Testimonials

The Work

“Your programs opened a thought pattern of what “I” can do to start peace within my own circle of life and by doing so may be able to show by example to those in my extended world. Being able to label feelings and needs is a very fundamental element to anyone’s development as a human being. If we are to live is this world peacefully your program is a starting point to identify what is happening in ourselves and in those around us, no matter if we speak the language or not.”

– Michele T. Bibby, Charleston, SC


“Not everyone in the world is Buddhist. Thank you so much for teaching skills, universal compassion, self-love, and acceptance to everyone and not being exclusive based on one’s beliefs, socioeconomic status, etc. I am graduating from college in 1 year and your work gives me hope for the future.”

– Karen G., San Francisco Zen Center


“The integration of Zen, NVC & Somatic experiencing is courageous, revolutionary work for ourselves, our communities, and our planet.”

– Sage Hayes, Bay Area, CA


“My Father was taught to be a Father by his Father, and his Father before him going back 300 years of dysfunctional behavior from generation to generation. Thanks to Marshall Rosenberg’s Nonviolent Communication, I can break the chain. I break the chain in my family and in my schizophrenia.”

– Blake Hayner, White Grizzly

Trainings

“I came with a sense of hopefulness, that I would be able to gain some tools to make my communication with my partner more open,less angry, more loving and life affirming. What I have received is another big piece of the puzzle on the journey to full humanness.”

participant, Dialogues of the Heart, Mount Shasta, CA


“Enjoyed the whole darn thing”

participant, Dialogues of the Heart, Mount Shasta, CA


“Everything about you both and your home and work and the “space” you create, the beautiful nourishing food included, is lovely and full of integrity, a real joy to behold and participate in.
The games are fun, the practices valuable, but what I notice most is energy. I have been a student and practitioner of subtle energy fields for twenty years and the positive energy shifts with the people and groups you are working with is amazing ! Congratulations !
Change a few individuals, change the world ! “

– Sharon, Dialogues of the Heart participant, Chapel Hill, NC
“I really enjoyed the format for Dialogues of the Heart. I got the support to be with the sadness I was feeling at the time, and also to move through into the lightness. The games of the day all seemed to build on what I’ve learned in NVC, and I love that way to connect with others and with me . The Dance Lodge at night brought it all together through movement, expression, the felt experience without words. Home in my heart again.

Thank you very much, Jesse and Catherine. Please hurry back!”

– Lesley, Maleny, QLD, Australia


“Catherine and Jesse embody a living process of ‘relationship in action’ using the consciousness of NVC, their spiritual practices and personal qualities. Their honesty, openness and transparency before the group is uplifting.”

– Phil Toms, New Zealand

“WOW! What a weekend. Thank you so much… My Heart is FULL… I am left with a feeling of deep love and compassion for all beings.”

– Barbara Shepard, educator, Dunsmuir, CA


“The depth of feeling and communication was at once exhilarating and embarrassing – embarrassing in front of a group. (But I wouldn’t change it!)”

– Jeanne, Shambhala Center, Washington D.C.

“Your teachings of NVC, specifically “OFNR” gave me a feeling of awareness and freedom to move through the relationships in my life in a different way. Thank you for bringing this into the fabric of my life.
Namaste.”

– Vajrapani Yoga Teacher-in-Training
Shasta Yoga Center, Mount Shasta, CA

Consultations

“I wanted to let you know (or maybe you already know!) how powerful that session was for me. Something happened. Energy moved. I had been really stuck for the past couple of weeks and it all just shifted and I’ve been feeling so much lighter. Tasks that had been overwhelming me became no big deal, and waking up in the morning even got easier. And I’ve noticed myself the past couple of days approaching familiar situations with more presence and awareness and less reactivity. And I continue to spend time sitting in trust and really imbibing that quality.”

– A.R., Charlotte, NC

“Jesse and Catherine,

Just like to express my thanks for your help. I really value my being able to connect to my core belief about myself. From that I understand much better how I tend to behave to myself and others and am mostly able to reduce the trend for disconnection because of that.

Hope we meet again.”

