Classes

Heart-to-Heart Parenting: An Introduction to Nonviolent Communication for Parents, Educators, and Caregivers

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Course Dates

9 consecutive weeks on Thursdays, June 1 – July 27, 2023
7pm – 8:30pm US Eastern Time

Description of Basic Approach:

Heart-to-Heart Parenting brings a holistic approach to understanding children’s behavior and gives you the tools and awareness to address situations with far more clarity and effectiveness. This program is based on Marshall Rosenberg’s Nonviolent Communication (NVC).

Join Heart-to-Heart’s Jeannie Anderson as she guides you through the process of building relationships based on compassion, connection, safety, and trust. You will also develop an awareness of language that builds connection, collaboration, empathy, and empowerment.

“Nonviolent Communication completely shifted the way I connect with my children and my family.  It’s helped me to understand the needs beneath my children’s behavior and my own! And it’s helped me to develop a deep, connected relationship with my children and my partner.” – Parent of a 5 year-old and 8 year-old 

“Parenting with Nonviolent Communication helps me to accept my kids’ emotions, all of them. When they’re jealous, when they’re scared, when they’re angry. And I’m not here to fix that, to fix their emotions.  Just listening to them is enough.” – Parent of 2 teenagers

“Parenting with Nonviolent Communication has given my family a clear path through conflict and big emotions.  I’m more relaxed about other people’s choices and more calm and compassionate when someone is upset. I feel more seen and understood because I share more of my feelings and needs.  Nonviolent Communication makes my time with my daughter really enjoyable.  -Parent of 3 young-adult children

You’ll Experience: 

  • Support in developing listening skills for yourself and your family or your students
  • Reduced parenting stress and a sense of satisfaction in your parenting choices.
  • Greater cooperation, harmony, and enjoyment in your family!
  • Learning in a supportive community with opportunities to continue skills practice

Cost: 

$180 for one participant
$270 for two participants  

Learn with a partner or a friend!

What does the course cover?

In this course, you will learn practical tools that, used together over time, will build closeness and cooperation with your children or students while developing and modeling skills for life. 

You will learn  to:

  • Respond to children’s needs rather than react to their behavior
  • Increase your ability to handle stressful situations with a calm presence
  • Create an environment of safety and trust, where children feel heard, valued, and supported, even when you’re saying ‘No’
  • De-escalate conflict while building trust and connection
  • Cultivate internal motivation for cooperation rather than depending on rewards or compliance to avoid punishment
  • Develop children’s emotional  literacy and your confidence in supporting intense reactions
  • Respond to self-disappointment with compassion rather than inner criticism
  • Understand and communicate limits with confidence and empathy
  • Say ‘No’ without feeling guilty
  • Cultivate an empowering relationship with all emotions and new confidence to support intense reactions.
  • Balance your needs with the needs of others
  • Move from reactivity to responsiveness
  • Contribute to peace by raising children with the skills to make peace

About the Facilitator(s):

Jeannie Anderson is a Nonviolent Communication facilitator, Parent Educator, and Life Coach.  She has completed over 200 hours of Nonviolent Communication training including the Center for Nonviolent Communication’s 9-month Parent Peer Leadership Program.  Her parenting knowledge also encompasses Hand in Hand Parenting, Mariposa Social Emotional Learning and SENGJeannie is also a Master ACE Interface Trainer for the state of Maryland and is currently studying Interpersonal Neurobiology with child psychiatrist Dr. Dan Siegel through the Mindsight Institute. She is particularly passionate about the connection between neuroscience, the physiology of stress, the impact of trauma, and the healing power of relationships and human connection. Jeannie is excited to be sharing this work with parents and educators.  She is the parent of 2 elementary school-aged children and resides in Baltimore, MD with her family.  

