All Human Beings Share the Same Universal Needs
Same Needs, Different Worlds: The Double Edge Sword of Consciousness I have, for more than 15 years – ever since I first encountered Nonviolent Communication (NVC) – held the assumption that all human beings share the same universal needs. And even before...
Needs Awareness
Why do people so often misunderstand each other, even when both sides are intelligent, well-intentioned, and well-meaning? Why do the same situations trigger completely different emotional reactions in different people? In this short blog post series, I’m...
It Is Possible to Meet All Needs – Our World Offers Abundant Resources for Meeting Needs
When I walk through the streets of my hometown, Stockholm, I see people in very different life situations. There is often a striking difference in access to resources. At one table in a fancy restaurant, a well-dressed couple is sharing a meal, while just outside, a...
All Actions Are Attempts to Meet Needs
When I listen to the news and hear some politicians speak, I’m sometimes stunned by what I see as deeply distorted beliefs. It’s like being inside a bizarre movie – except that reality is more extreme than fiction. Their words and actions can land so far outside...
Are we able to observe?
The first component of the Nonviolent Communication (NVC) model is observations. In his book “A Language of Life” Marshall Rosenberg quotes Krishnamurti, “The ability to observe without evaluating is the highest form of intelligence.” In this blog post, I will explore...
What is Self-Empathy?
In the blog post series “AI explains NVC”, Joachim Berggren (JB) asks questions about NVC to Alex Incognito (AI), a fictional character representing Artificial Intelligence in the form of the tool ChatGPT. *** JB: Hi Alex! After asking you questions and...
The Power of Strategies
A hidden treasure of NVC Nonviolent Communication (NVC) teaches that using needs often leads to a better understanding, shared reality and thereby a more harmonious connection between people. The main reason that needs have this power is that every human being has the...
Silent Empathy – Highlighting an Underestimated Practice
During my years of studying Nonviolent Communication (NVC), I have learnt to use the four components (observations, feelings, needs and requests) to create connection. A quality of connection in which my joy of contributing to others has risen. Through empathy and...