Conscious Communication Communities of Practice (CoP)

Practicing in the greater Madison, Wisconsin area and beyond

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What is a Hungry Duck Request?

March 12, 2021 By Mary Kay Reinemann

Marshall Rosenberg tells the story of when he first began to practice making requests instead of demands with his children. He quickly realized that what he was doing was so novel that even when he fully intended to make a request of his children, they would hear it as a demand and respond in their […]

Filed Under: Requests Tagged With: Requests

What’s with All the Giraffes and Jackals?

November 15, 2019 By Mary Kay Reinemann

“No one is going to have any idea what those photos even are,” said Shoko.  And then we looked again — multiple pictures of giraffes and jackals on our beautiful new website — mostly jackals!  And no context!  It seemed a little…odd. So here is the story behind the giraffes and jackals. In the early […]

Filed Under: Fundamentals

A Vision for the Practice of Conscious Communication

November 14, 2019 By Mary Kay Reinemann

I would like to see these practice groups for Nonviolent or Conscious Communication become as common as twelve-step groups* – found in any church basement, any day of the week, where you can find people to help with a challenging conversation or issue.  The beauty of these “self-help” groups is that they grow like mushrooms […]

Filed Under: Fundamentals

Needs Are Actionable – What Does That Look Like?

November 12, 2019 By Mary Kay Reinemann

One of the most helpful things in NVC is the focus on the needs beneath the strategies, feelings and thoughts we experience. Needs are actionable in a way that feelings and thoughts are not.  Strategies consciously based on needs are far more effective, efficient and satisfying than scattershot strategies we employ because we feel pressure […]

Filed Under: Fundamentals, Needs

What Is the Difference between Power and Control?

April 24, 2019 By Mary Kay Reinemann

In my experience, the words power and control are often used interchangeably. For example: “He has the power to fire me.” Or “Money is power.” “She controls my life; I’m powerless.” We also use the word “power” (but not “control”) to refer to a person with inner power like Gandhi or Mandela or Martin Luther […]

Filed Under: Choice, Power

Two Ways to Meet a Need

April 24, 2019 By Mary Kay Reinemann

From Robert Gonzales’s “Beauty of the Needs” work and LIFE programs, I have learned that there are two ways to meet a need. One way is to make a request of another person. For example, “I’m thirsty, would you hand me a glass of water?” or “Would you be willing to tell me how you […]

Filed Under: Fundamentals, Needs

Getting a Taste of Conscious Communication and Practice Groups

April 24, 2019 By Mary Kay Reinemann

The Introduction to Conscious Communication is intended to do two things (+ a bonus): We’d like you to leave an introductory session with a sense of what it feels like to communicate this way, and We’d like you to experience the kinds of things we do in our practice group meetings. As a bonus, I’d […]

Filed Under: Introductions, Practice Groups & Communities

Conscious Communication
What’s with All the Giraffes and Jackals?

Our Blog

  • What is a Hungry Duck Request?
  • What’s with All the Giraffes and Jackals?
  • A Vision for the Practice of Conscious Communication
  • Needs Are Actionable – What Does That Look Like?
  • What Is the Difference between Power and Control?
  • Two Ways to Meet a Need
  • Getting a Taste of Conscious Communication and Practice Groups

What Is Conscious Communication?

Conscious communication is the intention to stay present and pay attention to universal feelings and needs in order to connect with each other. These connections make it possible to use our power with (instead of over or against) one another in order to meet our universal needs.

About Us

We are people who are committed to learning conscious communication together.

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