FROM THE ASSESSOR, Irmtraud Kauschat

I first met Anneli during the International Intensive Training (IIT) in Germany in 2019 and noticed how eager she was to dive into Nonviolent Communication (NVC). When she later asked me if I would be willing to accompany her on her journey to certification as the Assessor, I agreed with joy.

On her journey, she encountered obstacles that we usually don’t experience in Europe, as there was no Certified Trainer in her country. That meant she needed to participate in trainings in English, which is not her mother tongue, and travel to different countries. At the same time, this was an opportunity for me to meet her in 2023 and 2024 at my trainings in Bulgaria, where I could witness her growth. I appreciate Anneli’s dedication to becoming a Certified Trainer.

Anneli’s passion is to support children in growing up in a respectful and appreciative environment, experiencing as little violence as possible. This relates to her own life experience: growing up in the Soviet education system, obedience was the best survival strategy, which came at a high cost.

Through NVC, Anneli started working with kindergarten teachers to support them in adopting a needs-based approach. When she talks about her work, she radiates with joy, anticipating that children will grow up with teachers who respect them and their needs. I witnessed her care for participants during the Mentroing Assessment Days (MAD) and in the trainings in Bulgaria, as well as her joy in sharing new experiences with others so they could benefit from them.

After a long journey, Anneli is now the only NVC Certified Trainer in Estonia. This will also support other Estonians in deepening their understanding of NVC in their native language.

We, the team—Doris Schwab, Edith Sauerbier, and Irmtraud, the Assessor she worked mainly with—wish Anneli, the people she will share NVC with, and the Estonian children enriching encounters.

From anneli:

The first time I heard about NVC was in October 2018, and I didn’t think much of it. Half a year later, after several deep conflicts with my close friend, I decided to dive deeper into NVC. I listened to all the materials available on YouTube, read Marshall's book multiple times in both English and Estonian (my native language), tested the OFNR model with conflicts I had, and suddenly, I understood how NVC could support me.

By November 2019, I had already booked my first IIT, and after that, I knew I wanted more of NVC. I also started talking about NVC wherever I went, and in March 2020, I held my first trainings for my sisters and friends. Everyone who attended was deeply touched and began using NVC in their lives. My relationships with my family also suddenly gained more depth and closeness. This encouraged me to share NVC even more.

During the COVID period, I attended NVC online festivals while simultaneously sharing NVC in Estonia with those who wanted to learn more. At some point, I wanted to dedicate more time to sharing NVC and discussed with Irmtraud Kauschat the possibility of becoming a Certified Trainer with CNVC. On January 1, 2022, I received a letter from CNVC confirming that I was registered as a Certification Candidate. Uhh… suddenly, I felt overwhelmed by the journey ahead and the responsibility that came with it.

Since Estonia had no Certified Trainers, my learning opportunities always required traveling abroad. Translating what I learned and sharing it locally became an increasingly important part of my life. I attended two more IITs—one in April 2022 in Slovenia and another in September 2023 in Germany. At first, collecting feedback from trainers and the community felt like an impossible mission, but I received immense support from the NVC community. By November 2023, my portfolio was ready, and I thought I was prepared for the assessment.

However, I didn’t get certified, as I was unable to deliver. Later, I realized that challenges in my personal life had affected my ability to focus and be fully present—an important learning experience. I was held with empathy and compassion by the Assessors. It took me a year to regain my balance—filled with doubts, learnings, and self-empathy—until suddenly, I was ready to go through the assessment again.

Now, in October 2024, I have passed my certification with self-confidence. I’m so grateful for my journey and the people who supported me! And this is just the beginning!

FROM THE ASSESSOR, Katherine Singer

I enjoyed Harmon Hao-Ming's steady interest in Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and his consistent effort in taking more workshops and his participating sharing NVC with others.

From Harmon Hao-Ming:

The first NVC workshop I attended was led by Sister Rosanna Hung in Taichung, Taiwan, in August 2015. Later that year, in October, I participated in a workshop led by Jim and Jori Manske. It was during this time that I became deeply convinced that NVC was one of the few things I wanted to dedicate myself to sharing for the rest of my life. Since then, I have continued learning and actively sharing NVC.

In 2018, I accepted an invitation from Sandy Shih to join the NVC teaching team at the St. Dominic Evangelization Center. Since then, we have conducted both Basic and Advanced NVC workshops in person every year, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to teaching, I am responsible for workshop design. Through this process, I find that I learn just as much from teaching as I do from attending workshops led by other trainers.