– Ted Griffin, Fremantle, Western Australia

“It was helpful talking with you. Since then, I have been really focusing on moving up the emotional scale. Today I am feeling stronger and happier than I have in a long time. I am optimistic of staying in this space, it seems like a little more of the negativity dissolves each day.”

– Erika, San Francisco, CA

“I know Jesse as a member, and sometimes facilitator, of the NVC practice group I attend. I can unequivically recommend him as a communications coach. Here’s why: Jesse absolutely radiates good will and compassion. He can be counted on to tell you his truth pretty much all the time. He’s a very skillful communicator and pursues his work with great integrity. His work is charged with openness, joy, authenticity and a livley sense of humor. I find it a pleasure to have Jesse in my life.”

– Joya C, San Francisco, CA

NVC Practitioners

“I’m grateful remembering your presentation on NVC which I attended at Menucha.  I have presented Needs in very much the same way I experienced you doing it, three times now in workshop settings, and am *thrilled* with the somatic experience of needs that I experience when presenting this way, and the feedback that I receive from the participants about this way of presenting needs.  (I believe that was a run-on sentence, but since I’m a bit tired, I’ll let it go  J.)  Experiencing you presenting that way has enriched my life Jessie!  And others in my community are affected too.  I love the ripple effect and how that works.”

– Rhonda Mills, R.Y.T., St. Louis, MO

“The Compassionate Communication workshop I attended was enlivening.  I have studied Nonviolent Communication for years and the creativity of the ZENVC workshop helped me to experience the concepts in a new way.  The exercises grounded my responses from my body and soul rather than generating responses solely from my mind.  It was exactly what I was looking for to take my practice in a different direction.”

– Kiara, Social Worker, Berkeley, CA

“This was, perhaps because of previous training, the singular most useful workshop in NVC I’ve taken to date.  The transforming pain process was the highlight of a luminous experience.
There was nothing I would have altered in any way.  This was a transformative experience.
Please, Please, Please continue in this work.”

– Stan B., Seattle, WA

Reconciliation

“For me, the most critical and lasting impression from our time with you is that all of what I need is inside of me. That what Shawn can give is just extra and lovely, but is first and last a gift, not a requirement. I don’t know if you would express it in those terms, but that is how it landed in my belly. This is an enormously important reminder of something I’ve known in the past but somehow forgotten: I can be okay, with Shawn or without him.”

-Laura T., Durham, NC

“I had a long experience of conflict with a friend. Sometimes we were close and sometimes we would go weeks or months not communicating due to being in pain over some issue or misunderstanding. I had much pain in my head and heart with this friend.  With Jesse and Catherine’s guidance in our communication, cutting through details of our stories down to what we value and feel, I felt our trust and caring for each other had a chance to come out of hiding. What I would most like to share with others who might be considering working with Jesse and Catherine is my appreciation of the power of their heartfelt use of focus and intention of heart connection in helping me experience that shift in myself to a softer heart.  Having the extended time to work with one of them before the mutual  session with my friend was instrumental in slowing down my thinking, and focusing on my feelings of longing to connect more joyfully with this friend.  I went into the session with all 4 of us much more able to experience my dear friend with fewer defenses and barriers. That was joyful!”

-Laurie R., Ithaca, NY

“I felt a calmness and renewal after the mediation you facilitated between M. and myself. I could connect with a peace and honesty in myself as I realised the way I had been struggling in communicating with her. It was also an enlightening experience for me….being an emotional participant in a live mediation. I am sure it will be something I can draw on to empathise with others as I pursue the process of facilatating mediations myself.”

– Jana Krins, Brisbane, QLD, Australia


“hi Jesse, just writing to say how lucky I feel/think we all are, to have you around in all this…
in that first conversation, there were many times where it seemed to me that an impasse had been reached – where I didn’t know what could be said or done that would move things through… in each of those situations, you were able to hold what was happening and keep things moving. Usually in those situations you said very little, but whatever it was seemed to really help.
so, please receive my deep gratitude for your contributions and your existence in general. I’ve learned a lot.”

– Greg T., Salinas, CA


“Before this training I had difficulty forgiving some things that had happened in my past. I feel that I am now able to forgive some people that I haven’t been able to forgive before because now I can understand their needs.”

– Department Head, Ministry for Women’s Affairs, Kabul, Afghanistan