FROM THE ASSESSOR, Shona Cameron

Rico and I have met many times in various places, and I've delighted in seeing him grow in skills and presence. I experience him working on the power and authority piece between us in a way that did not impact our connection- although it may have done for him- it did not my end! He brings an awareness and care for others, which supports him to form easy and warm connections with others. Rico is working on bringing his strength and power into these connections.

From Rico:

I got interested in Nonviolent Communication (NVC) while struggling with finding mutual understanding and connection in a romantic relationship; conflicts often got stuck, and resentment built up. I read Marshall's book and was hooked right away. Then I visited my first NVC Workshop about restorative circles by Duke Duchscherer and experienced the power of this approach first hand (a spontaneous conflict within the community came up, and I was in awe about how it was handled. My commitment to explore NVC more and more grew though it was tough in the beginning to apply it in relation to the ones closest to me. I guess my wish to see and contribute to more caring and respectful ways to cooperate kept me curious. I learned about empathy and mediation from (amongst others) Shona Cameron and Liv Larsson. I offered short introduction workshops to people in Malta, supported people 1:1, and with mediations while being a candidate.

I chose to follow the path of certification, because I hoped it would give me focus in my learning, feedback from the community to see clearer how I am relating with my surrounding and out of care for sharing NVC in the spirit that it was intended to. This culminated beautifully at the final assessment in a moment when I had the sense within me that I was "ready" and hearing the feedback from the community that they had trust in the way I would share it- not from knowing it all but by seeing how NVC matters to me and how I self-assess. That moment supported me in being more confident in stepping into leadership and bringing NVC consciousness into everyday life with more confidence.

FROM THE ASSESSOR, Shona Cameron

Polona and I have found a simple and satisfying journey together. From the outset, I've been impressed and grateful for her clarity of purpose and commitment to learning. Polona has many years of experience working with youth and various projects in her beloved home country of Slovenia. In her presence, I have the sense of a depth of practice and a solid commitment to live Nonviolent Communication. A powerhouse! I am delighted to know she is in the world sharing Nonviolent Communication and bringing her gifts to all she puts her mind to.

From Polona:

I attended my first workshops in 2015 with the first Slovenian Certified Trainers, Robert Kržišnik and Marjeta Novak, and then several more in 2017. In addition to them, my learning has been strongly influenced by trainers Shona Cameron, Kirsten Kristensen, Sarah Dekker, Gina Lawrie, Barry Jones, and those I met at IITs and at events of the English-speaking European Assessment Team (ESEAT).

I work as a facilitator and trainer, and I first began integrating Nonviolent Communication into my trainings in 2018. On a personal level, it has transformed my life and my relationships, and it deeply influences the way I relate to myself. I began my certification journey by first attending the ESEAT Stepping Stones event. A few months later, I started officially as a candidate with Assessor Shona Cameron. During the process, I participated in two additional Stepping Stones events in person (and co-organized one of them), one online event, and one assessment event.

In the first phase of the Certification Process, I also participated in a long-term training program for candidates led by Kirsten Kristensen. My growth and learning were further supported by participating in peer groups with other candidates and by conversations and work with the co-trainer from Slovenia, Jaka Kovač (A Certified Trainer). In 2025, together with colleagues Jaka Kovač and Matija Mazi, I translated the NVC Dance Floors, created by Gina Lawrie and Bridget Belgrave, into Slovenian. This process also deepened my understanding of living NVC.

FROM THE ASSESSOR, Angela Walkley

It has been a unique experience to watch a Candidate who grew up living and breathing Nonviolent Communication (NVC) in the way that Ida did. The language and life of NVC seem to be integrated into the very fabric of Ida's being. And yet, this does not mean that Ida's journey was any easier than for any other Certification Candidate. Ida chose to take this Candidate journey deep into her relationship with herself. To find ways not to just manage the parts of herself that she finds challenging, but to be in a deep relationship with them. And she has learned how to take this awareness into the way that she teaches by modeling self-empathy when self-doubt arises, by letting people experience her strength as a trainer, amplified by her transparency and authenticity around what is alive in her.

