“As a life long student of self help and communication, I thought I had more or less honed my interpersonal skills to a relatively high level. At the urging of my wife, I decided to take a class with Betsy Clarke to see what her work was about. My, was I pleasantly surprised. NVC is a program that teaches a different way of communicating that I never really considered. By simply giving space to the other person, holding it, reflecting and listening, I am able to respond (when necessary) in a quiet, thoughtful and compassionate way.
My work as a doctor requires me to be able to listen to my patient’s needs and appropriately respond to their concerns. I have been in private practice for over 25 years and never realized how uneven my communication has been. I have taken the skills that I have learned in this class and readily applied them to my work. I am much more self reflective of my exchanges and have used the techniques I have learned to greater improve my communication in my office and in my life.
As a parent of an active 10 year old, I need to be able to think on my feet. This course has taught me ways to do that but also be present to my own needs as well as the needs of my son. Not easy to do.
The techniques, which encompasses interpersonal communication, role playing, and deeply profound self reflection, are both rich and rewarding. The workshop leader of such a class is the key to its success. Betsy Clarke is just such a teacher. She is thoughtful, insightful, conscious and aware. She creates a space of openness and sharing that is extremely conducive to the work that needed to be done. There is no judgment, only support.
I would recommend this work to anyone who wants to find a different way of communicating that if practiced will not only change the way you relate but also change the people around you.
Jerry Wintrob MA, OD, FCOVD
HolisticEyecare.com
“Betsy’s classes have not only taught me how to ‘properly’ ask for what I really want and to express my feelings, but also how to listen to other’s needs and feelings with an open mind and heart. Making that connection with another person, especially a loved one, is the best feeling in the world. It’s an essential tool to have in your quiver for relationships, business, and everyday life.”
Steve Hunt
http://www.jibhuntagency.com
“Since I have been working with Betsy Clarke the way I communicate in the world has completely changed. Because of this change I have more peace in my life, more peace in my relationships with others. With Betsy I have learned how to have real, honest conversations that result in a mutual understanding and clarity. Through this understanding I have more authentic kindness, more compassion toward myself and others. Betsy Clarke has taught me a different kind of listening skill that has directly resulted in much less conflict, anger and pain within my exchange with others. I can not express in words my profound gratitude for Betsy and this very important work that will change the way we all listen and communicate with one another and the world. This is where true peace starts.”
Rev. Christan Burran
www.circleofceremony.com
“My emotional intelligence and emotional vocabulary is growing as a result of taking Betsy Clarke’s classes on Compassionate Communication. Although I read Marshall Rosenberg’s book, Non-Violent Communication, many years ago, it wasn’t until I sat in the room with live “issues” that the process made sense and became a viable tool for me. Personally, I use the 4 step process (1. Observation, 2. Identify Feelings and needs, 3. Mourn the pain, 4. Make a request) I learned from Betsy for my inner process and when I bump into my own difficult feelings with others, it saves me from potentially more difficult situations because of reacting instead of responding.
In my professional work with others, I find the abundant “Feelings” and “Universal Needs and Values” charts Betsy shared in the classes invaluable in helping clients get in touch with their feelings and needs, in order to expedite their healing process through the EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) I teach.
I am grateful for Betsy’s artful, transparent teaching style which created a safe place for me to explore my feelings and needs and learn to develop empathy for myself and others through Compassionate Communication. Especially in these times of increased uncertainty and economic stress, I think we could ALL benefit from this work and I highly recommend Betsy Clarke as a skillful teacher.”
Kathryn Twinfeathers – EFT ADV
www.ktwinfeathers.com
“Betsy Clarke is clearly a gifted teacher! Throughout her class she
consistently demonstrated and shared the NVC principles with warmth,
authenticity, and a wonderful sense of humor. She created an
engaging and supportive environment which helped us through our
frustrations in addition to celebrating our “light bulb” moments enthusiastically.After taking her class, I now have a map that leads me to the realization
of my own feelings and needs, as well as the exploration of the needs of
others. My experiences from work to family to my subway commute are
now met with a new understanding and a deeper, more compassionate possibility/connection. I feel grateful to have learned this wonderful work and empowered because I get to apply what I have learned in my every day life.”Paige Stapleton
www.stapletonstarkcoaching.com
“With Betsy Clarke as my teacher, I am experiencing for the first time, a profound level of choice in how I respond both to my own feelings and needs as well as to others. My work with Betsy and the Compassionate Communication process, has helped me to slow down my pace enough to make conscious, thoughtful and informed choices in the moment about how I want to be in that moment. The skills I am learning have helped me to move from unconscious reaction to chosen response; from judgment and interpretation to curiosity and compassion. Betsy has helped me to develop a new pair of ears, a way of listening to myself and to others that is deep and transformative. These are skills that as a professional coach, I use every day with my clients. They are skills that have given me entrée back into relationships that had grown tired and stale. What I love most about this sweet and slow process is that it acknowledges the smallest and seemingly most insignificant moments (the very moments that I normally gloss over or dismiss) treating them with dignity; seeing them as opportunities to understand more about myself and the person I am engaged with. It does so with respect and loving attention modeling a way of being with myself and others that has opened a door into a room of discovery, freedom and choice.”
John Dulworth
Certified Professional Coach
john@johndulworth.com
As a result of working with Betsy and taking her classes, I’m more willing and more patient when listening to my partner speak about his thoughts, feelings, and needs as well as asking clarifying questions when I’m not clear, or gently guiding/companioning him through the process when his intent or direction seems to meander.
I feel so much more connected to life; to my driving motivations, to my brokenness, to my wholeness; to my partner, and the needs/goals we have for our relationship; to my co-workers and the needs/goals of our organization. I feel connected by compassionate understanding, even when some issues remain clouded and solutions are a mystery, simply acknowledging those needs for clarity brings them closer. When we bring attention, with intention, to the feelings at issue and the beautiful needs at their core, the resulting energy, the energetic shift, is profound and undeniable.
Betsy has an amazing gift that encompasses the techniques and consciousness of this work with a heart of compassion and patience. Their is so much love and respect present in this work and Betsy is an exemplary proponent of it.
Sam Lipton
Spiritual Counselor
fanfairchild@gmail.com