What parents have to say about the This Class: 

“I’m realizing that taking care of myself is a necessity in order to have the resources to show up for my family.  This is a huge shift away from what I learned growing up, which was to take care of everyone else first.  This is a chance to break generational patterns in my family.” – Mom

“I used the observation skills we discussed last week to approach an ongoing issue with my daughter. I felt like I opened the conversation anew in a positive way using those skills.” – Mom teenage 

“Something about this process is very witch-crafty to me. That you can go in feeling so angry with someone that you’re ready to just punch them in the face. And by the end of 3 minutes, feel compassion for that person.  It’s really transformative really fast.  It’s remarkable to be a part of.” – Mom

“In parenting small children, I often make demands. It was very helpful to hear that demands lead to domination and to children submitting to my will and abandoning their own needs. I do not want my children to abandon their needs, nor do I want to abandon mine. Nor do I want them to grow up in a posture of submission or swap to rebellion. Healthy communication, that holds our mutual needs up, feels foundational for healthy relationships. I am both a thinker and a feeler, and this class hits the mark for my head and my heart to learn.” – Mom 

“I see that inside an evaluation of my child there’s a need behind that. If I can connect better to my need, it can help me approach my child in a different spirit.” – Dad

“How is it not affecting every corner of my life? It is upending everything that we know about how to communicate with people and how the world has taught us how to communicate for 40+ years.  It’s changed the way he and I talk with each other.  It’s changed the way we interact with our kids. My kids had a kerfuffle with the neighbors yesterday and my husband and I went from the Nonviolent Communication framework thinking how do we repair this with the other family and with the other children?” – Mom

“It’s been super valuable for us to try to assess our children and the needs that are behind their behaviors and actions that can be challenging for us.  I’m not great at assessing the needs behind the behavior in the moment.  Sometimes I might lash out in the moment in response when tensions rise.  It’s helpful for me to realize that I can pause, stop, go back and repair as well. It’s helpful to realize that when we have years of ingrained habits it takes time to learn this skill set, and recognize that even if we are slow to actively respond in the moment we do have the opportunity to go back and repair.” – Dad

“This class has unearthed a wellspring of emotions and needs that I just really have never been trained to access or be aware of. It’s giving myself permission, and asking myself, and putting myself in the fore, and that piece of considering where am I before looking at others.  It’s really just cracked me open.” – Mom 

FAQ/Questions:  

  • What is Heart-to-Heart Parenting?  How is it presented?
    • In this introductory 9-week course you will learn skills and awareness with communication that enhances understanding and connection, and the habitual use of language creates disconnection and stimulates reactivity. Delivered live online via Zoom, the classes are presented in 90-minute sessions. Participants will receive Zoom access once registration and course payment is complete. 
  • What do I need in order to access the class?
    • You will need high-speed internet access to participate in the class, a pen, and paper.  Access to a printer for printing class handouts is helpful though not required.  It helps if you can organize some dedicated child-free time for the 90-minute sessions. We ask that you keep your cameras on during these experiential sessions.  We know there may be distractions and things happening in your homes.  That’s ok!  We want to be able to get to know each other and part of that is being able to see and interact with you.
  • How much does it cost?
    • $180 for 1 participant; $270 for 2 participants.

(Repeating participants will receive a 50% discount.)

***We want this class to be accessible to everyone.  Please contact Heart-to-Heart to inquire about scholarships if the cost is prohibitive. janderson@heart2heartinc.org

  • Who is the class for?
    • Parents, educators, and other caregivers of children.
  • What ages of children does it apply to?  
    • Heart-to-Heart Parenting tools and mindset are applicable to all ages – children as well as adults.
  • How long is the course?
    • Heart-to-Heart Connecting runs for 9 weeks. 
    • Dates: Thursdays, June 1 – July 27, 2023 , 7pm – 8:30pm US Eastern Time 

(June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, July 6, 13, 20, 27)

  • Will there be opportunities for further learning after the course?
  • YES! Opportunities to continue learning include:
    • Creating or joining an ongoing practice group for mutual support among parents and caregivers
    • Additional classes and learning opportunities are available to those who complete this introductory class. 

**Additional details on continuing your learning will be provided during the class.