Ida is inspired by what the potential of what her generation (Ida is in her late 20s) has to offer our CNVC community, while honouring the integrity of the lineage that comes from those who have studied directly with Marshall. In the last several years, she has co-trained and shared NVC in various settings. Teaching NVC brings her great joy, connection, and aliveness. She is especially passionate about modeling NVC skills for children, supporting them to be both fully seen and heard, and helping them learn about constructive ways to cope with conflicts.

She also practices NVC in her social work, supporting people in child protection, mental health, housing, and family contexts. She visits her clients weekly, supporting them in their daily lives. She is an active organizer and a regular and beloved face at family camps, NVC events, and association. She is committed to support NVC communities in Finland.

I have to include how much I have enjoyed Ida's sense of humour. Through the four years that I have known her, she has brought laughter into every interaction I have had with her. She is an inspiration to me in how she creates space for the full spectrum of emotional experience. Often all within the same interaction! As I understand it, Ida is currently the youngest Certified Trainer with CNVC, which I’m also celebrating!

Tervetuloa Ida uuteen rooliisi kouluttajana CNVC-yhteisössä! (Welcome, Ida, to your new role as Trainer within the CNVC Community!)

From Ida:

My journey with Nonviolent Communication (NVC) has probably begun a little differently than for many others, since I didn’t discover it as an adult — I grew up with it since my mother is a Certified Trainer in Finland. I have so many memories of being seen, heard, supported, loved, and taken seriously by her. Only later did I realise how much this shaped my life.

I attended my first NVC training in 2014, facilitated by my mother, Hanna Savanna. Very quickly I realised that this depth of connection with myself and others was something I deeply valued and wanted more of. Since then I have participated in more than ten Certified Trainers' trainings and gradually moved into co-training. I even met Marshall Rosenberg when I was four years old, although unfortunately, I don’t remember much of it!

Over time, NVC and the community became part of every area of my life: my work, friendships, volunteer activities, and eventually my home when I moved into an NVC community. Professionally, I work as a support person and family counselor in open services, guiding clients in their everyday lives through empathy, awareness of needs, and strengthening their resources and independence in their homes.

The work has been somewhat challenging at times because I give so much of myself, and I have learned more and more about the power of self-empathy and self-care, which are actually the most important skills in this job where I constantly support, help, and encourage others. I am very active in Finnish NVC circles. In 2019, I joined the board of the Finnish NVC association. My certification journey group began in 2020, led by Hanna Savanna.

In 2022, I began working with my Assessor, Angela Walkley from Canada, and attended an IIT. Angela collaborated with the Certified Trainer (CT) Shona Cameron (ESEAT). My pre-assessment took place in 2025, and the final assessment in 2026. NVC awareness with children is very close to my heart. For the past ten years, I have organised family camps in Finland. Seeing our community grow and return year after year brings me so much joy.

It is wonderful when I have heard both children and adults (including me!) say that the camps are the highlight of the year. The final assessment was very meaningful and touching for me. Surrounded by my community, I felt deeply supported and loved. When Angela gave her speech, it took me a while to realise she was actually speaking about ME.

All the years of learning, both challenges and celebrations, came together in that moment. And it is crazy how much I cried during that event! Tears of joy and relief. Today I “feel” (I know this is not a feeling!) that I stand more on my own feet, not because I am “ready,” but because I have learned to accept myself more as I am.

FROM THE ASSESSOR, Stephanie Bachmann Mattei

David came to this journey with years and years of experience in sharing Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and contributing to RMCCN (The Rocky Mountain Compassionate Communication Network), which he co-founded together with Susan Jennings, David Shindoll, and other members. In fact, having seen David dedicate himself to the service of others, guided by integrity and selflessness, Susan Jennings and David Shindoll actively encouraged David to pursue certification.

During our time together, I have seen David sit in the fire of discomfort, staying receptive to support and constructive feedback, embracing invitations for self-exploration, and honestly looking at himself: the parts of him he loves and the parts of him he did not recognize so easily or did not see so promptly. It has been an inspiration for me to see him navigate this journey with awareness and humility. It is with joy and gratitude that I announce David's certification.

