Workshop (No) Hard Feelings

In our daily social interactions, we all face challenges that can make our exchanges feel defensive, reactive, or emotionally charged. We hold back from expressing our needs for fear of being “too much,” or struggle to set boundaries without feeling guilty. We rush to fix or advise instead of listening, assume others should “just know” how we feel, or withdraw when conversations get uncomfortable. Over time, these patterns are undermining our ability to build strong, healthy relationships with the people closest to us.

As humans, we are inherently social beings with intrinsic needs. Our capacity to connect and belong form a fundamental part of our biological design. Since the beginning of our existence, we have depended on our ability to cooperate in community for our survival. Yet in modern times, hyper-individualism, disinformation, and the dominance of digital communication have reshaped the way we relate to one another, leading to growing isolation and polarization.

Despite how essential communication is to our relationships, effective communication — the ability to express ourselves clearly and to listen without judgment — is rarely part of formal education or consistently modeled in our upbringing. We rely so deeply on the quality of our relationships for our health and happiness, yet few of us have ever been taught how to nurture them.

(No) Hard Feelings is an experiential workshop designed to change that. Grounded in the practical, evidence-informed framework of Nonviolent Communication (NVC), it invites you to observe your everyday communication patterns. Through guided reflection, interactive exercises, and real-world examples, we will explore how small shifts in language and self-awareness can create profound changes in connection.