I was fortunate enough to be part of the Parent Peer Leadership Program (PPLP) in 2024. I came to the program with a lot of pain in my heart. I had been trying to practice Nonviolent Communication (NVC) for quite some time. However, I was unable to live and integrate the NVC consciousness. Particularly in my relationship with my children, due to the huge power differential, it was easy for me to slip into authoritarian ways of being, which I deeply longed to step away from. Since I was homeschooling my two boys, and due to the lack of systemic support inherent in modern living, I was frequently overwhelmed, and in that state, dealt with my children in ways that did not align with my values.
Enter PPLP, and I felt a new sense of hopefulness! I found support on an ongoing basis from Stephanie and Ingrid, the PPLP Assistants, and other parents enrolled in the program. In the PPLP community, I found a place where not in spite of, but due to my vulnerability, I was held with deep care. The program clarified many of the key distinctions within NVC that I had struggled to understand for years. I gained tools to apply the concepts not only in my daily interactions with my children, but with other family and friends, and professionally as well. To be able to manifest the love I felt deeply within myself through words and actions, and to be able to experience many more moments of stepping out of the right-wrong consciousness into a realm of deep connection with the fellow humans in my life have been true gifts of the PPLP. There is a new lightness even in doing the repair work and redos in relationships, for the PPLP has truly grown my capacity for self-compassion, which I believe is an essential quality for parents, given the lack of support we experience. I highly recommend this program for anyone yearning for greater ease and connection in their relationships with the young people in their lives.
~ Ratika Dayaldasani, CNVC Certification Candidate, USA, PPLP 2024
The PPLP classes and participant manuals gave me a stronger foundation in NVC principles. More than that, participating actively in the program brought NVC in a much stronger way into my consciousness through the wealth of practice exercises; weekly connections with trainers, assistants, or empathy buddies; and the exchange of ideas with other participants and assistants through the io forum. I loved all the questions in the content-rich journal, which invited me to explore what an idea might mean to me and how it might enrich my life. For starters, it gave me a fundamentally different view on situations where I fall short of my own expectations and on greeting a need or meeting it internally. The PPLP is an invitation. I highly recommend it.
~ Elke Haggerty, PPLP Graduate 2018 and Assistant 2020, 2021
The PPLP has been so much more than I expected. As a newly Certified Trainer I thought that I might not need as much of the information, yet I received so much more knowledge and depth into the topics of parenting with NVC than I expected! It has been soooo supportive. I received great connection from the calls and my empathy buddy in the program. I enjoyed how the calls were divided into information, practice, work in dyads and always made time for check in and closing. I have such a sense of a world wide community!
I went into the program to support my own parenting with NVC before I shared it with others, and I gained far more than I thought. I received empathy for so many layers of parenting and of myself as a person. I feel so much more comfortable sharing Parenting from Your Heart with others now and the curriculum has been very helpful to guide me. The journals brought this learning to a great depth and the reading materials have contributed greatly to my understanding, learning and clarity.
I have enjoyed Ingrid and Stephanie's guidance especially! They have been well prepared and are able to shift to what is alive in the moment and hold the needs of the group. I have learned a lot from their modeling. I also have enjoyed their stories because it brings the materials to life and it resonates so much more that way.
The PPLP was exactly what I needed to bring my NVC practice deeply into my being and for that I am forever grateful.
~ Marcia Christen, CNVC Certified Trainer, USA, PPLP 2011
Things i have learned…during this year's PPLP course:
You can break an arrangement with care and that makes a difference to how it is heard. If you can explain what you are saying "yes" to ….this gives a chance for your "no" not to be taken personally.
Change comes slowly at first. Be kind.
You can talk to your child when he is asleep and reassure him that all is well.
To stay in your power and to come to a child cleanly but with confident presence.
Practice redoing difficult interactions in moments of calm and love.
Three pressure points for parents:
1) Time pressure
2) Tiredness
3) When acceptance is up
Putting your hands over your heart can calm you when you are under pressure.
Perfection is not the goal!
Underneath the anger is pain.
You do not have to take anger personally. When I am angry there is a little part of me that needs love, protection from shame and gentleness.
~ Sarah Mook, UK PPLP 2012
Being a participant in the PPLP has continued to transform my home, my family and my relationships, most notably the relationship I have with myself. I experience much more confidence, trust and peace than ever before and my children have responded by being ever more happy, self reliant and empowered. The way they now contribute to family life touches me and continually surprises me.
I almost don't know what to do some mornings now..oh that's right..have a shower, get dressed, have a cup of tea, eat breakfast and make some lunches, chat to my children as they go about their own preparations and sometimes give some gentle reminders and support to the youngest to get ready for school:-) I have time to think, to take care of myself and the over all mood in our home is one of ease, connection, trust and respect...
I am loving sharing this with other parents and educators..so very enriching and nurturing for me to be able to contribute with such life changing work. Working with Stephanie and Ingrid has been an honour and a deep blessing Thank you.
~ Sarah McCure - Tasmania, Australia, PPLP 2011