From David:

I have been studying communication my whole life. When I discovered Nonviolent Communication (NVC), it was like going from hand tools to power tools, so effective is the model. I have found it to be the most rewarding work I have ever engaged in. The Certification Process brought a rigor that deepened my insight and exposed weaknesses that I did not know I had. It has enhanced my ability to work with fraught situations and instilled in me a deep and healthy humility.

FROM THE ASSESSOR, Shona Cameron

Sabine and I have found a trusting and gentle relationship, and I've enjoyed getting to know her. She has a strong sense of what matters and the kind of world she wants to live in. Sabine has lived through grief and mourning in a way which is inspiring to me, and I learnt a lot from being her assessor. Sabine shares Nonviolent Communication with care, and I'd like her to strengthen her training skills as she moves into the next phase of her life.

From Sabine:

My journey with Nonviolent Communication (NVC) began with a deep longing for connection, even though I did not yet have the language to describe it. When I first encountered NVC, I remember being fascinated by the way the trainer spoke and listened. I had the idea that he was standing somewhere I could sense but did not yet understand - a place rooted in needs and a consciousness of interdependence. I remember thinking, “That’s where I want to be.”

Over time, NVC gave me a framework to understand experiences that had long been confusing or painful. I felt empowered to take my feelings seriously again and to connect with the many needs underneath them - such as the need to be seen, to matter, for vitality, and for authenticity. Gradually, it became clear to me that if I continued on my current path, I would likely get sick - too many of my needs were not included in the equation. It was time for major life changes.

Finding so much learning and meaning through NVC, I decided to enter the Certification Process to support my ongoing growth and to explore further how I could share NVC with others. This became a space to deepen my knowledge, embody the practice, and develop my teaching. Journaling, regular writing, and connecting with other practitioners, along with practicing role-plays, receiving feedback on teaching, and spending time with my Assessor, provided ongoing opportunities for learning and self-reflection, helping me notice patterns and clarify my understanding. Along the way, I also explored how power-over structures had shaped my thinking and relationships, and how NVC supports me in shifting my allegiance - from systems based on domination toward a shared foundation of human needs.

During the Certification Process, life also brought an unexpected and deeply painful challenge. My partner, whom I met later in life, became seriously ill and passed away within months. The awareness and skills I had been developing through NVC helped me navigate this period with as much presence and compassion as I could. Learning to hold myself - and to allow others to hold me - became essential for continuing on my path.

Being on this path has been deeply rewarding. Daring to see myself and be seen with my needs has been a journey - accepting them as a starting point from which life can unfold. Having role models among Assessors and others who live the principles of NVC with integrity has been very grounding and inspiring. I am deeply grateful for these experiences, and I look forward to continuing this journey of connection and learning with others.

FROM THE ASSESSOR, Ian Peatey

Henrik is actively involved within the Swedish network and has co-organised the IIT there in 2025. I've been impressed by how Henrik has grown in the years I've been working with him, and I'm delighted to welcome him to the Trainer network.

From Henrik:

Back in 2018, I met a Swedish lawyer who applied Nonviolent Communication (NVC) in his work mediating conflicts in the Swedish legal system. This was the first time I was recommended to read Marshall Rosenberg’s original book on NVC. I acquired the book immediately, but it took me two more years before I actually read it since I was in a time crunch at that time. I was part of an intense training program for young leaders in my work as a project manager in the Swedish defence industry. That leadership program was led by an organizational psychologist, and it included some communications training, but it was also largely inspired by mindfulness practices. Once the program ended, I finally had the time to read the book that had been waiting for me, and I also watched every interview and recorded workshop that I could get my hands on. It seemed to me that some of the underlying assumptions and core beliefs in NVC were very similar to what I had spent the last two years learning. Therefore, it seemed natural for me to continue my personal development by diving deeper into NVC training, and I therefore decided to participate in an International Intensive Training (IIT) in 2022.

