BayNVC Bulletin
May 2009
Bay Area Nonviolent Communication is working to create a world where everyone's needs matter and people have the skills to make peace.

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."


- Anne Frank

Dear Friends,

One of my personal heroes, Michael Nagler, says that the most addictive substance on the planet is meaning.  When I heard that for the first time, I experienced it as a transformative moment - it helped to explain a mystery in my own life, and the lives of many people I know, who are in countless ways moving mountains to make the world a place that works for all.  Have you re-organized your life to search for meaning, or to include more meaning in your life?  Then you know what I am talking about!
 
This past weekend at the New Living Expo, 8 BayNVC volunteers found meaning for themselves by spending 3 days letting hundreds of people know about NVC in general and BayNVC as a resource in particular.  I'm so grateful to each of them, and to Judith Katz for helping to make it happen.  Afterward, Judith and I wondered aloud what it would be like to get the word out about NVC at more events like this.  It's such a powerful, low cost way for us to share our work.  Would you like to be part of an outreach team like this for BayNVC?  Email Judith if you are interested.
 
I am also grateful to Phoenix Soleil and others who have been working hard to create online community and support for community members near and far on Facebook, Twitter, Wiserearth and elsewhere.  Click here to become a fan of BayNVC on Facebook - it's a great way to stay connected.
 
Meanwhile, people from our community are making meaning in extraordinary settings around the world.  Read about NVC in mental health settings, about Leadership Program graduate Lucy Perry's work with NVC in Sri Lanka, and about Miki Kashtan's recent trip to Poland, Spain, and Israel.  And remember to share your own story, either with one of our online groups or by sending it to the office at BayNVC for us to appreciate.  You never know - your story might be the spark for someone else's transformative journey.
 
This comes with love,

Kit Miller
Director/Celebrator
Bay Area Nonviolent Communication

Passion and Compassion:
An NVC Retreat for Couples

June 26 - 28, 2009 near Petaluma, CAKathy Simon & Inbal Kashtan

This weekend retreat is intended for couples with NVC experience who are trying to integrate NVC into their relationship. The weekend will include teaching and practice time, along with significant time for couples to focus on their relationship with support from each other, from Kathy or Inbal, and from assistant trainers.

Trainers Kathy Simon and Inbal Kashtan have a 10-year-old son and rich experience of living NVC as a couple and a family.

Nancy Kahn Forgiveness and Reconciliation
A 7-Week Series with Nancy Kahn
Starting Thursday, May 7 in Oakland

Are you longing for the harmony with others and the inner peace that come with healing and forgiveness?

We will take our time during this seven week series to:
- Explore what gets in our way
- Learn to hold our "obstacles" with compassion
- Discover and practice steps we can take to heal and rebuild our
connections with others and ourselves.

Click here to learn more and register.

Also with Nancy Kahn:
NVC Tools for Multicultural Work
Sponsored by CPHP, UC Berkeley School of Public Health
Wednesday, June 10, 8:30 - 4:00 in Oakland

This experiential workshop will focus on:
- Principles, tools and practices of NVC in multicultural settings
- Applying NVC for effective communication with diverse colleagues and clients and across power imbalances
- Identifying "moments of choice" when we can transform conflict and promote understanding and connection

Details and registration here.

MikiKashtan Workshops and Telecourses
With Miki Kashtan

Inner Spaciousness in the Face of Habits, May 9, Oakland.  Do you want to experience awareness and choice in relation to habits and patterns of behavior that no longer serve you?  This daylong workshop will focus on discovering needs underneath habits and consciousness about "shoulds" and other forms of self-talk. 

Interdependence in the Face of Cultural Imperatives, June 13, Oakland.
In this class you'll learn skills and practices to:
* Overcome self-sufficiency and provide others the opportunity to give
* Risk your significance so you can offer yourself in full
* Hold everyone's needs and shift from conflict to dilemma
* Make collaborative and inclusive decisions

These workshops are also offered as telecourses through NVC Academy.

Arnina Kashtan - smallVisiting Trainer Arnina Kashtan
Watch our website for dates and times in June.

Arnina Kashtan, sister of Miki and Inbal, is coming from Israel for a short visit in early June!  She has been teaching NVC for 17 years in Israel and the Bay Area, working with anger, fear, guilt and shame, shifting limiting patterns and beliefs, and transforming family relationships.  A senior facilitator of The Work of Byron Katie, Arnina has developed a special path of working with needs through weaving these two modalities.  She brings deep empathy and a rare sense of humor to the process.

Celebrations

NVC Helping People Around the World!

"I would like to celebrate and share the article about 'NVC and Anger' which appeared in 'Guardian Health Chronicle' which publishes from Delhi and has a circulation of 125,000 readers. They also have the e-newsletter version which goes to several thousand people.

"I am celebrating the way NVC consciousness is spreading in India. I am grateful to the NVC India team and all those people out there who are supporting our activities."