In April 2019, I attended the IIT held in Hsinchu, Taiwan, where I had the opportunity to learn from several esteemed trainers, including Katherine Singer, Lucy Leu, Dian Killian, John Kinyon, Catherine Cadden, and Jesse Wiens. I also connected with many NVC companions who continue to support each other on this journey.

I registered as a Certification Candidate in October 2016, with Katherine Singer as my Assessor. She dedicated a great deal of time to discussing my journals and Key Differentiations with me, helping me deepen my understanding of NVC consciousness. In January 2025, I completed my final assessment. Moving forward, I am committed to continuing to help others discover the beauty of NVC, just as Katherine has helped me.

FROM THE ASSESSORS, Gerardo Sánchez Lozano

I met Pedro when he participated in several courses I offered through my NVC School. From the very beginning, I was impressed by his sensitivity and thoughtfulness. When he decided to begin his certification process, I felt very happy, as I intuited that this path would be a valuable support for his personal growth. I was also excited because I knew that, given his experience as a teacher, his work as an NVC trainer would have a significant impact on social change.

As I accompanied him throughout his certification process, I realized that my initial impressions were accurate. It was rewarding to witness how he applied NVC in his personal life, transforming himself and fostering greater harmony in his relationships at home. I also admired how he brought NVC into his professional sphere, sharing it with fellow educators and students. I vividly remember a celebration he shared with me, where, thanks to his intervention as a mediator, two young students, who initially saw each other as enemies, ended up becoming friends.

I deeply admire Pedro’s pedagogical skills, which give me full confidence that, as a certified trainer, he will make a significant contribution to the social change he so strongly values.

From Antonio Pedro:

[EN] When I read Marshall Rosenberg's book in 2012 I was very touched. It was something completely new, which invited me to look at myself, other people, and the world in a different, compassionate, and welcoming way. And I started using NVC in my daily life. But I couldn't; I was constantly stumbling, such was the level of competition and violence that was inside me. I went through moments of enormous frustration and helplessness, for not being able to apply such a tool with which I identified so much.

In 2017, I participated in an IIT in Spain. It was my big dive into NVC. Since then, I have not stopped facilitating and promoting training, workshops, and lectures, both in person and online. And as I did so, I gained confidence and further increased my awareness of its range and depth. I became involved with the Spanish NVC community, within which I ended up completing my certification process. What a privilege it was to have walked this path accompanied by these incredible people. My gratitude is infinite.

The process was accompanied by a great personal transformation, experienced with moments of fragility, vulnerability, impotence, and, also, with enormous satisfaction, joy, enthusiasm, gratitude, and, progressively, with profound peace. This was the treasure that NVC brought me—harmony and peace, with myself and with the people around me. In my work, with young people and families, as a teacher and as a conflict mediator, in areas of great conflict and violence, using NVC allows me to create connections between parties in an easier and deeper way. Also, as a trainer of teachers and non-teaching staff in public and private institutions, NVC has been a valuable instrument for creating peace in schools and local communities.

[PT] A leitura do livre de Marshall, em 2012, tocou-me. Era algo completamente novo, que me convidava a olhar-me, a olhar as outras pessoas, e o mundo de uma maneira diferente, compassiva e acolhedora. E fui começando a utilizar a CNV no meu dia-a-dia. Mas eu não conseguia, estava constantemente a tropeçar, tal era o nível de competição e violência que havia dentro de mim. Passei por momentos de enorme frustração e impotência, por não conseguir aplicar uma ferramenta com a qual tanto me identificava.

Em 2017 participei num IIT em Espanha. Foi o meu grande mergulho na CNV. Desde então, não parei de facilitar e dinamizar formações, workshops e palestras, presenciais e online. E à medida que ia fazendo, ganhava confiança e aumentava ainda mais a minha perceção do seu alcance e da sua profundidade.

Fiquei ligado à comunidade espanhola de CNV, no seio da qual acabei por fazer o meu processo de certificação. Que privilégio foi ter feito este caminho acompanhado por estas pessoas incríveis. A minha gratidão é infinita. O processo aconteceu acompanhado por uma grande transformação pessoal, vivida com momentos de fragilidade, vulnerabilidade, impotência e, também, por uma enorme satisfação, alegria, entusiasmo, gratidão, e, progressivamente, por uma paz profunda. Foi este o tesouro que a CNV me trouxe, uma harmonia e uma paz, comigo e com as pessoas que me rodeiam.