At the IIT in 2022, I made several new friends, which accelerated my learning and contributed to my need for community. I later joined the board of the Swedish NVC association, where I offered NVC training together with other Swedish trainers on a not-for-profit basis. I also offered training in a Swedish company where I trained managers and project managers. What had started for me related to organizational leadership had branched out into the private relationships in my life, and later in 2022, my girlfriend and I joined a six-month online program together where we learned about how NVC can be applied in intimate relationships.

During 2023, I participated in the English-speaking European assessment team’s Final Assessment Event in the Netherlands. That brought me clarity on what was expected from me in the process of becoming a Certified Trainer. After this event, I also started to join practice meetings with other Certification Candidates. During this time, I was very active in online meetings with other candidates to practice role plays and exchange empathy. In 2025, I was part of the organizer team for an IIT in Sweden, and finally, in 2026, I participated in the Final Assessment Event, where I was recommended as a Certified Trainer.

FROM THE ASSESSOR, Cate Crombie

Sally registered with me in 2022. She was a member of a very active cohort of Nonviolent Communication (NVC) candidates in New Zealand (Aotearoa). I have been delighted to accompany Sally on her certification journey to completion. I am very happy to introduce her to the Certified Trainer community. Also, here are some words from two Certified Trainers, Deb Hipperson and Valerie Wycoff, in New Zealand who know Sally well:

From Deb Hipperson

Dear Sally, I have such a celebration in my heart to hear that you will be officially joining us as a Certified Trainer. You already have and continue to contribute so much to the people of Aotearoa, including myself!! I am so looking forward to our continuing journey together!!

From Valerie Wycoff

Sally, welcome to the Certified Trainer Community! I'd love the Certified Trainers to hear that I trust and respect you and value your presence as a friend and colleague. As a collaborating trainer on "Connecting with Children" courses online, I've so valued your ready examples from your own life, especially your parenting experiences. I credit you for inspiring vulnerability and honesty from course participants over the years, and most recently in your live training which was part of your final assessment.

From Sally:

Four years ago, I registered as a candidate for the Center for Nonviolent Communication (CNVC) trainer certification. During the period of my registration, I have been actively learning, attempting to live, and exploring how I wish to contribute by sharing Nonviolent Communication (NVC). These have been intense and powerfully transformative years for me as I explore how to midwife my passion for NVC into the world. There was an intensity I came into this period with, a convergence of a passionate enthusiasm for NVC, a deep joy at my newfound sense of vocation, and a longing to find a way to contribute my skills to the world.

This energetic convergence led me to throw myself into various new and challenging experiences: finding new ways to share NVC with parents and families (my passion), staying up through many long nights learning mediation; waking before dawn to assist teachers from around the world; helping to establish a charity offering free empathy for all; providing hundreds of hours of empathic support and mediation; and starting a business teaching and sharing NVC using a “gift economy” approach and striving to stay deeply connected with my and my community.

My goal as a Certified Trainer is to live and share the values of peace and compassion that are so dear to me, with gentleness and kindness to myself, those around me, and the planet. I want to embody the loving gentleness that I see as being at the heart of NVC, bringing it deep into my heart, each day retraining my neural pathways to allow ever more softness, gentleness, peace, and love. I wish to share NVC by being my full, human, imperfect self, moment to moment, exactly as I am, and walking alongside others as they do the same.

from the assessor, Johannes Henn

[EN] I have known Paola and followed her path for about five years, and I have deeply appreciated her determination and perseverance. Even when difficult situations arose, Paola remained engaged in the process with commitment and courage. Our collaboration was not always easy, as we encountered challenges related to roles and the theme of power. For her, this became an important field of growth: facing her own reactions when she perceived herself as being in a position of lesser power, and finding a conscious way back to equality and shared responsibility.

Thanks to her humility and her sense of humor, Paola has been able to stay with these challenges, even when situations were difficult both in her personal life and in her work within our community of candidates. She has worked in complex environments, such as prisons or contexts of emotional distress and addiction, with a strong desire to contribute. Her journey does not end here: we will continue to work together, and Paola will remain part of our community and of the mentoring days as she continues on her path of growth.

