Social Change, Advocacy and Dialog
Join a New Generation of Social Change Leaders
“The most powerful thing we can do in the social change space is to connect empathically with the person who is doing what we don’t like without judgement. Lasting social change starts from the inside out- be the change you want to see in the world.” -Ghandi
This practice group is for Registered 2021 Compassion Course participants. to help become skilled in needs awareness and compassion as a path to transformative social change.
In the course and in the practice group, we learn to see and deeply understand universal human needs.
We begin with an exploration of our own thoughts, beliefs and behaviors and progress throughout the year, continuously developing our personal practice of empathy, self-empathy, judgment-free expression and dialog - the skills to create meaningful, sustainable social change.
Beyond Protesting
Although protesting draws attention to problems, it is dialog and true understanding that has historically created sustainable change and solutions.
With empathy and dialog we can create:
-Change in the narrative
-Education reform
-Legal reform
-Police reform
-Sustainable development
-Equitable distribution of resources
-Racial equity and equality
-Safer neighborhoods
For more information or to register, contact Verena Lahousen: lahousen@gmail.com
Practice Group Meeting Dates (All Times in Eastern Time)
Jul 14, 2021 7:00 PM, Aug 25, 2021 12:00 PM, Sep 8, 2021 7:00 PM, Sep 22, 2021 12:00 PM, Oct 6, 2021 7:00 PM, Oct 20, 2021 12:00 PM, Nov 3, 2021 7:00 PM, Nov 17, 2021 12:00 PM, Dec 1, 2021 7:00 PM, Dec 15, 2021 12:00 PM, Jan 12, 2022 7:00 PM, Jan 26, 2022 12:00 PM, Feb 9, 2022 7:00 PM, Feb 23, 2022 12:00 PM, Mar 9, 2022 7:00 PM, Mar 23, 2022 12:00 PM, Apr 6, 2022 7:00 PM, Apr 20, 2022 12:00 PM, May 4, 2022 7:00 PM, May 18, 2022 12:00 PM
Make up date Jun 1, 2022 12:00 PM
Staff and Faculty
Verena Lahousen, MA (law)
Verena is an international gender-in-governance specialist trainer, facilitator, mediator, and coach in conflict resolution, and leadership. She has been involved with a focus on post-conflict settings in 35+ countries.
Verena has been working with The United Nations System, including the Department of Peacebuilding (“The Blue Helmets”), The World Bank (Legal Department), The Organization for Security in Europe (OSCE); among others, in in-country and consulting assignments.
Meeting Marshall Rosenberg in 2010 marked a turning point: She decided to contribute to both individual and global peace by focusing on needs and compassion, from a people-centered point of view, using NVC as the driving force in teaching, coaching or advocating for international development.
Following suit, she sought out Thom Bond in 2019 and started a cooperation with NYCNVC to integrate the technology of the compassion course into law enforcement and social change work. She piloted the compassion course practice group in German in 2021 and integrated its work in her leadership coaching for international development experts.
Rev. Dr. Michael G. Christie
Dr. Christie is Chaplain supervisor with the Connecticut Dept of Correction. He coaches on race relations and bridging the divide to institutions and religious organizations. He is a Mindfulness Meditation Instructor, is trained in trauma, IFS, and EFT. He is also a speaker on the benefits of Gratitude, and the Science of Happiness. He is currently facilitating a Compassion Course Practice Group for the 2020 course. Dr. Christie believes living life in the awareness of universal human needs is a spiritual practice that has profound impact on one’s personal and professional life.