Say What You Mean: Authentic Communication
8-week LIVE online course, Part III
April 4 – May 30, 2024*
Thursdays, 4:00-5:30 pm PT / 7:00-8:30 pm ET
* Skips Thursday May 2
NOTE: THIS COURSE IS CLOSED FOR REGISTRATION.
About the Course
This 8-week online Authentic Communication course offers focused training in expressing yourself, to discern what’s most authentic and to express yourself openly in ways others can hear. Through weekly live teaching from Oren, mindfulness practices, reflections, and interactive exercises, you’ll will develop greater ease, inner clarity, and more confidence in their communication.
With expert guidance, you’ll learn ways to:
Feel more confident during conversations
Develop skills to say what really matters in any interaction
Ask for what you want in a way that invites collaboration
Say no and set limits while still expressing your care for others
Understand anger and express your needs skillfully
This course is part three of a three-part Mindful Communication series based on Oren’s book, Say What You Mean. Oren’s integrated approach draws directly from his training in early Buddhism, the work of Dr. Marshall Rosenberg’s Nonviolent Communication, and Dr. Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing. Part I covers foundational material on presence, relational awareness, intention, listening, and empathy from the first half of the book. Part II explores skills for clear, open, and honest self-expression, as well as more advanced skills like navigating conversations and handling challenging situations. (Part I will be offered again in the fall of 2024 as a pre-recorded online course with live, interactive Q&A with Oren.)
NOTE: This will be the last time Oren teaches this course live; all subsequent versions of this course will be pre-recorded. Certificates of Completion and Professional Teacher Credits are available; Continuing Education Credits (CECs) are not available.
Questions? Check out our FAQ here.
Express yourself clearly when it matters most.
Course content
1. Exploring Authenticity
4. Finding your Voice
7. Saying No & Setting Limits with Love
2. Discerning your Truth, Owning your Sh*t
5. Making Powerful Requests
8. Understanding & Expressing Anger
3. Transforming Obstacles to Self-Expression
6. Sensing your Boundaries
““This course is life changing. My kids, my friends, my co-workers have all seen the changes in me. It helped me navigate through a difficult relationship ending. One that I did not want to end. I do plan to continue this practice and to deepen my practice with NVC and my hope is that my kids and family and friends will learn also through me how to better relate to others.””
““Oren is a gifted teacher who shares his keen understanding of the workings of communication and relationship in a way that so many can access. Through his own presence, modelling and coaching, he is able to translate his deep understanding into everyday practices and skills. Get ready for a course that can challenge and transform you and your relationships on so many levels!””
““This course is a powerful way to help us all see each other as humans again, in a time where connection and empathy is desperately needed. It is a service to the world.””
““This course has helped me improve my communication skills and interactions with other people. The content is useful in all areas of my life. Oren is a masterful teacher who walks the talk.””
About the Course
Each Live, 90-minute session includes:
Teachings on a key aspect of self-expression
Guided meditations and/or somatic exercises
Live coaching and demonstrations of tools
Interactive Q&A with the author and course assistants
What else You Receive:
Certificate of Completion (12 hrs training in Mindful Communication)
Access to online Q&A and correspondence with the author
Over 100 pages of written material, including unpublished writing, worksheets, and practice suggestions
Optional weekly calls with a practice buddy
Lifetime access to course video and audio recordings
Professional Semester Units/Credits for teachers
WHO'S IT FOR?
This course is designed for anyone who wants to improve their communication skills, have successful conversations, and build better relationships. All are welcome; no prior meditation or communication experience is required. The course is appropriate for those newer to Nonviolent Communication as well as for experienced practitioners seeking to deepen their skills. Though not required, participants are strongly encouraged to read Oren’s book Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication before or during the course.
Oren’s students include: psychologists, therapists, doctors, nurses and healthcare practitioners, chaplains, teachers, writers, artists, life coaches, lawyers, police, engineers, civil servants, and many more. For information about Professional Teacher Credits, please see here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions? See our FAQ here.
Course Trainers
COURSE LEADER
Oren Jay Sofer, a CNVC Certified Nonviolent Communication Trainer, teaches workshops and retreats on meditation and communication internationally. His teaching emphasizes how awareness practice and communication training deepen one another in a synergistic manner. He holds a degree in Comparative Religion from Columbia University and is certified as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner for healing trauma. Oren is a husband, a father, and the author of several books including Your Heart Was Made For This, and the best-selling title, Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication.
ASSISTANT TRAINER
Passionate about healing – ourselves, intergenerationally, and the world – Ranjana (Ranji) Ariaratnam has shared NVC with families, teachers, activists, schools, and social service organizations via workshops, retreats, and mediation since 2009. Ranji worked for years overseas in humanitarian aid with people displaced by conflict. Now she brings together approaches that are very healing in her own life – NVC, painting and writing, somatic practices, and Vipassana meditation – each addressing different layers of our being. She lives on Vancouver Island.
ASSISTANT TRAINER
David Johnson spent years overseas as a humanitarian aid worker. A few years after being introduced to NVC he returned to North America and immersed himself in the study of NVC as part of his exploration of practices that address the roots of violence and suffering. He has seen how NVC supports him as part of a couple and in all aspects of his life, and has shared NVC with families, schools, activists, and social service organizations via workshops, retreats, and mediation since 2011. He lives on Vancouver Island.
““Oren’s online course was one of the best learning experiences in my 30+ year career!””
““Oren is a master facilitator. His class will teach you how to manage conflict, embody empathy, and connect with what really matters in every situation.””
““Oren’s course was a complete game changer for me, and I can’t stop recommending it to everyone who will listen... It’s improved my work, my son and I have a healthier relationship, and my marriage is stronger and so full of love.””
Logistics & Registration
This course is now closed for registration.
Oren’s next online communication course begins in June. Learn more and sign up here.
““The skills I developed studying with Oren have been extremely valuable in both my professional and personal interactions ... I can’t recommend his highly beneficial trainings enough.””
Further Testimonials
““The combination of mindfulness and communication skills in Oren’s course dramatically shifted how I engage in conversation. What I’ve learned ... has had an enormous impact on my life in both my personal and professional relationships.””
““Oren creates a warm spirit of community through his from-the-heart lectures, interactive Q&A, role playing, the online forum and his encouragement to practice regularly. I will definitely be signing up for his next class!””
““Oren Jay Sofer is a generous, insightful, and skilled individual who embodies what he teaches. This made learning fun, relevant, and satisfying. I increased my sensitivity for listening, and discovered a capacity for more empathy and ease with myself and others. Human communication is complex and this course demystified some of that complexity for me, helping me relax around the challenge of releasing old habits and embracing new ones.””
““This class was amazing! Rich with real life examples and role play, the live group calls were extremely helpful in illustrating how to incorporate the skills and teachings into daily life. I feel so grateful for this training.””
““Oren’s teachings and guided practices have strengthened my ability to care for myself and others when communication becomes a challenge. I am more present and intentional in my relationship with myself and others, which widens my perspective and enriches my experience.””
““In his book and course, Oren’s teaching style is vibrant, relevant and so supportive as we try and find our way in this complicated, challenging world.””
““This online course is exceptional! It provides invaluable information for creating better communication skills… evokes profound insight, and the cultivation of a wise heart to our relationships.””