[IT] Vorrei presentarvi Paola, una candidata che ha concluso il suo percorso di certificazione con noi durante l’ultimo mentoring dello scorso anno. La conosco e accompagno il suo cammino da circa cinque anni e apprezzo profondamente la sua determinazione e la sua perseveranza. Anche nelle situazioni più sfidanti, Paola è rimasta nel processo con impegno e coraggio, mostrando una forte disponibilità ad apprendere e a crescere all’interno del quadro della Comunicazione Nonviolenta.

La nostra collaborazione non è stata sempre facile, poiché abbiamo incontrato sfide legate ai ruoli e alle dinamiche di potere. Questi momenti sono diventati per Paola un importante campo di apprendimento: esplorare le proprie reazioni quando si viveva in una posizione di minor potere e sviluppare una maggiore consapevolezza rispetto alla responsabilità, alla scelta e al ritorno alla reciprocità e alla responsabilità condivisa.

Grazie alla sua umiltà e al suo senso dell’umorismo, Paola è riuscita a rimanere presente a queste sfide, anche quando le circostanze erano impegnative sia nella sua vita personale sia nel suo impegno all’interno della nostra comunità di candidati. Ha portato la pratica della Comunicazione Nonviolenta in contesti complessi come le carceri e situazioni di disagio emotivo e dipendenza, con una sincera intenzione di contribuire e di servire la vita. Il suo percorso non si conclude qui. Continueremo a lavorare insieme e Paola resterà parte attiva della nostra comunità e delle giornate di mentoring, proseguendo nel suo cammino di integrazione della Comunicazione Nonviolenta e di crescita continua.

from Paola:

[EN] I encountered Nonviolent Communication (NVC) in 2015. Two years earlier, my 22-year-old daughter had been diagnosed with a mental illness (due to substance use). I was living in a kind of hell and managing to stay on my feet with the support of my Buddhist faith and psychotherapy. Meeting Nonviolent Communication (NVC), through Fabrizia Mascolo (who recently passed away), was like opening a window onto a new planet—one filled with air, light, warmth, and many possibilities. I never let go of it. After reading all of Rosenberg’s books, I began attending courses, even though our financial situation was far from sufficient.

In 2020, during the MYL, I spoke with Johannes Henn and entered the certification path. I felt confused about the “how” and the “what,” and at the same time, I was not able to formulate requests to meet my needs for clarity and support. For the first two years (2020–2022), I allowed my journey to unfold without a clear direction or precise awareness, and in this way, I nurtured lightness and sustainability. In the following years, I felt tired, depressed, confused, and in pain.

I began to make some requests that could nourish hope in relation to these needs. In doing so, I improved my connection with myself, strengthened my intention to integrate NVC into my life, and deepened my awareness of my reactivity. I came to understand that the path to follow was one of observing my inner world moment by moment, receiving even the smallest stimuli as a gift.

[IT] Ho incontrato la cnv nel 2015. Da due anni era stata diagnosticata una patologia mentale a mia figlia di 22 anni (a causa di assunzione di sostanze stupefacenti). Vivevo in un infermo e restavo in piedi con il sostegno della mia fede buddista e della psicoterapia. La CNV, incontrata nelle vesti di Fabrizia Mascolo (deceduta recentemente) è stato come aprire una finestra su un pianeta nuovo dove c'era aria, luce, calore e tante possibilità. Non ho più mollato e, dopo aver letto tutti i libri di Rosenberg, ho cominciato a frequentare corsi, nonostante le nostre possibilità economiche fossero del tutto insufficienti.

Nel 2020, durante il MYL, ho parlato con Johannes Henn e sono entrata nel percorso. Mi sono sentita confusa circa "Il Come" e "Il Cosa", allo stesso tempo, non sono stata in grado di formulare richieste per nutrire il bisogno di chiarezza e di supporto. Per i primi due anni /2020-2022) ho lasciato che il mio percorso fluisse senza una direzione ed una consapevolezza precisa e, in questo modo, ho nutrito leggerezza e sostenibilità.

