Hello BayNVC Community, 
As we at BayNVC return from the holidays and jump into the business of 2010, we're taking a look back at what we learned in 2009.
One of the major highlights for me was seeing with renewed clarity how much BayNVC's community (you!) is integral to our organization. We are not just a group of paid professionals, teaching skills to others; we are a multi-headed (forgive the animal reference) giraffe, actively using NVC consciousness to change lives in the places we live, work and play.
Many of our students are now reaching out into their own communities and transforming their workplaces from the inside out (see Lynda Smith's article below for more about NVC in the workplace). And in
addition to the magnitude of volunteer support we receive, we've seen a significant increase in the number of people offering regular monthly donations to support our work. This steady commitment reminds me that people are inspired by the work we do, and want to see it continue.
Like many, BayNVC has felt acutely the dramatic contraction of the
economy. We've seen a decrease in the number of people enrolling in
our classes, workshops and ongoing programs. We proactively reduced our staffing this year, and lowered expenses for our annual fundraiser by 75%. Even so, we are in a position of considering even more drastic cuts in order to meet the financial realities we are facing.
Given these realities, significant
changes at BayNVC are inevitable. We see this as an opportunity to take a hard look at where we are focusing our energies. For example, many of us within or connected with the organization have the desire to more directly serve the community, not just by teaching skills to others, but by using these skills to create the conditions for social change.
We recognize these changes will impact the broader community. In the
spirit of interdependence, all are invited to a town hall meeting to hear more about the changes we are considering, and to participate in exploring how to meet the challenges in a way that will best serve all of us (see sidebar).
We hope to collaborate with those of you who are inspired to find ways to meet the changing landscape with life-serving innovation, rather than with fear-based contraction.
Another important factor as we look toward what 2010 will hold for BayNVC is that one of our co-founders, Inbal Kashtan, is dealing with a recurrence of cancer and is currently no longer on staff, as she focuses her energies on her health and being with her family. If you know Inbal, and would like to receive her updates as she navigates this recurrence, please contact inbalUpdates.
Celebrator/Interim Director
Bay Area Nonviolent Communication
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 Not Business as Usual:
Empathy Enters the Workplace
by Lynda Smith
...As the new decade dawns, are we witnessing the convergence of two seemingly opposite goals in organizational culture: competition and compassion?...Organizational consultant Dev Patnaik makes the case that empathy...is the driving power for both innovation and growth. He also says that when everyone in the company...[is] trained in empathy, employees connect more strongly to a sense of mission. The result? Productivity and morale skyrocket...
Click here for the full article.
...As one Bay Area professional revealed after a BayNVC workshop: "We are now able to listen to one another with much more empathy and respect. We have reorganized our structure and manage our time more efficiently. We also seem to enjoy one another more and feel safer." If you would like to explore how NVC could support you in your workplace, you can read more here. In addition to work that we can do within your organization, you can also participate as an individual in BayNVC events geared specifically for workplace applications. Upcoming events:
Leading Non-Profit Organizations Through Times of Transition: a group for executive directors who want companionship in navigating the difficult issues they are facing in these challenging times. Meets January 20; may continue to meet regularly.
Empathy in the Workplace: a group for people in non-profit or activist organizations who want to learn how to bring in empathy to enhance connection and effectiveness. Meets March 26 and scheduled to meet twice a year.
Making Collaboration Real: a 3-part teleclass and intensive residential training for people who are serious about bringing a consciousness of empathy and a spirit of collaboration skillfully into their organization.
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| New Year's Resolution: Increase NVC Skills
A Few Suggestions
 Join Nancy Kahn for Speaking From the Heart, an 8-week series starting January 28 in Oakland. This class will focus on connecting deeply with needs and speaking "giraffe" in our own personal style and flow.
"By taking the time before my conversations to get in touch with the energy of the need I'm longing to meet...the words that come out of my mouth are not formulaic at all; my words are totally natural...I'm looking forward to more practice with Nancy...." - Lois, Berkeley
Exploring Empathy with Meganwind Eoyang starts January 26 in Oakland. This 6-week series is suitable for beginners.  Meganwind is also offering a special Introductory Evening February 12 and a 2-session series, Forgiveness and Reconciliation, in Sebastopol February 13 and March 6. This will be an opportunity to work on: * forgiving ourselves * understanding what matters deeply to us and to others * moving toward relaxing our hearts * discovering how to rebuild connection, trust and caring.
