101 Series Workshops
The 101 Series is designed to share the basics of the modalities I passionately practice with other curious healers.
I originally developed these trainings to give my Associates a foundation for their therapy practices.
When I realized others could benefit, too, I developed the workshop series.
These workshops are perfect for you if you...
- Are curious about Internal Family Systems or Non-Violent Communication and want to get a basic understanding of them.
- Have been considering signing up for one of the full trainings and want to “try before you buy” (cuz they can be kinda pricey).
- Want some new tools and exercises to bring into your practice.
- Are an LPC, LCSW or LMFT and want CEUs.
- Just want to hang out with other clinicians to connect, network, and give & receive support
To facilitate learning and community, fewer than 15 are in attendance. Come join us!
Non-Violent Communication 101 Workshop
Register Now!
4 CEUs for LPC, LMFT, LCSW (Meets the 50% Rule for LPCs)
When: November 20th, 2026 — 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Where: Casa de Luz, Tranquility Room, 1701 Toomey Road, Austin, TX 78704
Cost: Fully Licensed Therapists, $209; Students/Associates, $125
“Criticism, analysis, and insults are tragic expressions of unmet needs.”
— Marshall B. Rosenberg
We spend our days helping clients say hard things to the people they love. Then we go home and say "I'm fine" through clenched teeth. Nonviolent Communication (NVC) offers a way out of that loop -- for our clients and for us.
Developed by psychologist Marshall Rosenberg, NVC is a simple (not easy) framework for speaking honestly and listening with empathy, even when emotions run high. It rests on four components: observations, feelings, needs, and requests. Together they help people move from blame and defensiveness toward real connection. Rosenberg gave these two ways of talking memorable mascots: the jackal, quick to judge and blame, and the giraffe, the land animal with the biggest heart.
This four-hour introductory workshop is designed for psychotherapists who are new to NVC. You won't leave fluent; nobody does after one afternoon. You will leave with a working understanding of the model, a few hours of hands-on practice, and concrete ways to bring it into your sessions on Monday morning.
The day blends three things:
• Theory: the core ideas of NVC and why they work
• Experiential practice: small-group and partner exercises using real (and realistic) conversations
• Clinical application: how to use NVC with individuals and couples, and how it fits alongside the approaches you already use
Learning objectives
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Describe the four components of NVC (observations, feelings, needs, and requests) and the assumptions about human behavior behind them.
- Explain Rosenberg's giraffe and jackal metaphor, and recognize "jackal" language (judgment, blame, demands) in their own speech and their clients'.
- Distinguish observations from evaluations, and feelings from "faux feelings" (thoughts or judgments disguised as feelings, like ignored or manipulated).
- Identify the universal human needs underneath a client's complaint, criticism, or demand.
- Translate a blaming or judgmental statement into an NVC expression of observation, feeling, need, and request.
- Demonstrate empathic listening in a practice role-play, reflecting the feelings and needs beneath another person's words.
- Identify at least two ways to apply NVC in clinical work, such as coaching couples through conflict or helping clients set boundaries without blame.
Who it's for
Licensed clinicians, associates, and graduate students in counseling, social work, MFT, and psychology. No prior NVC experience is needed. If you've heard of "giraffe language" but couldn't explain it at a dinner party, you're in exactly the right place. The group is capped at about 20 participants to keep practice personal.
NVC 101 Study Groups 2027-2028
NVC 101 Study Groups 2027-2028
18 CEUs for LPC, LMFT, LCSW (Meets the 50% Rule for LPCs)
When: January, 2027 - June, 2027— Bi-Weekly, Wednesdays 11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Where: Zoom (Potential for In-Person at 8700 Menchaca Road if interest warrants, please indicate preference on form)
Cost: $65 per meeting with a commitment of 12 meetings. (CEUs are included.) $35 per meeting for Therapists-In Training
Who: Maybe you? This group is an extension of my NVC 101 Workshop (you don't have to have attended one) and is designed for folks who are new to the model and have not yet attended any formal NVC Trainings.