- Aniruddha Gadankush, NVC Trainer in India
 
Support BayNVC Whenever You Shop Online
 
Through BayNVC's page at shoptoearn.net/baynvc, a percentage of everything you purchase goes directly to BayNVC.  Matthew Blom has created an instructional video to show you how it works.  Thanks, Matthew!
 
Announcements

Teach for Life!

Announcing this summer's Teach for Life! - 8th Annual NVC Educators
Institute with Sura Hart, Jean Morrison and John Cunningham, in Union, WA, July 21-26.  Each year educators gather for five days to co-create a vibrant, compassionate classroom.  For more information, contact Barbara Larson, or visit trainforlifecommunication.com.

 
Free NVC Training in Santa Barbara
 
With Kit Miller, Barbara Larson, Jeff Brown and more!
Saturday and Sunday, May 16-17.
Register online here.
 
CEU's Available
 
BayNVC is offering Continuing Education Units to psychotherapists and registered nurses for workshops, study series and retreats offered by CNVC certified trainers Miki Kashtan and John Kinyon in 2009.  Click here for more information.
 
Requests
 
Conflict Hotline Needs a Volunteer
 
Our new monthly television show (see above) needs a volunteer to answer phones at the BayNVC office when viewers call in.  This is an opportunity to contribute to the TV show, one of BayNVC's most exciting current projects, even if you have no technical skills.  The job involves talking to callers before they go on the air; determining if the content is relevant; explaining to callers how to participate on the show; and keeping a record of all callers.  You will also be invited, if it's fun for you, to join the cast and crew in viewing and discussing shows and planning changes for future shows. 

Hours needed would be the first Thursday of every month from 6:30-8:30pm - the next show is May 7.  Please contact Lou Zweier, Director of the Conflict Hotline, if you are interested.

 
Wishlist


Volunteers

We are excited to offer some new ways to support BayNVC's mission.  In addition to in-office opportunities, we have many new outreach tasks we'd love help with.  Many of them require as little as an hour a month of your time and can be done from home.  Your commitment can be as large or as small as you want.  See our Volunteer Opportunities page for more details. 

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.  If you think you have a potential solution for us, email newphonesystem.
  • A heavy-duty shredder
  • Three new desktop computers, PC platform
  • New or gently used office chairs
  • A paper cutter
  • An air purifier (our office is near the freeway).  Something like this: 160R2 Room Air Purifier.
    -please contact BayNVC.
  • A laptop PC, less than 3 years old, for trainers to use at retreats - please contact Francois.
NVC on TV!  Call the Conflict Hotline

 Conflict Hotline 3
BayNVC's live TV show, the Conflict
Hotline, is looking for people to call in to the show with a conflict.  When you call, host Miki Kashtan and the show's cast members
will play out your conflict live in the studio and demonstrate how NVC can transform the situation.  The next show airs Thursday, May 7 on
Channel 28 or 33 at 7:30 p.m. if you are local to Berkeley and
simultaneously streams live on betv.org.  The call-in phone number is
(510) 433-0700. This can also be a great way to introduce your friends to NVC - invite them
to call the show!

Upcoming
Series

Upcoming Intros
Classes and Workshops

5/9 Inner Spaciousness in the Face of Habits - Oakland

5/30 Intermediate NVC Mediation

6/10 NVC Tools for Multicultural Work - Oakland

6/13 Interdependence in the Face of Cultural Imperatives - Oakland

Intensives / Retreats

6/26 Passion & Compassion: NVC Retreat for Couples - Petaluma, CA

6/10 NVC & Abundance Consciousness - WI

8/14 Women's Retreat - Petaluma, CA

Practice
Groups


For a list of practice groups in the bay area and beyond,
click
HERE

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. 
 


Click
HERE for a complete, up-to-date listing of
our retreats, study series, workshops
and practice
 groups in the Bay Area and beyond.
Managing Your Emails from BayNVC
 
If you would like to receive emails from us less frequently than once a month, email BayNVC with YOUR FULL NAME and the desired frequency in the subject line as follows: "BayNVC List - Periodic" (with this option you'll receive 4-6 emails per year; no monthly newsletter, just special announcements) or "BayNVC List - None"
 
If you received this email from someone else and would like to receive this free emailed newsletter each month, please email your full name, address and phone number to BayNVC and include the words "BayNVC List - ALL" in the subject of your email.
 
Thank you.  We look forward to seeing you at some of our events! 
 
Contact Information

Click here to email us: BayNVC

Phone: 510-433-0700 or toll-free at 1-866-4-BAYNVC (1-866-422-9682)
Address:  55 Santa Clara Ave., Suite 203, Oakland, CA 94610
Web: http://www.baynvc.org


Bay Area Nonviolent Communication is a non-profit organization and all financial contributions are tax deductible. For more information, or to donate online, click here.

To learn more about what people are doing with Nonviolent Communication worldwide, sign up for the CNVC Network News e-newsletter.
The Center for Nonviolent Communication (CNVC)
Phone: 505-244-4041 or 1-800-255-7696
Address:  5600 San Francisco Rd. NE Suite A, Albuquerque, NM 87109
Web:  http://cnvc.org/