of bringing more peace into our world. I am energized to be part of the community of trainers and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to contribute and continue to evolve together. I look forward to meeting more of the trainers in our community and working together.

from the Assessor, Edith Sauerbier

With a big YES my team and I recommend Karen Nimrich as a Certified Trainer. The YES is supported by the participants of the MAD in 24-Nov-2024, an international group meeting in English. They came from different countries: including France, Kenya, China, Estonia, Italy, and Germany.

Karen is working with disabled people, and she wrote a book about NVC with disabled people. This book provides deep insights into the work and living with them. Karen could write it because she really embodies NVC. I can feel her love for human beings. She has a deep need for contribution to a world where all live matters and right now she is dedicated to this work with humour and ease. I am impressed by her openness to look what is needed in situations and her willingness to contribute and support. In DACH e.V., the German speaking network, she has initiated a group that is exchanging about experiences how work and live with disabled persons is changed when NVC is used. The aim is to support people in this work. It is a precious strategy for social change in my point of view.

In her assessment she shared an exercise from her book with us. I loved to see the clear structure and the simplicity. And I took it as an example for her state of integration NVC. She was guiding us with humour, lightness, joy, and is very natural. Beside being employed she is working as a freelanced trainer in NVC for students of social work at school and university and for employees in social institutions. This is another part of her contribution in social change which nourishes my vision of a world where needs are heard and met.

I know her now for several years and I enjoyed witnessing her growing and her dealing with growing edges. Through difficult situations in her personal life, she was very challenged, and she took it as a chance to deeply connect with herself and her vision of a life feeling pain without suffering. She had overcome the situation and digested it in a way that I fully trust her to stay stable in even difficult situations with groups. She can hold herself with empathy and connected so she has a lot of stamina. I have a great joy experiencing her natural and vivid way to live and share NVC. I am sure Karen will contribute to our trainer community with her insights and wisdom. It was an honour and a pleasure for me to accompany her journey towards certification and I am grateful for her trust. A warm welcome to our worldwide community, Karen!

from KAREN:

The first time I encountered Nonviolent Communication was when I was studying to be a teacher and suddenly I had answers to so many questions that I had been asking myself until then. As a result, I attended different seminars and have spent the last eleven years intensively studying NVC. I was then registered with CNVC in 2021 and I am now looking forward to completing my Certification, knowing that my growth will continue. The last few years have not been easy due to health and personal challenges and I have dealt a lot with pain and suffering. I am very excited to now be able to look forward and create spaces for others where people can be - without anyone placating, distracting or giving good advice.

For me, one of the most important quotes is from Marshall Rosenberg, “Whatever the feeling - whether pain or joy - it is a gift and its beauty lies in the fact that it shows you that you are alive. The goal in life is not to always be happy, but to laugh all our laughter and cry all our tears. Whatever is revealed in us, it is life that is revealed in it.”