We’re excited to welcome Rick Longinotti, a California-based marriage and family therapist, for an insightful and transformative presentation on fostering peace—both within our relationships and across the globe.

During this two-hour interactive Zoom presentation, Rick will explore the principles of Nonviolent Communication (NVC), a powerful method developed by Marshall Rosenberg to promote understanding and connection through empathy and compassion. At the heart of NVC is the belief that every person has the capacity for kindness and that our words can either heal or hurt. The ultimate goal? To resolve conflicts without violence or aggression.

Register: on this Eventbrite Link
Admission: $15

What You’ll Learn

 Using real-life scenarios and role plays, Rick will teach practical skills that will help you:

• Deepen satisfaction in your everyday conversations.
• Transform hurt feelings and reduce defensiveness.
• De-escalate conflicts and resolve them peacefully.
• Speak up for your needs in a way others can hear and understand.
• Make requests that inspire generosity, free of guilt or obligation.
• Say “no” with compassion.
• Apologize without shame.
• Move from duty and obligation to natural generosity.
• Share honest feedback that’s likely to be appreciated.

“These skills come naturally to us when we develop a habit of being kind to ourselves,” Rick says. “Our kindness spills out to other people.”

Kindness Begins with Ourselves

Rick will outline steps for cultivating self-empathy, which involves:

1. Becoming aware of what your self-critic is saying.
2. Appreciating the human needs that motivate even counterproductive actions.

By practicing unconditional self-acceptance, we can learn to grieve our mistakes without self-hatred, examine our actions constructively, and make better choices in the future. Rick emphasizes that forgiving ourselves helps us extend forgiveness to others, fostering more peaceful relationships.

Transforming Anger into Compassion

Rick will also explore how to shift from righteous anger to compassionate advocacy. Anger often signals that we care deeply about something. By connecting with what matters most to us, we can turn anger into sadness for unmet dreams—and from there, into compassionate action. This transformation aligns us with the powerful force needed to change hearts, minds and systems of domination.

About Rick Longinotti

Rick is the co-founder of Nonviolent Communication Santa Cruz, a nonprofit offering workshops based on NVC tools. He’s also the author of That Loving Feeling: A Couples Guide to Transform Hurt & Criticism into Kindness & Gratitude and an advocate for peaceful U.S. foreign policies.

Why This Matters Now

As we approach the end of the year—a time for reflection, connection, and the holiday spirit—what better opportunity to focus on the power of kindness, understanding and empathy? Coming shortly after the U.S. elections, this season also offers a chance to bridge divides, heal relationships, and renew our commitment to peaceful communication. This two-hour interactive Zoom presentation is sure to leave you with tools to transform not only your personal relationships but also your approach to creating peace in the world.

Don’t Miss Out! Register Today on Eventbrite.

Our Mission

Our mission is to enhance the spiritual, mystical, and metaphysical awareness and consciousness of our community by sponsoring programs that facilitate personal growth and development and a holistic approach to health and living.

We are not affiliated with any religious organization.