“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”
Conflict can be an extremely painful and disconnecting experience. It creates an us and a them- a separation that harms everyone. We put on our armor and blame each other. We begin to tip toe around and avoid each other. We sacrifice our authenticity. Over time, trust and safety are lost, and with our drawbridges up, we are powerless to reach each other. When this happens, we are not doing anything with intention to harm, but we are entrenched in our positions and lack the skills to communicate with love and care, and to ask for what we need in ways that work. We use tragic strategies that harm others and ourselves and result in disconnection.
How would all parts of our lives be enhanced if we had the skills to stay openhearted through conflict? What If we could foster curiosity and listen deeply to other perspectives without dropping what matters to us? Imagine being able to process your own difficult feelings and gain clarity and choice about what will really serve us while ensuring the dignity of others at the same time? What if compassion replaced shame and blame? Would this communication skillset support life being more wonderful everywhere? These skills can be learned. We can communicate in ways that bring us closer together, creating resilient, respectful, caring relationships, even when differences seem insurmountable.
Join Pam Orbach for six weekly sessions of learning the basics of Compassionate Communication. This is the heart of restorative work, What we practice, we become.
Date: 6 Thursdays, Mar 7 – Apr 11, 2019
Time: 12:00 to 2:00 pm
Cost: $200 general, or $100 for East Shore Unitarian Church member
Contact: [email protected] or call 425-444-4276 questions about this workshop. Dianne Upton [email protected] or 425-747-3780 ext. 102 for questions regarding to registration, scholarship, location or other general information.
More details: https://centerforrestorativesolutionsseattle.com/nonviolent-communication-spring-2019