Negli anni successivi mi sono sentita affaticata, depressa, confusa, addolorata. Ho cominciato a fare alcune richieste che potessero nutrire speranza in direzione di questi bisogni. Cosí ho migliorato la connessione con me stessa, ho rafforzato l'intento di integrare la cnv nella mia vita, ho rafforzato il focus sulla ia reattività. Ho compreso che la strada da seguire era quella dell'osservazione del proprio mondo interiore istante dopo istante, cogliendo come dono ogni più piccolo stimolo.

from the assessor, Marianne Sikor

[EN] I´m thrilled how much Noemi committed herself to Nonviolent Communication (NVC) since she got to know it 5 years ago. She dived into an intensive journey with NVC, first learning, then assisting Eberhard Schererz, an experienced Certified Trainer (CT), in many introductory and deepening trainings, and finally leading and developing trainings on her own. I love the creativity she is bringing to her work, developing new material by using her own paintings, beautiful flipcharts, and poems. I see it as enriching that she brings in her experience as a kindergarten educator and knows that she is bringing NVC into that field. Her training focuses are social change, Mind-Body-Spirit, healing and inner peace, education, conflict resolution, and trauma. Noemi, I am delighted to welcome you to our growing community of trainers!

[DE] Ich bin begeistert, mit welchem Commitment Noemi in die GFK eingetaucht ist, seit sie sie vor 5 Jahren kennengelernt hat. Sie hat sich auf eine intensive Reise mit der GFK begeben, indem sie zuerst intensiv gelernt und dann bei Eberhard Schererz, einem erfahrenen zertifizierten Trainer, in vielen Einführungs- und Vertiefungstrainings assistiert hat. Seit gut einem Jahr leitet und entwickelt sie nun selbst Trainings. Ich liebe die Kreativität, die sie in ihre Arbeit einbringt, indem sie neues Material entwickelt, in dem sie ihre eigenen Bilder, schönen Flipcharts und Gedichte verwendet. Ich sehe es als Bereicherung an, dass sie ihre Erfahrung als Kindergärtnerin einbringt und weiß, dass sie NVC in diesem Bereich teilt. Ihre Trainingsschwerpunkte sind sozialer Wandel, Mind-Body-Spirit, Heilung und innerer Frieden, Erziehung, Konfliktlösung und Trauma. Noemi, ich freue mich, dich in unserer wachsenden Gemeinschaft von Trainer*innen willkommen zu heißen!

from Noemi:

[EN] I was searching for a way to contribute and to connect people—to find a connection with oneself and with others. Nonviolent Communication (NVC) offered me the support, the key I had been searching for for so long. All these encounters with people and the work with Nonviolent Communication have taught me a great deal and strengthened my deep belief that, no matter where a person comes from, what they bring, or how old they are—whether a stranger or someone close—what truly matters is how we connect with them.

And when a special connection happens, it becomes, in a way, magical. I love these moments—they make my heart expand. In my presence in the world, I want to contribute to creating more of these “magical” connections between people and to helping create spaces where they can emerge. Through the Certification Process, my trust in people and in communities has grown again. In the past, I often experienced how separating our ways of relating can be, and I sometimes felt unsure whether there were people in this vast world who truly wished to contribute to a different way of being together. At times, my belief in that was deeply shaken.

Then I met people and trainers within Nonviolent Communication, and this awakened new hope in me—that I am not alone in this belief in compassion and the power of empathy. I look forward to joining some of you in contributing to a world of togetherness rather than opposition. Being part of a community that actively works toward this and supports one another on this path gives me a sense of meaning, trust, belonging, and participation.

[DE] ch suchte nach einem Weg beizutragen und Menschen zu verbinden. Zu Verbindung mit sich Selbst und Anderen zu finden. Die Gewaltfreie Kommunikation hat mir dabei die Unterstützung, den Schlüssel geschenkt, nach dem ich so lange auf der Suche war. All diese Menschen-Begegnungen und die Arbeit mit gewaltfreier Kommunikation haben mich viel gelehrt und meinen tiefen Glauben darin bestärkt, das egal wo ein Mensch herkommt, was er mitbringt, oder wie alt er ist, ob unbekannt oder nah, bedeutsam ist wie man mit dieser Person in Verbindung tritt.