It is part book club/seminar, part consult/practice group, part process group, whose primary focus is to get a solid understanding of the model; to be able to integrate it personally, as well as use it while practicing therapy and/or supervision. We incorporate experiential work along with didactic, discussion and case consultations. This group is capped at 10 members.
This is the inaugural cohort for this group, and it is a great choice for those who attended the workshop and want a deeper dive, or have been working to incorporate NVC into their work and now want to do so in a more intentional way. You will appreciate the small size and open format that facilitates taking what you have studied and integrating it into practice.
How: Just fill in the adjacent form, letting me know how to reach you and which format you prefer. I'll be in touch to schedule a brief consult call to answer any questions and make sure it is a good fit for you.
Come join us next year!
IFS 101: Interest Form
IFS 101: All Parts Are Welcome!
6 CEUs for LPC, LMFT, LCSW (Meets the 50% Rule for LPCs)
When: TBD
Where: Zoom
Cost: Fully Licensed Therapists, $209; Students/Associates, $125
Registration:
“The notion that all of our parts are welcome is truly revolutionary and opens up a path to self-acceptance and self-leadership. IFS is one of the cornerstones of effective and lasting trauma therapy.” ~Bessel Van Der Kolk, MD
Curious? Here’s your chance to learn all the basics (plus a little more) about Dr. Richard Schwartz’s innovative approach to therapy. Join us to gain a clearer understanding of how this non-pathologizing approach to healing can not only succeed with clients, but also help you as a clinician and human being.
This experiential workshop is the perfect primer for those who are new to the model, and also great for those who may have read books, listened to podcasts, or taken online self-study courses, but want more integration.
To facilitate connection, we are capping attendance at 15 to create space for discovering how you can incorporate basic IFS into your practice immediately, and how IFS can help you be a better therapist even if you do not use it with clients.
Training Objectives:
- Learn the origin of IFS, the Basic Assumptions of the Model, and gain clarity about your desire to pursue training in the model (or not) through the Center for Self Leadership.
- Get a brief overview of the Goals of IFS Therapy and its applications.
- Understand the 3 different kinds of “Parts” and how they interact to help or hinder our systems.
- Explore “Self” and “Self Energy”, including the 8 “C’s” that are distinguishing characteristics of Self.
- Practice Parts Mapping, Finding, Focusing, Fleshing Out, and Befriending Parts
- Investigate Polarizations and how they can stall the therapeutic process.
- Discover how you can incorporate basic IFS into your practice immediately, and how IFS can help you be a better therapist even if you do not use it with clients.
IFS 101 Study Groups
IFS 101 Study Groups 2027-2028
24 CEUs for LPC, LMFT, LCSW (Meets the 50% Rule for LPCs)
When: September, 2027 - May, 2028— Bi-Weekly, Wednesdays 11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Where: Zoom (Potential for In-Person at 8700 Menchaca Road if interest warrants, please indicate preference on form)
Cost: $65 per meeting with a commitment of 16 meetings. (CEUs are included.) $35 per meeting for Therapists-In Training.
Who: Maybe you? This group is an extension of my IFS 101 Workshop (you don't have to have attended one) and is designed for folks who are new to the model and have not yet attended a Level 1 IFS Training. If you are signed up for one, this could be good prep for you (the book is part of the pre-work) ; however, this is in no way a substitute for the Level 1 Training.
It is part book club/seminar, part consult group, part process group, whose primary focus is to get a solid understanding of the model; to be able to integrate it personally, as well as use it to recognize and work with your parts while practicing therapy and/or supervision. We incorporate experiential work along with didactic, discussion and case consultations. This group is capped at 10 members.
This will be our 5th year, and folks in the past have especially enjoyed having time/space to get to know other clinicians, and those who have previously done self-study or online trainings appreciate the small size and open format that facilitates their bringing to life what they have studied and integrating it into practice.
How: Just fill in the adjacent form, letting me know how to reach you and which format you prefer. I'll be in touch to schedule a brief consult call to answer any questions and make sure it is a good fit for you.
Come join us next year!!! (Registration for this year's cohort has already closed)
