I recently spoke with Oren Jay Sofer, who teaches Buddhist meditation, mindfulness, and Nonviolent Communication internationally. A member of the Spirit Rock Teachers Council, he holds a Columbia University degree in Comparative Religion, is a Certified Trainer of Nonviolent Communication and a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner for the healing of trauma. Sofer is the author of Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication and the forthcoming Training the Heart (2023).
In our modern world, it can feel like combative communication is the new standard. And yet, logically, we know that attacking someone or shutting them out typically makes them want to attack or shut us out, too. It doesn’t get us anywhere useful. What does Nonviolent Communication mean to you, instead?