Und wenn eine besondere Verbindung gelingt, dann wird sie sozusagen magisch. Diese Momente liebe ich und lassen mein Herz weit werden. Ich möchte in meinem Dasein in der Welt dazu beitragen, dass diese magischen Verbindungen zwischen Menschen wieder mehr werden und Räume dafür entstehen. Durch den Zertifizierungsprozess ist mein Vertrauen in die Menschen und Gemeinschaften wieder gewachsen. Ich habe in meiner Vergangenheit oft schmerzlich erfahren wie trennend wir oft miteinander umgehen und war unsicher ob es Menschen in dieser großen Welt gibt die aktiv zu einem anderen Miteinander beitragen möchten, manchmal war mein Glaube daran sehr erschüttert.

Dann sind mir Menschen und Trainer aus der Gfk begegnet und das hat in mir neue Hoffnung geweckt nicht allein mit diesem Glauben an Mitgefühl und die Kraft der Empathie zu sein und ich freu mich darauf gemeinsam mit Einzelnen von euch zu versuchen beizutragen zu einer Welt der Miteinanders statt des Gegeneinanders. In einer Gemeinschaft zu sein die sich aktiv dafür einsetzt und sich gegenseitig auf diesem Weg zu unterstützen schenkt mir Sinnhaftigkeit, Vertrauen , Zugehörigkeit und Teilhabe.

from the Assessor, Rodger Sorrow

Carlos was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he spent his formative years and the first part of his life. He moved to the United States in 1994 and has been a dual citizen of the United States and Brazil since 2006. His Nonviolent Communication (NVC) journey started in 2011 as part of an effort to bring more empathy into his life, particularly to navigate conflict in his marriage. As a husband, Carlos wanted to find ways to honor his own needs while also being responsive to his wife’s needs. He found that NVC offered tools to ground his relationship in compassion and understanding, which he longed for.

Since then, Carlos has continued to study and live NVC with the guidance of many inspiring trainers and mentors. Over time, NVC has become not just something he practices, but a way of being — shaping how he listens, speaks, relates, and responds to life. He brings NVC into his inner work, his relationships, his spiritual path, and his longing to contribute to a more compassionate world.

Carlos volunteers as a mediator with the Beaverton Center for Mediation and Dialogue (CMD), where he also offers trainings to fellow mediators. He serves on the board of the Oregon Network for Compassionate Communication (ORNCC), helping promote NVC across Oregon and Southwest Washington. He leads an ongoing training program inside a corrections institution in Portland, supporting inmates in developing empathy, self-connection, and choice. In his professional life, he explores effective ways to incorporate compassion and honest expression in a large for-profit corporation, where he works.

As a Certified Trainer, Carlos plans to continue sharing Nonviolent Communication wherever it can support healing, dignity, and connection. He plans to continue promoting NVC-based mediation, to bring empathy and choice to marginalized populations in prison, and to extend his social change work into mental health community centers in the Portland area.

from Carlos:

My journey in Nonviolent Communication (NVC) started in 2011 as part of an effort to bring more empathy into my life. After attending a few introductory classes, I completed an 11-week training program, followed by a practice group that helped me gradually integrate NVC into my life over several years. In 2018, I joined the Oregon Network for Compassionate Communication Board of Directors (ORNCC.net), where I met Gary Baran and Selene Aitken, Certified Trainers who inspired me to pursue certification. I started my certification journey in early 2021 with Jim Manske as my Assessor and completed certification under Rodger Sorrow. If I were to list all trainers and colleagues who supported my learning as I journeyed toward certification, it would be a very long list. I am grateful for all the support and guidance I have received, particularly from my Assessors. To readers pursuing certification, my wish is that you practice assertiveness with flexibility and remain true to your heart.