Relationships - with friends, family, partners, everyone - are so important to all of us, but they can be so hard to do well. Join us for a weekend learning and practising new ways to navigate the challenges of communicating authentically with the important people in our lives.

We’ve all had times when we tried to express what’s important to us and it didn’t go the way we hoped… or when we kept quiet but wished we knew how to speak up. We’ve all been in situations where we really don't get other people’s motivations and we can't make sense of their behaviour. Or we wish they understood us better!

Nonviolent Communication (NVC) provides us with tools and skills that help us make more authentic, meaningful connections, understand different perspectives, and communicate honestly and clearly about what matters most to us.

Event Details

This weekend will provide an introduction to all the basic components of NVC so you can start putting it into practice at home (or work) as well as providing plenty of insights to help you navigate the particular communication challenges you face in your own life.

The trainers, Mel White and Aaron Bailey, work with a mixture of theory and practice, so you can straightaway see how NVC can be useful in real-life, and you’ll get the chance to work with some real-life examples.

The event will run from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm each day with an hour break for lunch. A light lunch of soup and bread will be provided (participants may also choose to bring their own packed lunch), and refreshments will be provided at mid-morning and afternoon breaks.

The workshop takes place in Cloughjordan Ecovillage in Tipperary. This is on the train line from Dublin and Limerick, so it's accessible by public transport from most parts of Ireland. B&B or hostel accommodation is available locally. A tour of the Ecovillage can be provided on request.

Is this the right event for you?

If you're new to NVC, or perhaps you've read a book, listened to a podcast, or attended a short workshop (a couple of hours), then absolutely. This event is for you.

If you’ve already attended a foundation weekend, or the equivalent, then yes, this workshop is also for you! Lots of people repeat these trainings multiple times, there’s really so many layers to this work, and you’ll always pick something up you missed the first time around, as well as getting a chance to practise the skills.

If you’ve attended one or more of our one-day workshops, and you’re wondering if this is the same thing, or something else…it’s both! Our one-day workshops provide a felt sense of NVC in action, and are really useful to get a taste of what NVC is, and a sense of how life-changing it can be. They’re hands-on, practice-based days, that can help support you with particular issues. The Foundation Weekend is much more in-depth and thorough, and will give you a much broader understanding of all the NVC concepts, and how they fit together.

If you’re hesitating because you're already very familiar with NVC and you're concerned it might be too basic, then do still come along, as there will be something for all levels of experience - we think of NVC as a lifelong journey, so there's always more to learn and practice! We’ll also be running some more advanced workshops in the near future - check out Deepening and Integrating NVC. More dates to be announced soon.

Pay what you can afford!
We don't want anyone to miss this opportunity for financial reasons, so we're offering a sliding scale. For full transparency: the lower rates do not cover our running costs - we hope some people will be willing to pay more to support those who would struggle to pay the full amount. If the minimum recommended contribution is still not accessible for you, please get in touch to discuss bursary, concessions, or other gift economy offerings.

Sliding Scale: €110 - €220 for a two-day workshop.

To secure your place please either pay your full donation, or pay a deposit of €50. The remaining contribution can be paid at the event.

Need more info before you decide? Have a look at our Frequently Asked Questions, or contact us if there’s anything else you want to know.