Living Your Values
Mindfulness practice provides a powerful support for clear, kind, and effective conversations. Join author and meditation teacher Oren Jay Sofer for this exploration of how contemplative practice can deepen our relationships personally and professionally, bringing more compassion, clarity, and connection into our lives.
In this daylong workshop, we will explore the foundations of an integrated approach to skillful communication. Drawing on the tools of mindfulness practice, and the modern discipline of Nonviolent Communication (NVC), and the insights of trauma healing, this day will offer practical tips to bring more clarity and care to your relationships, and to create the conditions for meaningful collaboration. The day will include a combination of guided meditation, discussion, and interactive practice. It is appropriate for all levels of experience; NVC will be taught at a basic level.
In this experiential workshop you will:
Learn the concept of “presence” and its benefits for communication with clients/patients and co-workers, including how this practice may reduce stress and burnout
Demonstrate the clinical skill of pausing, and describe how this skill can improve communication
Explain the differences between “needs” and “strategies,” and how understanding this difference results in improved outcomes
Describe how “listening with the intention to understand,” improves our relationships
Describe the difference between empathy and non-empathic forms of communication, and how empathic communication may improve all of our relationships
About the Book
Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication is a step-by-step guide for meaningful conversations that bring people together. It is the first book to integrate mindfulness with the modern discipline of Nonviolent Communication and somatic healing.
Whether it's managing conflict at work, navigating a political divide with a relative, or strengthening bonds at home—communicating effectively is what makes or breaks our relationships. Rich with simple yet powerful exercises, Say What You Mean offers a clear method and concrete practices for healthier, more effective conversation.
