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Community Page

Welcome to the NVC Santa Cruz Community Page!

The community page provides a unique opportunity to make life more wonderful.

We hope that people will use this forum to find practice groups, post events, announcements, requests, NVC stories (Giraffe Tales) or other things they would like to share. We expect that it will grow and evolve over time.

To list your announcement or request, or provide feedback and suggestions, email us.
Please note: the appearance of any posting in this Community Forum does not imply endorsement or agreement by Nonviolent Communication Santa Cruz.

Announcements and Requests

New Practice Group Forming
A number of people have expressed interest in forming a new practice group this Fall. The group will meet for 8 weekly sessions, with openness to becoming ongoing. The first 8 sessions will be led by Rick Longinotti, MFT.
Cost: sliding scale $120-240/person. Afterwards the group will decide whether to continue, how often, whether to engage an NVC teacher, etc.
Location to be determined. Can you offer your home? Contact Rick at longinotti@baymoon.com

Soquel practice group	Meets alternate Wednesdays 6:30 to 8:30 at Soquel Dr. and Park Ave	Call Maghi Thurlow 425-3109
Felton/SLV Practice Group	This existing group meets on 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month.	Contact Doug Bowman: bowmando@comcast.net
Monterey Practice Group	WEDNESDAYS, 6:30 to 8:30pm in Seaside THURSDAYS, 6:30 to 8:30pm in Monterey	Contact Eve Gage, 831-521-6679 evehello2u@yahoo.com
Santa Cruz Neighborhood practice groups	For information about joining a practice group with a consistent membership and meeting schedule, contact Rick.	email Rick
San Jose practice groups	meets Thursdays 7-9 PM	email Kathleen
Redwood City practice groups	meets Tuesdays 7-9:30 PM	email Ursula
Sunny and Open Space for Rent at the Center for Compassion	500 sq. ft. light, open, carpetted room for classes, yoga, meetings. Kitchen and parking. Small counselling room also available. Affordable and Convenient.	459-6919 email Laurie

Events

Friday- Sunday, Sep 5-7 Weekend Retreat Staffed by, amoung others, NVCSC's Kristin Masters	White Ally Learning Lab Deconstructing Racism, Reconstructing Our Humanity What A three-session workshop that offers an informed & supportive curriculum to examine the role white people play in the current racial environment and to begin to repair the damage done by past generations How • Moving beyond good intentions to taking responsibility for the impact of our actions on others • Growing our cultural intelligence & empathy • Celebrating our cultural heritage • Learning about the costs of white privilege • Getting off the Hero/Victim/ Villain triangle Who Attends White people on a spiritual path who seek to make tangible the idea of “we are all one” by looking at whiteness and privilege ... without burdening people of color in the learning process	Peregrine Retreat Center Soquel, Ca More info, including topics covered and registration at antiracism.com
Friday, Sep 26 10am- 3pm	Awakening The Dreamer, Changing The Dream Symposium Through dynamic group interactions, leading edge information, and inspiring multimedia, participants of this half-day event are inspired to reconnect with their deep concern for our world, and are empowered to make a difference. Designed with the collaboration of some of the finest scientific, indigenous and activist minds in the world, the Symposium explores the current state of our planet from a new perspective, and connects participants with a powerful global movement to reclaim our future. It is an exploration of four questions * Where Are We? – an examination of the state of environmental, social and personal well-being * How did We Get Here? – tracing the root causes that lead to our current imbalance * What’s Possible for the Future? – discovering new ways of relating with each other, with the Earth and looking at the emerging Movement for change * Where Do We Go from Here? – considering the stand we want to be in the world and our personal and collective impact If you are ready to be disturbed, inspired and moved to action, and to be introduced to a thriving community of committed cohorts, then join us in exploring the most critical concerns of our times, and discover new opportunities to make a real difference in accelerating the emergence of an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling, and socially just human presence on this planet!	Louden Nelson Community Center 301 Center St Santa Cruz Free - Please RSVP Contact Alain Desouches 831-247-6150 adesouches@ sbcglobal.net

Join a Practice Group:

Without a trainer:

See Announcements and Requests at left for listings of current groups

Commitment for new groups with a trainer
Our plan is for a NVC trainer to meet with new groups for 4 weekly meetings. We ask that participants commit to 5-6 weeks total, the last 2 meetings without the trainer. (Cost for the trainer averages $80 per person in a group of 8 people). Our hope is that the groups will decide to continue in some fashion after the 6 weeks.  Of course, the group may invite a trainer to spend time with the group at any point.

Format
A format that many people enjoy is one in which group members bring situations from their lives that they would like to get clearer about. Members of the group empathize with the person bringing a situation, guessing at that person’s needs. Sometimes a role-play is helpful. Click here to download “Guidelines for Practice Groups” that will give you an idea how to this type of group works best.
Another possibility is to follow the format in the Nonviolent Communication Workbook, developed by Lucy Leu. This book has exercises that the group can follow and is available in our bookstore.

For further information or to put out a call for a new group, contact Rick Longinotti.
If you’d like to list your group on this page, e-mail Laurie.

Giraffe Tales ~
Send us a little write-up of an experience you've had in living Giraffe, the Language of Life!
If it involves others and you use their names, please check with them first if they are OK with "going public."
These stories serve to celebrate and inspire; and maybe we'll even get a book of them together.

RUTH'S GIRAFFE TALE
After being in the NVC 8-week class, I had a conversation with my son in a way I hadn't had in more than 30 years! He was talking about the family and his dad and my divorce (many years ago). We usually just talk about feelings for a short time, but this time he kept going and going. What I did was, I responded differently when he would say what his feelings were and what he remembered. What I used to do was say back with some rebuttal - "Oh that's not the way it was", and this time I just kept thinking to myself "respond - don't react"! So I stayed softer and responded with things like, "Oh I don't recall that, tell me more". And he did!!! that's what was so different....he kept talking and sharing with me! We had a wonderful conversation!
Ruth 11/06; Mindful Bookstudy class

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“[NVC] provides us with the most effective tools to foster health and relationships." - Deepak Chopra

Learn more about Marshall's book, and read a sample chapter (external link).

Learn more about basic NVC concepts from the international Center for Nonviolent Communication:

• The NVC Model: a diagram

• Feelings Lists: a list of feelings when needs are and are not satisfied

• 10 things we can do to contribute to internal, interpersonal, and organizational peace