Greetings Friends,

I’m happy to join the Educational Services Team as an Assessor. I am grateful for the support of Katherine, Sabine, Kathleen and Karl along this path. A deep bow of gratitude also to Rita, Sylvia, Michael and Alison who have helped me to regain my balance after stumbling along this path for the past three years. (Actually, my path began in 2007. With Rita’s assistance, I became and assessor for the first time just a few days before the certification stop of 2007, so for me it has been a 12 year journey!)

And of course, the deepest bow to our teacher, Marshall.

A major part of my mission since 2007 has been to support the next generation of trainers. Beginning in 2007, Jori, Rodger, and I (Along with the late Kathi Aichner) founded Compassionate Leadership. I became an assessor in training in 2015. If you care about the details of my efforts, I added them below the signature.

My intention can be summed up briefly: To live and radiate interdependence and compassion*.

As an assessor, I relish the opportunity to live this purpose, to the best of my ability with all of you, as well as candidates who enter into a relationship with our organization dreaming of service to our mission.

Every day, I wonder, who needs what right now, and how can I help.

I see one important aspect of my role as an assessor as supporting others in living into their dream of service to our shared mission. I want everyone's dreams to come true!

I see this next step in my service to CNVC as a continuation of my life’s work, to integrate NVC consciousness as fully as possible and to support others with the same goal.

I am inspired and hopeful by what I generally see amongst trainers who have followed me on this path. I deeply long for all of us to remember the purpose and intention of NVC as Marshall defined it. To remind myself, and all of us, I keep it posted on the bottom of most of my emails:

“The primary purpose of Nonviolent Communication is to connect with other people in a way that enables giving to take place: compassionate giving. It’s compassionate in that our giving comes willingly from the heart. We are giving service to others and ourselves –not out of duty or obligation, not out of fear of punishment or hope for a reward, not out of guilt or shame, but for what I consider part of our nature. It’s in our nature to enjoy giving to one another.”  -Marshall B Rosenberg, Ph.D.

I also long for me, and all of us, to continue a never-ending process of self-assessment, using the Matrix, Marshall’s books, the work of other CTs and candidates.

Finally, I long for feedback. I rely on each of you, my community and my team, to be honest with me. I invite you to catch me when I contribute to your wellbeing. Likewise, I long to know if there is anything I do (or don’t do) that contributes to your life being less than wonderful. I intend to keep the lines of communication wide open, in the service of mutual learning.

With warmth and inspiration,

Jim

*This is also the purpose statement of the NFP NVC Community.

Assessment Activities

First contact with Marshall in November 2000

Registered as candidate in 2002

Certified in May 2003 with Robert Gonzales as Assessor

Fall 2006 Became part of Leadership Team (LT) with Marshall and Valentina, focusing on GCC

Spring 2007. Along with Wes Taylor, invited to an assessor by Rita

Spring 2007 Assessment Paused

Spring 2007 Collected and collated feedback for Assessment team, wrote report and made recommendations about how to restart certification

2007 Began working on the Pathways to Liberation: Matrix of Self-Assessment with Jori, Jack Lehman and former CT Jake Gotwals

2011 Published the Matrix with Jake, Jack and Jori.

February 2008:  Started Compassionate Leadership with Rodger Sorrow, Jori Manske, and Kathi Aichner

During Compassionate Leadership period from 2008-2014 coached, mentored or supported the following candidates who became Certified Trainers:

Kathi Aichner

Faye Landey

Bren Hardt

Anne Walton (Participated in Final Assessment)

Yonmi Lee (Participated in Final Assessment)

Diane Diller

Ronnie Hausheer (Participated in Final Assessment 2017 with Katherine)

Carlene Robinson

Cynthia Moe

Jaqueline Muller

James Prieto

Leslie Ritter-Jenkins

Lora Kim Joyner

Roxy Manning (pre-assessment Matrix)

William Pohner

Jack Lehman (extensive mentoring before and after pre-assessment)

Jake Gotwals

Attended Group Final Assessment in Korea (2012) with Gina Lawrie and Katherine Singer

From 2014 to present supported the following with mentoring, coaching or trainer training

Andrea Pro (mentoring before Pre-Assessment)

Go Goto (Extensive mentoring before Pre-Assessment and Assessment)

Yuko Goto (Extensive mentoring before Pre-Assessment and Assessment)

Shigeko Suzuki (Registered, Attended Pre-Assessment/Final Assessment 2018

Haruno Olgaswara (Registered,Attended Pre-Assessment/Final Assessment 2018

Ken Anno (Registered, Attended Pre-Assessment/Final Assessment 2018

Marylyn Muller

River Dunavin

Rosanna Hung (mentoring before and after pre-assessment)

Aukye Byker

Elana Bernasconi-Tabellini

Maya Diaz (Final Assessment with Kathleen McFerren 2018)

Liu Yi (online pre-assessment with Kathleen McFerran is 2018)