Peter

“ I have gained tremendously, both personally and professionally, from my contacts with Aya Caspi. It has been liberating to experience, through Non-Violent Communication (NVC) the idea that we all have universal needs that we do our best to get met, and that we need empathy for not only our own needs, but for the needs of others in our lives as well. Being able to get in touch with this “innocence” reduces blame and criticism and  increases empathy for what’s going on for the “other.

I participated in Aya’s online class as well as the additional sessions with her colleague and with “empathy sessions” with another workshop attendee. Through discussion and role play, Aya very wisely and sensitively taught us the important elements of NVC. Other attendees, along with myself, were able to apply these concepts in our own lives.

A huge benefit for me was being able to feel far less emotionally churned up when a difficult situation arose in my extended family. Rather than react with criticism and judgment, or be outraged at the other person’s behavior, I was able to much more calmly try to understand what was going on for them, to put myself in their shoes, and as a result, get to a more peaceful place than would otherwise have been the case. I was happy that this family member agreed to meet online with Aya and me in private sessions together and to discuss the issues and challenges. The conversations were far more collaborative and productive than would have been the case had we tried this on our own without Aya’s help. Aya presented  us with a roadmap, and with her caring (yet firm) guidance, the conversations were healing and calming.

Additionally, I am a psychologist specializing in working with couples and families. Even after decades in the field, there was much to learn from Aya and NVC. In particular, helping couples not view the other in pathological ways and helping them to first acknowledge the needs of their partner before speaking about their own needs and feelings, has been particularly useful. Caring and connection are certainly enhanced when one is able to feel empathy from the other and to also feel empathy for his/her own needs and feelings.

In sum, I think there is a great deal to learn from NVC, and Aya is very skilled at not only teaching this, but also modeling it in her own behavior. Both personally and professionally, I have gained a great deal and am most appreciative. ”