No meu trabalho com jovens e com famílias, como professor e como mediador de conflitos em zonas de grande conflitualidade e violência, a utilização da CNV permite-me criar conexão entre as partes de uma forma mais fácil e mais profunda. Também como formador de professores e de pessoal não-docente, a CNV tem sido um instrumento precioso para criar Paz nas escolas e nas comunidades locais.

FROM THE ASSESSORS, Marianne Sikor

[EN] It’s a great joy for me to step forward with Irene to certification. She has been registered with me in 2021, and we have been in regular contact about her learnings in teaching, living, and knowing NVC. In the beginning, she was also accompanied by Gerardo Sánchez, as part of his former learning process as an AIT. When Gerardo became a full Assessor, we decided to not continue with this arrangement to care for his time and energy. I remember with gratitude Irene’s openness to contribute to the learning of Gerardo, seeing the blessings that she could receive from the accompaniment by two people. 

During three Mentoring-and-Assessment gatherings (4 days each), Irene was supported in her process with 360° feedback by my team members Constanza and Gerardo, by some Certified Trainers from Spain, and our candidate community.

From the beginning, I really enjoyed the depth in her process of integrating NVC. I remember her sharing various deep internal processes, and it contributed to a deep trust in her skills of self-empathy and empathy for others. I greatly value her honesty, openness, and vulnerability—qualities she demonstrates in her relationship with herself and in her interactions with me and others. Irene is part of the NVC network in Catalunya. I am delighted to welcome her to the international community of certified trainers! Welcome, Irene!

[ES] Es una gran alegría para mí dar un paso adelante con Irene hacia la certificación. Ella ha estado registrada conmigo en 2021 y hemos estado en contacto regular sobre sus aprendizajes en compartir, vivir y conocer la CNV. Al principio ella también fue acompañada por Gerardo Sánchez, como parte de su proceso de aprendizaje como asesor en formación (cuando Gerardo se convirtió en asesor completo decidimos no continuar con este arreglo para cuidar su tiempo y energía). Recuerdo con gratitud la apertura de Irene para contribuir al aprendizaje de Gerardo, viendo las bendiciones que podía recibir del acompañamiento de dos personas. Durante tres días de tutoría y asesoramiento (4 días cada uno), Irene fue apoyada en su proceso con feedback de 360° por los miembros de equipo Constanza y Gerardo. por algunos formadores certificadxs de España y por nuestra comunidad de candidatxs.

Desde el principio me encantó la profundidad de su proceso de integración de la CNV. Recuerdo que compartió varios procesos internos profundos y así contribuyó a mi profunda confianza en sus habilidades de auto-empatía y empatía por los demás. Valoro mucho su honestidad, apertura y vulnerabilidad, cualidades que demuestra en su relación consigo misma y en sus interacciones conmigo y con los demás. Irene forma parte de la red CNV en Catalunya. Estoy encantada de darle la bienvenida a la comunidad internacional de formadores certificadxs. ¡Bienvenida, Irene!

From Irene:

[EN] I discovered Nonviolent Communication (NVC) in 2016, and since then, it has been one of the main pillars of my personal and professional development. I am a passionate and lifelong learner of human relationships, and NVC has taught me so much about how to create nourishing, grounded, and growth-oriented connections for our own well-being, our relational health, and the world’s well-being.

I work in social, community, and organizational settings, supporting individuals, relationships, and groups in building connections where recognition and care are central. I also facilitate group processes and manage conflicts. In all of this, I incorporate NVC not just as a tool but as a worldview for understanding human relationships and effective intervention. I promote NVC as a means for social change, contributing to a world that is more sustainable and connected to life.

[ES] Conocí la CNV en 2016, y desde entonces ha sido uno de mis pilares fundamentales en mi desarrollo personal y profesional. Soy amante y constante aprendiz de las relaciones humanas, y la CNV me ha enseñado mucho acerca de cómo tejer vínculos nutritivos, enraizados y de crecimiento para nuestro bienestar, el relacional y el del mundo.