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 Living Peace Retreat and NVC Immersion Program Formerly CNPP - now in its fifth year! Led by Kathy Simon
"My participation in an intensive NVC learning program with a community of committed NVC practitioners has helped me learn how to get in touch with what is most important to me in any given moment....And I have also reached levels of self-acceptance and inner peace that I had previously thought were unattainable. I feel profoundly grateful."
- Lawyer, San Francisco, CNPP 2009
Attend the retreat only, February 12-17 near Santa Cruz, CA, or join our Immersion Program for 9 months of community- and skill-building and personal transformation.
Open-Hearted Therapy Retreat
and Optional Year-Long Program
with Miki Kashtan and Roxy Manning
January 22-26, 2010 in Northern CA
Would you like to participate in a community of therapists seeking to practice and learn intensively together how to bring NVC most effectively to their practice and personal lives? CEU's available. Click here to learn more and join us.
2010 North America NVC Leadership Program
Limited Space Still Available
Understand NVC - Live NVC - Share NVC
"The support and healing I got from BayNVC trainers and colleagues eventually led to me not only taking leadership in the form of teaching NVC in the Bay Area but in all kinds of difficult and challenging contexts back home in Sri Lanka, where I have been living and sharing NVC now for the last 6 years."
- Jeyanthy Siva, LP 2002, Sri Lanka, mediator, facilitator, NVC trainer
Click here for information or to apply. |
Get Involved!
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Support The CONFLICT HOTLINE!
Watch the show live! If you are a Berkeley cable subscriber, tune in to Channel 28 or 33. Otherwise, the Conflict Hotline streams at betv.org. Upcoming shows are at 7:30p.m. on Thursday, January 7 and on Thursday, February 11. Better still, watch with a friend, especially one who is new to NVC! Previous shows may be seen on our YouTube channel, http://www.youtube.com/user/baynvc.
Send your conflict situation or hard-to-hear message (one-liner) to conflicthotline. Better still, call in live during the first 45 minutes of the show at (510) 433-0700. Miki and the Conflict Hotline cast will demonstrate how to use NVC to transform the situation and support you and other viewers in creating a world that works for all.
We're always looking for volunteer cast and crew members. You would be asked to arrive at the studio at Berkeley High School at 5:30 on the night of the show and stay through the end of the show at 8:30. Please email conflicthotline for more information.
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| Announcements |
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New Consciousness Transformation Group Forming with Miki!
In response to the challenging times we are living in, we are launching the Consciousness Transformation Community, with Miki Kashtan's leadership. Anyone who is ready to commit to whatever it takes to live an interdependent, conscious, and compassionate life is invited to join. We want to create a web of support so that we are not alone in creating the change we are longing for, and so that we have fun along the way. For more information visit ctc.learnnvc.com, where you can also sign up for an informational call with Miki on January 16, 5 - 6:30pm Pacific time. |
| Wishlist |
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BayNVC is in need of the following:
- Sturdy shelving unit for heavy items: approximate dimensions - no larger than: 82" tall, 36" wide, 15" deep
- 2 flat-screen 19-inch monitors - A heavy-duty manual paper cutter
- Three new desktop computers, PC platform, and latest version of Microsoft Office
- please contact BayNVC.
- Set decor for the Conflict Hotline. Ideas? - please contact conflicthotline.
- A laptop PC, less than 3 years old, for trainers to use at retreats - please contact Francois.
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BayNVC's Town Hall Meeting
Changes are coming to BayNVC. If you'd like participate in the process
of creating what those changes may look like, please join us for a
town hall meeting.
We plan to hold it in late January or early February. We'll let you
know the details as they are finalized.
If you would like to be involved in organizing this event, or be notified when a date and venue are selected, please contact townhall or call 510-433-0700.
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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. Occasionally, events are canceled due to a low number of registered participants. If you are planning to attend, pre-registering will help ensure that the event will take place. If an event is canceled, all pre-registered participants will be notified and you will have the choice of refund or transfer to another event.
You may
pre-register by clicking the "Register Now" button at the bottom of most event descriptions, or by contacting our office at 510-433-0700 or register@baynvc.org You will receive a confirmation email with driving and public transit directions. Parking is free at BayNVC's wheelchair accessible
building near Piedmont Avenue in Oakland.
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 |
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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!
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| 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
BayNVC trainers are available for individual, couple and family counseling; mediation and meeting facilitation; full and half-day NVC workshops at your organization (including diversity training); audio/video presentations; and trauma and conflict response.
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/
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