Dear Friends,
Something exciting is happening. Based on President-Elect Obama's frequent references to the importance of empathy, a group from the U.S. NVC network has put together a proposal on change.org for making the practice and teaching of empathy an integral part of the new administration. The proposal qualified for the 2nd round of voting, and right now we need your help to ensure that it is one of the 10 ideas that will be picked to be presented to the administration. Round Two of voting takes place from January 5-15. Do
you believe that the tools and consciousness of Nonviolent
Communication could make a vital difference in the functioning of U.S.
government and society? If you do, I urge each of you to vote AND make sure that others hear about it too. To make sure that your vote counts, and for updates and discussions, go to: http://groups.google.com/group/bridging-the-empathy-gap/web/updates.
Next month Robert Gonzales will teach a weekend workshop in the Bay Area. The focus of this workshop is to develop consciousness of "the beauty of needs" as a means to engage in a living practice of NVC. Robert has avid fans and students from around the world! Please register early if you wish to attend, and help spread the word about Robert's visit!
I would like to celebrate BayNVC's 2008 with you. It was a time of transition because it was the first year that we did not host Marshall Rosenberg. It was a year of sustaining commitments through the work of the Safer Communities team at San Quentin and other area prisons and jails, support for the Department of Peace campaign for the fourth consecutive year, support for the New York Diversity Intensive for the third year, and more. We made and kept a promise to help Dominic Barter create a handbook on Restorative Circles and helped to launch the Restorative Circles process throughout North America.
It was not an easy year financially. We struggled with cash flow and are ending the year with a small loss ($25,000 is an early estimate). Nevertheless, we continued our commitment to ensuring that no person or group was turned away from learning NVC with BayNVC for lack of funds. And once again we supported thousands of people, often intensively, in learning the tools and consciousness of Nonviolent Communication. I want to acknowledge the efforts of over 100 volunteers, and the generosity of more than 500 donors, who made all of this possible. I want also to acknowledge the staff and trainers of BayNVC, for whom this work is such a labor of love.
On behalf of all of us, I wish you a blessed 2009.
This comes with love,
Kit Miller
Director/Celebrator
Bay Area Nonviolent Communication
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 2009 Committed NVC Practitioners Program
Participate in creating a local NVC community
The
Committed NVC Practitioner Program (CNPP) is designed for people with
significant NVC experience who are ready to commit to a period of intensive immersion and learning in a supportive community. See this year's happy participants at the top of this bulletin! The 2009 program will be led by Kathy Simon.
If you're interested in applying, the application deadline has been extended to January 20. Click here for more information.
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 Dancing in the Gap of Uncertainty
Embracing Discomfort as a Path to True Freedom
Workshops and Teleclasses
with Miki & Arnina Kashtan
Workshops: One Saturday a month, 9:30 am - 5:00 pm
Ongoing through November 2009 (no class in April)
First Congregational Church of Oakland, 27th and Harrison Street
Next session meets January 24: Vulnerability in the Face of Fear.
Teleclasses: Monthly two-hour teleclasses through NVC Academy begin Tuesday, January 6 and Wednesday, January 14.
These workshops focus primarily on inner work. Each monthly workshop and telecourse will be on a different topic: you are invited to participate in one or more of them. Each workshop stands on its own, and together they comprise a journey of self-discovery and inner alignment.
Although most BayNVC trainings are not recorded, these workshops will be taped, and the materials gathered will be used (anonymously) in a book that Miki is writing with her sisters Arnina and Inbal.
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Distance Learning: More Great Teleclasses
through NVC Academy
 Power Relations and Connecting Across Differences in US Society: An NVC Perspective, a teleclass with Inbal Kashtan and Roxy Manning, four Thursdays starting February 5.
In this exciting class, you will:
-Explore an NVC perspective on power and the dynamics of race, class, gender, and other social divisions;
-Connect with yourself as you understand your own life experience in relation to power, resources and choice;
-Practice connecting with people with different access to power and resources than your own;
-Develop capacity for showing up fully for dialogues across social divisions.
 Open-Hearted Therapy: Bringing Nonviolent Communication to Psychotherapy Practice, a teleclass with Miki Kashtan, twelve monthly sessions starting February 1.
More and more therapists are attracted to the principles of Nonviolent
Communication and to its invitation to enter a genuine, human
relationship with clients. This telecourse, available as individual
sessions or as a series, supports therapists in integrating NVC
principles and skills into their clinical practice.
Visit NVC Academy to learn more or register for a teleclass.
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NVC in Cyberspace
Two new websites can help us reach a greater audience!
Did you see the recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle about an
organization called GreatNonprofits? We'd love to have some words about our work on this site. If you'd like to write a review about BayNVC,
go to www.greatnonprofits.org. If you write something, let us
know so we can celebrate and thank you!
"Happiness Is Here" is an online anthology where people are invited to view and submit stories, artwork and songs about a personal moment of transformation. The site is meant to be a place where people can find and share hope. Creator Heidi Siegell has been hoping to get some NVC stories in there, as she finds them inspiring and would love to help spread NVC to a wider audience. Maybe you or someone you know has a story to share? www.happinessishere.org.
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| Celebrations |
 Josefine's Back!
Please join us in welcoming back Josefine Hesse who returns to BayNVC from her native Germany for a third stint as an intern, and to participate in the 2009 Leadership Program. The support we receive from Josefine and other interns and volunteers helps to keep BayNVC's doors open by keeping our costs down. Thank you Josefine and all who help out at BayNVC!
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| Announcements |
NVC Conference Calls for Activists
Starting January 13, 2009; second and fourth Tuesdays, 9:00-10:30p.m. Eastern Time.
Support call for social change activists AND a practice call for participants who want to provide support to social change activists. Inspiration for this call came from several sources, most significantly Miki Kashtan's monthly activist support call for the Department of Peace Campaign. However, the "feel" of the call will be more like that of the weekly NVC Academy Practice Group where some callers attend to get support, others to provide support, and still others to hold the space.
The conference service is free, but individual long-distance charges (if any) will apply.
For more information or to sign up contact Susan Livingston.
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| Wishlist |
BayNVC is in need of the following:
- We've
outgrown our phone system! And we're looking for a small business
system with a minimum 8-line capacity. A new system will cost us over
$4000! If your company or organization is growing and looking for a
new phone system, why not get a tax write-off and donate your old
system to us? If you think you have a potential solution for us, email
newphonesystem. Thank you!
- Three new desktop computers, PC platform
- An effective, quiet space heater
- A paper cutter
-please contact BayNVC.
- A laptop PC, less than 3 years old, for trainers to use at retreats - please contact Francois
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New Series Starting Up!
We have so many great options, including our Foundations Series, Mediation Series, and a special Forgiveness & Reconciliation Series - all listed below.
Even if you've missed the start date for the series you want, call the office at 510-433-0700 - you may still be able to join.
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Intensives / Retreats
3/13 Living Peace - CA
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Practice
Groups
For a list of practice groups in the bay area and beyond, click HERE
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More Information & Registration
Since many of our
events fill quickly,
please consider pre-registering to ensure your space. You may
pre-register by clicking the "Register Now" button at the bottom of most event descriptions, or by calling our office at 510-433-0700. You will receive a confirmation email with driving and public transit directions. Parking is free on all of the streets around BayNVC's wheelchair accessible
building in the Piedmont area of Oakland.
HERE for a complete, up-to-date listing of
our retreats, study series, workshops
and practice
groups in the Bay Area and beyond.
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