Me dedico al trabajo social, comunitario y organizacional. Acompaño a personas, relaciones y grupos a construir vínculos donde el reconocimiento y el cuidado estén en el centro. También me dedico a la facilitación de procesos grupales y al acompañamiento en la gestión de sus conflictos. Para todo ello, incorporo la CNV no solamente como una herramienta, sino como una cosmovisión de entendimiento de las relaciones humanas. Difundo la CNV a favor del cambio social, para contribuir a un mundo más sostenible y conectado con la vida.

FROM THE ASSESSORS, Marianne Sikor

[EN] Irena registered with me as a candidate in 2017 and has since participated in four Mentoring-and-Assessment gatherings (of 3 days each). There, she has been supported in her process by all present candidates and our assessment team (Johannes, Vivet, me, and formerly Stephan Seibert) and has received extensive feedback.

Irena has worked as a teacher for many years. I am thrilled to see how she has been careful and persistent in her efforts to incorporate more and more NVC into her work and, for example, to introduce a different, more life-enhancing assessment system that provides her students with more information about their learning process. She has also worked with a support group at her school to develop and implement a conflict resolution system based on Restorative Circles. I am excited that she is planning NVC trainings as part of teacher training—an important area of systemic change for me!

Overall, I very much appreciate her awareness of systemic aspects and her commitment to work for social change. I also see this reflected in the fact that she is an active and well-integrated member of the Hamburg network, volunteering her energy and time. Over a total of 12 days, Irena joined me and my colleague Gabi Klenke as an assistant in our annual training. The feedback from the participants was enthusiastic; they celebrated Irena's support in the small groups, during empathy processes, and also in the plenary. I experienced several times how she gave inputs and led group processes in the plenum and could follow her leadership and her mindful handling of authority and power in full confidence and relaxation.

She looks back on a long experience with yoga practice, and I very much appreciate her spiritual basis. In our accompaniment, but also in training settings, I have also been able to experience and enjoy her empathy ability several times. For example, during her assistance, we did empathy walks during lunch breaks, and she gave me her empathic presence there. As I listened, I enjoyed her connection to herself and her ability to connect deeply with her feelings and needs. I am very happy to welcome Irena as a member of our trainer community, and I am sure that she will contribute to the spreading of NVC with a lot of commitment and enthusiasm!

[ES] Zertifizierungsprozess mit voller Unterstützung durch alle Anwesenden abgeschlossen hat! Wir waren eingeladen, auf den Tagen an ihrer Session zum Thema "Konflikt zwischen Privatheit und Gemeinschaft" und dem anschließenden 360-Grad-Feedback teilzunehmen. Ihre Offenheit für alles Feedback und ihr Wunsch zu lernen und sich weiterzuentwickeln berührt mich. Dieses Commitment habe ich im Laufe ihres Prozesses oft erlebt, und es gibt mir vollstes Vertrauen, dass sie in ihrem Entwicklungsprozess auch nach der Zertifizierung weiterwachsen wird.

Irena hat sich 2017 bei mir als Kandidatin registriert und seitdem an 4 Mentoring- und Assessmenttagen (mit je 3 Tagen) teilgenommen. Dort wurde sie von allen anwesenden Kandidat*innen und unserem Assessorteam (Johannes, Vivet, ich und früher Stephan Seibert) in ihrem Prozess unterstützt und hat umfangreiches Feedback empfangen.

Irena hat lange Jahre als Lehrerin gearbeitet. Ich bin begeistert, wie sie sich achtsam und hartnäckig bemüht hat, zunehmend mehr GFK in ihre Arbeit einfließen zu lassen und z.B. ein anderes, lebensdienlicheres Bewertungssystem einzuführen, das ihren Schüler*innen mehr Information zu ihrem Lernprozess liefert. Außerdem hat sie mit einer Unterstützungsgruppe an ihrer Schule ein System der Konfliktlösung basierend auf den Restorative Circles erarbeitet und verwirklicht. Ich freue mich, dass sie GFK-Trainings im Rahmen der Lehrerfortbildung plant – ein wichtiger Bereich des systemischen Wandels für mich!

Insgesamt schätze ich sehr ihre Bewusstheit für systemische Aspekte und ihr Commitment, sich für sozialen Wandel einzusetzen. Dies sehe ich auch darin widergespiegelt, dass sie ein aktives und gut integriertes Mitglied des Hamburger Netzwerks ist und sich ehrenamtlich mit ihrer Energie und Zeit einbringt.

