What is Nonviolent Communication?
Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is a communication approach developed by psychologist Marshall Rosenberg that emphasizes empathy, compassion, and mutual understanding in interactions. Its primary goal is to foster connection and cooperation by helping people express themselves honestly and listen to others empathetically, thereby improving the quality of relationships and resolving conflicts peacefully137.
NVC is grounded in the belief that all humans share universal needs and have the capacity for compassion. It seeks to create a safe space for open, honest dialogue where individuals can understand each other's feelings and needs without judgment, blame, or coercion159.
The Four Core Components of NVC:
- Observation: Clearly state the facts of a situation without attaching evaluations or judgments. For example, "I noticed you arrived at 8:30 when our meeting was at 8:00," rather than "You're always late."158
- Feelings: Express your emotions authentically, distinguishing them from thoughts or interpretations. For example, "I feel worried" instead of "I think you don't care."158
- Needs: Identify and communicate the underlying universal human needs related to your feelings, such as the need for respect, connection, or understanding15813.
- Requests: Make clear, specific, and actionable requests (not demands) to address your needs, while remaining open to hearing "no" and empathizing with the other person's perspective158.
NVC is widely used in personal relationships, workplaces, education, therapy, and conflict resolution. It encourages taking responsibility for one's own feelings and needs, and seeking solutions that honor everyone's needs, leading to more harmonious and compassionate interactions1357.
Resources
Here are resources about Nonviolent Communication. This is a profoundly helpful and insightful book written by Marshall Rosenberg.
I created the following video by editing together two different parts near the beginning of this video: NVC Marshall Rosenberg - San Francisco Workshop. The first part starts around 20:50 and most of the video is around 30:00.
Related Links
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=nonviolent+communication+marshall+rosenberg
Related Posts
See Eden Fractal Telegram
and Consensus article