Practical Self Empathy Skills
How do I restore myself back to inner peace when I have messed up?
- When our inner critic steps in with labels: ‘You idiot!’
- Or Criticism 'You ALWAYS mess up, you’ll never learn!’
- Or Blame ‘It’s your own stupid fault for trying to do too much!'
Life is full of stressors already without the added pressure we put on ourselves when we make a mistake. From the simple: putting hairspray on our armpits or dropping a dish in the kitchen to times when our actions have impact on others such as forgetting an appointment or losing a file. We have all been there. Yet, many of us carry around an inner critic that will not go away. Increasing the amount of stress we feel, and over time adding to our ill health. This inner voice is much harsher to us than we would ever be to others, yet we have not been taught a way to form a compassionate relationship with this part of ourselves.
This interactive and experiential webinar will offer a simple process for you to learn and keep in your tool kit for when you mess up. It will offer an introduction to how we work with the everyday events and lay the foundation for work with more difficult times. Using the tools of Nonviolent Communication (NVC), we will slow down and reflect and offer an empathic presence to our own inner world.
No experience of NVC is required although it may support you to watch Shona’s webinar exploring Practical Empathy Skills [LINK].
The proposition we will explore in the webinar is that
- Underneath our actions are needs we are trying to meet
Who is this intended for?
Anyone who has ever made a mistake.
What will you get out of this webinar?
- A practical process to use straight away. A handout will be provided to download and re-use in the future
- A chance to explore how we are all doing our best to meet our needs in any moment and how we can translate our judgments
- An opportunity to work on a simple example to test this out, in a supportive group
- A process to offer to others in your team or family
Webinar video
More information and resources
- Practical Self Empathy Skills [slides] ( Download, 1021 KB)
About the presenter
Shona Cameron
Shona Cameron is an educational psychologist and has been a certified trainer in Nonviolent Communication (NVC) since 2006. Shona's work in schools, specialising in consultation with teachers, parents and young people, gave her immense satisfaction. This role enabled her to bring psychology into people's lives in a way which was practical and supportive. She was the only person in the room who knew about NVC, proving that one conversation can shift a situation from conflict to connection. Mainly people noticed she did things ‘a bit differently’ from others. She also got the best training ever in how to make NVC sound natural while working with teenagers.
In 2016 she left this part of her life to become a Nonviolent Communication trainer full time and has since led training in South Korea, Poland, France, Finland and Ireland enjoying the role as Trainer for Trainers and supporting people from all walks of life, leaders, mediators, parents and teachers and exploring the universality of NVC.
Shona is known for facilitating with clarity, humour and warmth. She cannot decide what to specialise in and is currently exploring how the role of leadership is about creating leaders and she is endlessly fascinated by the power of presence and empathy she learnt from being with Dr Marshall Rosenberg.
Shona is the author of a chapter on NVC in a book edited by Belinda Hopkins: Restorative Theory and Practice and works with other trainers in Scotland to bring NVC to a wider audience here.