Über insgesamt 12 Tage lang war Irena bei mir und meiner Kollegin Gabi Klenke in der Assistenz im Jahrestraining. Die Rückmeldungen der Teilnehmenden waren begeistert; sie feierten die Unterstützung durch Irena in den Kleingruppen, bei Empathieprozessen und auch im Plenum. Ich habe dabei mehrere Male erlebt, wie sie im Plenum Inputs gegeben und Gruppenprozesse geleitet hat und konnte in vollem Vertrauen und entspannt ihrer Leitung und ihrem achtsamen Umgang mit Autorität und Macht folgen.

Sie blickt auf eine lange Erfahrung mit Yoga-Praxis zurück, und ich schätze sehr ihre spirituelle Basis. In unserer Begleitung, aber auch in Trainingssettings, habe ich zudem mehrmals ihre Empathiefähigkeit erleben und genießen können. So haben wir z.B. bei ihrer Assistenz in den Mittagspausen Empathiespaziergänge gemacht, und sie hat mir dort ihre empathische Präsenz geschenkt. Beim Zuhören genoß ich ihre Verbindung zu sich selbst und ihre Fähigkeit, sich mit ihren Gefühlen und Bedürfnissen tief zu verbinden. Ich freue mich sehr, Irena als Mitglied unserer Trainergemeinschaft zu begrüßen, und bin sicher, dass sie mit viel Engagement und Begeisterung zur Verbreitung der GFK beitragen wird!

From irene:

During the time, I loved realizing how much I had developed, and I feel satisfied with my journey. Friends of mine joined in, and I inspired them to learn about NVC. That was beautiful. In my professional work at the college of further education, I shared NVC with many of my students. That caused a lot of connection. At the same time, I experienced stress with the system and didn't feel at ease with the demands of the system that I had to pass on to my students. In the end, I became so overwhelmed by it. My body started producing symptoms that led me to leave my work for two years.

In particular, with my Assessor Marianne and her team, I really enjoyed the process in the very end. I finally felt trust in myself, in the process, and in Marianne, and I felt like we were truly on eye-level. Before that, I had some objections to the task of working with the key distinctions, especially because I don’t like writing, and I would have enjoyed doing something that felt more interesting or challenging in another way. What I celebrate is my idea to produce a podcast out of it together with a friend of mine who is now going through the process. I enjoyed my feedback from other trainers and loved to contact them when I interpreted an expression of pain.

FROM THE ASSESSOR, Marianne Sikor

[EN] I celebrate the development of Simone's work as a trainer throughout her certification journey. I remember her celebrating several trainings and feedbacks from participants. I also value a lot how she handled uncomfortable situations in trainings and challenging feedback, processing them to really harvest the learning and the chance to grow. Her enthusiasm and commitment to develop give me a lot of trust. Simone was also assisting in one of my long-term deepening trainings. 

I celebrate the connection we had, the way she contributed to my ease by supporting during the training, and how she accompanied the participants with empathic listening. She added her point of view in the plenum and shared her knowledge of NVC in inputs and explanations of practices and principles of NVC.  During this time and in our meetings, we had several occasions when I was so lucky to receive her empathic listening. It always helped me to connect more deeply with myself, come back to my needs, and find strategies to proceed.

It’s impressive for me how Simone is integrating NVC into her way of being in her family, living it with her daughters and husband in empathy and honesty. In the last year, she has experienced challenging situations in her family, and I appreciate her clear commitment to support there and process her things with (self-)empathy to be able to support fully. Simone is very engaged in the community, being part of several certification peer groups and co-organizing NVC days in her nearby town, Nürnberg.  I’m celebrating to welcome her as a member of our CNVC trainer network and am looking forward to her contributions. Welcome, Simone!

[DE] Ich freue mich, mit Simone ihren Prozess mit der Zertifizierung zu feiern und abzuschließen. Sie hat sich 2020 bei mir registriert und wir waren in regelmäßigem Kontakt über ihre Lernerfahrungen im Lehren, Leben und Wissen von GFK. Während fünf Mentoring- und Assessment-Tagen (je 3 Tage) wurde Simone in ihrem Prozess mit 360-Grad-Feedback von meinen Teammitgliedern Johannes und Vivet und unserer Kandidat*innen-Gemeinschaft unterstützt.

