An introduction to Compassionate Communication (NVC) - 

--- In Person Workshop, Safely Distanced, in Nanaimo ---

WHEN

Friday Feb 4 at 6:30pm to Sunday Feb 6 at 4:30pm
Friday 6:30pm - 9:00pm

Saturday 9:00am - 12:00pm & 1:00pm - 4:30pm

Sunday  9:00am - 12:00pm & 1:00pm - 4:30pm

WHERE

At Silent Motion Yoga Studio, 2021 Brothers Road Nanaimo, BC, Canada V9X1R8

WHY PARTICIPATE?

To improve your relationships…

Recent studies have proven it: the quality of our relationships have the greatest impact on our overall happiness and health. Conflicts at work, at home or with dear friends can add a lot of stress on a life that already has its load of challenges.

Does that ring true in your life experience? Do you wish you were better equipped, more resourced to face difficult relationships and conflicts?

If you do, this workshop is an opportunity to invest time and energy to work on your relationships with yourself and with others, and navigate challenges with more ease..

To finally meet IN PERSON with people on a similar journey…

Do you feel tired of online meetings and trainings? Are you longing for a meaningful and connecting experience with real people? This retreat is the opportunity to experience this again in a safe way!

We want this retreat to feel like a pause, a time to reflect on your relationships and on what really matters. But we also want it to be a time to laugh and have fun. We will have plenty of time for connection throughout the week end and enjoy the beautiful nature around us.

To hear and accept ourselves

We all have a little voice inside of ourselves that often criticizes us, telling us that we are not good enough, we could be more efficient, more creative, have a better body, be more organized... This voice is also often criticizing the people around us, they do not behave how they should. What if this voice was preventing us to live what we really yearn for?

In this workshop, Myriam Verzat invite us to transform the way we talk to ourselves and relate to others. Participants will develop a capacity to hear themselves with warmth and understanding. We'll be listening deeply to what is happening inside of us, behind the judgment. This is a powerful way to find peace inside of us and the energy to live the life we dream of.

To develop meaningful and quality relationships

Transforming the relationship we have with ourselves can help us deepen our connections to our life partners, children, colleagues, neighbors, and even people that are sometimes "difficult to talk to".

In order to…

** be able to deal with conflict and difficult relationship with more fluidity, confidence and trust

** develop a better relation to yourself that helps you in moments of intense emotions

** increase your capacity to listen to people that are dear to you and improve the quality of your relationships

** develop the capacity to talk to people you find hard to talk to

** go faster to a win-win solution that works for everyone!

FORMAT

The workshop isn't theoretical: after each piece of new information, concrete exercises will help the participant to integrate and apply it to their daily lives. Myriam and Warren integrate movement and artistic approaches to invite whole body experiences and playfulness. No exercise will involve touching someone else. Safe distances will be kept at all times.

WHAT PAST PARTICIPANTS HAVE SAID

" Myriam's passion for her work really shone through and got me excited about NVC! She incorporated such a variety of activities in her workshop that I was always interested and fully engaged for the two days."

"Myriam and Warren are a strong facilitation team who embody the authenticity and compassion that they teach through NVC, with each other, with themselves and with all participants. In such a challenging time in our collective story, these two set a diverse group of people at ease with caring and consideration that allowed us all to access the learning and dive deep within to understand ourselves better in the context of interactions with others. It was a privilege to learn with them. They wove together powerful personal stories, references to supporting research, knowledge of the histories of NVC and many practical opportunities to bring the learning to life in a meaningful way. I found the workshop a uniquely safe experience that allowed me to be in touch with new layers of my vulnerabilities. Their work with us also supported the growth of new connections to inner strength and each other with purposeful awareness that cultivates more compassionate communication."

" I experienced perceptual changes and deeper understanding of my needs and how to express them in just 2 days!"

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LOCATION AND ACCOMMODATION:

If you need accommodation on site or close to the site, let us know and we will try to support you in that. The location offers an amazing landscape, a fire pit and a swimming pool. Please register for food through our registration system.

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FOOD:

Please bring your own beverage to limit COVID related risks. Affordable and delicious vegetarian meals can be available for the weekend if you choose, you can select that option when you register. Safety measures around COVID will be taken and communicated.

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COVID measures and cancellations

The retreat will happen following the restrictions in place during those dates.

The space will allow physical distancing at all times. We will also evaluate the need for masks. Disinfecting gel will be available as well as washing hand stations. We will have no more than 16 people including the facilitators in a big enough space for 20 people to be 2 meters apart from each other.

Cancellation policy:

– More than 7 days before the workshop: 100% refund minus 20$ of administrative fees

– Between 7 days and 48 hours before the workshop: 50% refund

– Less than 48 hours before the workshop: no refund unless someone takes your place

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PRICING

Price for 14 hours of training:

Regular - $350

Early bird - $275

Supported - $200

Supporter or professional - $450

*** How to decide how much to pay? **

The money you contribute helps me to sustain my work. On average, I need each participant to pay around $350 to have those workshops sustainable. And I know this amount of money is not easily available for everyone. If you contribute more than $350, you help someone else come to the workshop who couldn't otherwise.

Here is some considerations to decide how much you wish to contribute (source: https://www.ridefreefearlessmoney.com/blog/2016/05/sliding-scale-1/)

Consider paying less on the scale if you.

- are supporting children or have other dependents

- have significant debt

- have medical expenses not covered by insurance

- receive public assistance

- have immigration-related expenses

- are an elder with limited financial support

- are an unpaid community organizer

- are a returning citizen who has been denied work due to incarceration history

Consider paying more on the scale if you:

- own the home you live in

- have investments, retirement accounts, or inherited money

- travel recreationally

- have access to family money and resources in times of need

- work part time by choice

- have a relatively high degree of earning power due to level of education (or gender and racial privilege, class background, etc.) Even if you are not currently exercising your earning power, I ask you to recognize this as a choice.

If 200$ is still a barrier, please communicate with me, I am sure we can find creative ways for you to contribute other than money :)

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ABOUT THE FACILITATORS

Myriam Verzat NVC Certified Trainer

MYRIAM VERZAT - main facilitator

I am a CNVC certified NonViolent Communication (NVC) trainer based in Nanaimo. I have a Master’s degree in communication and six years of training and sharing Nonviolent Communication. I share my passion for NVC with individuals, schools and organizations around Nanaimo and online. I collaborate with Angela Walkley and Mitch Miyagawa from Farthest Shore, an NVC training center on Gabriola Island, and with Jenna Card. I use my creative soul and my great sense of humour to enliven the workshops I offer. More than anything, I do this work because I love Human beings and I believe that everyone has incredible resources and beauty inside of them. My dream is to empower organizations, families and individuals to build a more compassionate and sustainable world.

To know more about me, please visit: www.myriamverzat.com

WARREN HOOLEY - Guest facilitator

Warren Hooley is a 35-year old man from the (Okanagan) Territory in Penticton, British Columbia. Having mixed roots of Okanagan, English and Ukrainian and growing up in both western and indigenous worlds, Warren sees himself as a bridge, helping both sides move from polarity to deeper

connection. For the past 10 years, Warren has passionately facilitated over 1500 workshops on the topics of Compassionate Communication, Indigenous ‘Allyship’ and Decolonization. Today, living in Vancouver BC, Warren is dedicated to helping create a world where everyone can thrive and succeed to their own definition. His work is focused on teaching the tangible skills for healthy, happy and sustainable relationships.

The workshop is hosted in partnership with the Salish Sea Empathy Society (http://www.salishseaempathysociety.com