When we listen to clients we often hear thinking that leads to self-sabotage and destructive relationships. How can we practice the kind of empathy that transforms rather than reinforces judgmental or negative thinking?
What do we need to transform about our own thinking in order to help our clients transform their thinking?
Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is not just about communicating. It’s about changing our thinking—beliefs that have been shaped by a culture that reinforces guilt, shame, anger, and despair. NVC helps us move towards relationships with ourselves and others that are free of guilt and defensiveness.
Objectives: Participants will be able to:
- locate Nonviolent Communication within the tradition of cognitive psychology
- distinguish between forms of empathetic response: reflecting thinking; guessing for feelings; guessing at specific strategies; and guessing at needs
- identify non-empathetic responses that may result in disconnect or reinforcement of resentment or discouragement
- identify responses that may reinforce a client’s dependency on identity as a means for self-esteem
and learn:
- 1. What is NVC’s simple formula for empathetic response?
- 2. Give an example of guessing at a need versus guessing at a specific strategy.
- 3. Why might this response reinforce negative thinking: “Are you feeling abandoned?”
- 4. Why might this response reinforce a shaky dependency on identity, “You’re an amazing mother.”
Rick Longinotti, MFT, is co-founder of the nonprofit, Nonviolent Communication Santa Cruz. He and his wife, Aviva, offer workshops for couples as well as practicing NVC in the political realm.
Learn more at: NVCsantacruz.org
Contact Rick: Longinotti@baymoon.com 831.515.8072
Continuing Education: Course meets the qualifications for 1.5 hours of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. Course completion certificates will be available to attendees at the end of the presentation.
The Santa Cruz Chapter of CAMFT is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs. The Santa Cruz Chapter of CAMFT maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content.
Cancellation policy: There will be no cancellation refund for this program.
Accommodations for Disability: The Santa Cruz Chapter of CAMFT is committed to providing a presentation that is accessible to all who wish to attend. If you have a special need and plan to attend, please notify us at president@santacruztherapist.org or 831.429.7786. Requests must be made one week in advance.
Grievances may be filed with the SC-CAMFT at president@santacruztherapist.org or 831.429.7786.
For any questions please contact the president@santacruztherapist.org or 831.429.7786.