Ich freue mich über die Entwicklung von Simones Arbeit als Trainerin in den Jahren ihrer Zertifizierungsreise. Ich erinnere mich, wie sie mehrere Trainings und Feedbacks von Teilnehmern feierte. Ich schätze auch sehr, wie sie unangenehme Situationen in Trainings und herausforderndes Feedback aufnahm und verarbeitete, um wirklich zu lernen und die Chance zu haben, zu wachsen. Ihr Enthusiasmus und ihr Engagement, sich weiterzuentwickeln, geben mir viel Vertrauen. Simone hat auch bei einem meiner Jahrestrainings assistiert. Ich freue mich über die Verbindung, die wir hatten, über die Art und Weise, wie sie zu meiner Leichtigkeit beitrug, indem sie mich während des Trainings unterstützte und wie sie die Teilnehmer mit empathischen Zuhören begleitete, indem sie ihren Sichtweiset im Plenum einbrachte und indem sie ihr Wissen über GFK in Inputs und der Erklärung von Praktiken und Prinzipien der GFK teilte.

Während dieser Zeit und in unseren Treffen gab es mehrere Gelegenheiten, bei denen ich das Glück hatte, ihr einfühlsames Zuhören zu empfangen. Das hat mir immer geholfen, mich tiefer mit mir selbst zu verbinden, auf meine Bedürfnisse zurückzukommen und Strategien zu finden, wie ich weitergehen kann. Ich finde es beeindruckend, wie Simone GFK in ihre Familie integriert und sie mit ihren Töchtern und ihrem Mann in Empathie und Ehrlichkeit lebt. Im letzten Jahr hat sie herausfordernde Situationen in ihrer Familie erlebt, und ich schätze ihr klares Bekenntnis sehr, dort zu unterstützen und ihre eigenen Dinge mit (Selbst-)Empathie zu verarbeiten, um voll unterstützen zu können.

Simone ist sehr engagiert in der Gemeinschaft, sie ist Teil mehrerer Zertifizierungs-Peergruppen und hat einige GFK-Tage in ihrer Heimatstadt Nürnberg mitorganisiert. Ich freue mich, sie als Mitglied in unserem CNVC-Trainer*innen-Netzwerk begrüßen zu dürfen und freue mich auf ihren Beitrag in der Verbreitung von GFK und zum Social change.

From Simone:

NVC came into my life as a fundamental connection to myself and to my relationships. I was deeply touched when I listened to Marshall Rosenberg’s audiobook and immediately felt something like coming home. My certification process was an important journey toward my inner freedom and consciousness about having a choice in how to act and live.

My Assessor, Marianne Sikor, supported me in finding this freedom. We were in constant contact, and with gentle questions for understanding, she helped me deepen my NVC skills. I am grateful to Marianne and to many other trainers, especially Liv Larsson, who deeply inspired me.

FROM THE ASSESSORs, LAURENCE BRUSCHWEILER & Vinciane Marliere 

We recognize Laure's ability to work as part of a team, and her generosity in contributing to the development of the collective. Laure shows creativity in her transmission posture and keeps an exploratory side to continue on her path of NVC integration. Laure is committed to transmitting invisible NVC in the medical-social and educational fields. 

From Laure:

What a long way since I first heard about NVC in 2011! On this journey, I met some wonderful people. I enjoyed sharing, learning, alternating between depth and lightness, evolution, intellectual and emotional stimulation, and learning from my mistakes. I was involved in Déclic-CNV & Education since its creation. I was enriched by the experiences of transmitting NVC during assistantships or through discussions with participants, students, or trainers. I quickly understood that certification was one step among others on a path that has no end.

I have also experienced what was unimaginable to me in a NonViolence network: abuse of power, lack of consideration, denial of responsibility, and lying to obtain my consent in a relationship with a Certified Trainer. When I named, in France, with other women affected by the acts of this trainer or other trainers, the psychological, sexist, and sexual violence that we had experienced, I understood that these acts are part of a relationship of domination and are possible because the structure within which they occur allows it. 

I learned that this was systemic and that the mechanisms are the same in all these violences: racism, sexism, ableism, classism, adult domination… Since then, I have been looking for how to transmit an NVC that, instead of providing a narcotic empathy that maintains the structures of domination, is a situated and engaged empathy. I explore, within the practice group or co-facilitator of courses, how to transmit a process that allows one to express oneself in an authentic, assertive way, to name one's limits, and that promotes the power to act and humility.

