Labyrinth Counseling

We spend our days helping clients say hard things to the people they love. Then we go home and say "I'm fine" through clenched teeth. Nonviolent Communication (NVC) offers a way out of that loop -- for our clients and for us.

Developed by psychologist Marshall Rosenberg, NVC is a simple (not easy) framework for speaking honestly and listening with empathy, even when emotions run high. It rests on four components: observations, feelings, needs, and requests. Rosenberg chose memorable mascots to represent the two ways of talking: the jackal, quick to judge and blame, and the giraffe, the land animal with the biggest heart.

This introductory workshop is designed for psychotherapists who are new to NVC. You won't leave fluent; nobody does after one afternoon. You will leave with a working understanding of the model, real practice in small groups and pairs, and concrete ways to use it with individuals and couples.

Learning objectives. By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the four components of NVC (observations, feelings, needs, and requests) and the assumptions about human behavior behind them.
2. Explain Rosenberg's giraffe and jackal metaphor, and recognize "jackal" language (judgment, blame, demands) in your own speech and your clients'.
3. Distinguish observations from evaluations, and feelings from "faux feelings" (thoughts or judgments disguised as feelings, like ignored or manipulated).
4. Identify the universal human needs underneath a client's complaint, criticism, or demand.
5. Translate a blaming or judgmental statement into an NVC expression of observation, feeling, need, and request.
6. Demonstrate empathic listening in a practice role-play, reflecting the feelings and needs beneath another person's words.
7. Identify at least two ways to apply NVC in clinical work, such as coaching couples through conflict or helping clients set boundaries without blame.

Who it's for. Licensed clinicians, associates, and graduate students in counseling, social work, MFT, and psychology. No prior NVC experience is needed. If you've heard of "giraffe language" but couldn't explain it at a dinner party, you're in exactly the right place. The group is capped at about 20 participants to keep practice personal.

CEU's Included. Approved for 4 CE hours for LPCs and meets the 50% rule. Social workers, MFTs, and psychologists may be able to apply these hours toward the portion of their CE that can come from any provider; check your board’s rules.”

Good to know. Snacks are provided. There is a one-hour lunch break, with lunch available for purchase on site at Casa de Luz or at nearby restaurants.

Presenter. M. Michelle Hawn, MA, LPC-S, Labyrinth Counseling