For this, I continue to train and work in duo or in groups with other people who are interested in these subjects in the NVC environment or elsewhere. I really enjoy creating and facilitating courses with people with whom I feel confident. I wonder, by noting the effects of an NVC that seems very centered on the individual and little on the collective, how to tend towards a balance between the two in order to live interdependence and the consideration of mutual needs.

from the assessors, LAURENCE BRUSCHWEILER & Vinciane Marliere 

We are confident in Guillaume's integration of the process, and the Swiss trainers have already entrusted him with mandates in various sectors. He has already put himself at the service of the team of Swiss trainers with all the skills he has (e.g. IT). We appreciate the way he reaches out beyond labels and prejudices to others in training, and the joy he feels in connecting with the humanity of each individual. Guillaume enjoys taking part in training courses for all publics, but would also like to meet people living in socially diverse neighborhoods and in prison.

from Guillaume:

The Certification Process was long (6.5 years) - as expected and described by trainers back in 2018, it was intense, it was emotional, it was a lot of learning, lots of moments of pure joy, and a privilege to make a lot of friends and colleagues. Thanks to Marshall, to the NVC process, and to the CNVC for supporting that dream that we can contribute to peace on the planet.

from the assessors, LAURENCE BRUSCHWEILER & Vinciane Marliere 

We appreciate the way Geneviève lives the process in her daily life, both in her family and in her professional environment. In the latter, she is in charge of a wellbeing unit at work and leads NVC workshops in this context.

We recognize her generosity and commitment to the Belgian network in organizing events that combine the dissemination of NVC with the pleasure of meeting others. She is particularly touched by the difficulties of young adults and would like to work with them.

from Geneviève:

I discovered Nonviolent Communication in 2014 during a 3-day introduction. I came there looking for a tool to manage conflicts in the context of my professional activity, but I discovered another way of seeing the world. Between 2015 and the end of 2018, I continued my journey with NVC through various training courses and long courses led by different trainers. At the same time, NVC became my ally in my professional activity, where I became a “Well-being at work” coordinator.

In December 2018, I participated in the SOI, an orientation and information session, a time-out that allowed me to focus, among other things, on my intentions in relation to NVC. In 2020 and 2021, I participated in 4 courses of the course (Mediation, Key Differentiation, Major Themes, Paradigm Shift). These courses were rich at different levels:

• The quality of the training itself (number of trainers and assistants, content, structure of the courses, teaching methods and experience of the trainers, the support received by each of them, etc.)
• Meetings with travelers from neighboring countries (sharing experiences, mutual assistance, etc.)
• Strengthening ties with Belgian travelers and the blossoming of beautiful friendships.

In September 2020, during the mediation course, I met Angela Boss, who asked me to become my referent. A few weeks later, Anne-Cécile Annet joined her, and they both became my co-referents. I officially entered the course in January 2021. Thanks to their support, I was able to experience the position of an inspiring assistant, debrief my animations, and be supported to go through the events of my life with the NVC perspective, which allowed me to embody the process a little more. I have immense gratitude for the support received from each one.

At the same time, since 2018, I have been running themed practical workshops at my workplace, days at the request of management, and 2-day introductions. I am participating in the 3 RAP (recognition of participant's acquired skills) periods in 2021, 2024, and 2025. In October 2024, I will be participating in the IIT organized in Morocco. 

from the Assessors, Laurence Bruschweiler & Vinciane Marliere 

We appreciate Nicolas's ability to stay with what is, including discomfort and to seek and offer support to others. Nicolas already works in prisons and is active in a court-appointed training institute on domestic violence.

Nicolas is very involved in education and parenting, and has been and continues to be active in the development of an alternative school.The bodily dimension in the transmission of the process is very important to him.

from Nicolas:

I discovered Nonviolent Communication (NVC) through a project, I was involved in co-founding a school with an alternative pedagogy: Upaya-L'Ecole par Nature. Strongly inspired, I immediately began the process of training myself. My meeting with Véronique Gaspard was decisive, as I was so inspired and touched by what I had experienced, I wanted to commit myself to the course and help carry the flame she was sharing with us. That's how I decided to leave the Paris fire brigade. Trained all my life to extinguish fires, today I choose to continue preventing fires while preserving the flames that glow inside every human being.

What I deeply enjoyed during my Certification Process was the companionship I experienced with my certificate holders. They allowed me to assist and observe them throughout the years. Available to answer my questions, I also learned from them the importance of authentic expression and feedback. This is essential for me today in the dynamics of relationships and social transformation.