South Florida Psychology
  • Home
  • Our Staff
    • Christorpher J. Fichera, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist
    • Sharon M. Theroux, Ph.D., ABPP, Licensed Psychologist
    • Kristen Prater, Office Manager
  • Services
    • Individual Teletherapy
    • Mindful Meditation offerings >
      • Free Mindful Meditation Drop-ins
      • Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Live Online
    • Infertility Therapy
    • Marriage Therapy
  • Specialties
    • Mindfulness Training
    • Mindful Self-Compassion Training
    • Nonviolent Communication
    • Depression
    • Emotional eating
    • Chronic Pain
    • Addictions
  • Clinicians Corner
    • MBSR Research
    • Mindful Self-Compassion Research
  • Resources
    • Meditations
    • Blog
    • FAQs
  • Contact Us

My wonderful journey with Nonviolent Communication

9/4/2020

9 Comments

 
I was raised in a strict religious family that highly valued service to the community and spreading Catholic morals and ethics.  When I was 16, our family joined with three other families to form a religious community, but it quickly disbanded a few years later because we did not have the social/emotional/communication skills to collaborate and work together in an egalitarian manner.  
 
When I became an adult, I began to question my religious beliefs.  I was having difficulty believing that I would go to hell simply by not espousing certain beliefs.  I also did not believe that love and acceptance should be conditioned by certain behaviors. I realized that trying to be what someone else wanted me to be was not going to lead to happiness, self-actualization or self-fulfillment. 

So, after graduating with a nursing degree at age 21, I moved away from my family and went out on my own, continuing my passion for service by becoming a critical care nurse.  Feeling disconnected from my family, and trying to please everyone but myself, I became depressed and sought psychological treatment.  That is when I initially learned about the process of Nonviolent Communication, or NVC (although they didn't call it that, at the time).  Through therapy and journaling, I slowly learned to identify my feelings and communicate them to others in a more honest yet kind way. 
 
With my depression abating, I became passionate to learn how to help others overcome depression.  I became a clinical psychologist and have been working as a therapist for the past 30 years.  In my years of psychological training from 1990 to 1995, I learned about different psychotherapeutic modalities (cognitive-behavioral, Rogerian, psychodynamic, behavioral), but never learned about Marshall Rosenberg’s NVC.  In spite of that, since becoming a therapist, I have often used the “I statement” forms and list of feelings that I was given in my own treatment, not knowing where they came from. 
 
About 8 years ago, I began a daily mindful meditation practice that greatly enhanced my ability to identify my thoughts, emotions, and body sensations.  I became less tense, and more compassionate towards myself.  Empowered to help others do the same, I then received training to become a mindful meditation teacher and self-compassion instructor, hoping to spread the seeds of mindfulness to as many people I could reach. 
 
About 2 years ago, a friend of mine recommended Marshall’s book, “Nonviolent Communication:  A language of life”.  She told me how the book improved her ability to talk to her step-daughter.  Reading the book was like coming home!  Finally, everything became clear; (1) mindfulness can help a person become more aware of their thoughts, feelings, and body sensations, (2) mindful self-compassion can give you the inner resources to process painful thoughts and emotions, and (3) NVC can help you communicate those thoughts and feelings to others in a way that is honest yet kind at the same time.  I truly believe that if everyone practiced mindfulness, self-compassion and NVC, there would be much more equality and harmony in this world.  ​
9 Comments
SummerBini link
6/23/2021 12:05:46 am

Great article! Thank you for sharing this informative post, and looking forward to the latest one.

Reply
RubyGaby link
6/23/2021 12:10:02 am

Excellent article! Thank you for sharing this informative post, and looking forward to the latest one.

Reply
Milla McKinney link
6/24/2021 01:21:38 am

Very much helpful article! Thank you for sharing this informative post, and looking forward to the latest one.

Reply
Patricia M. LaRussa link
12/2/2021 06:28:42 pm

Dear Ms. Theroux,
I came upon your site at the suggestion of my counselor. I am looking for an MBSR course. I read the biographies of you and your colleagues. They are impressive.
It is clear from your article that you have been on a journey of self-discovery since your teens, if not earlier. Your thoughts and progressions to higher awareness are likely to be very helpful and encouraging.to those of us determined to find answers within ourselves. The snapshot of your life and the path it has taken made me want to read more.
It struck me as very generous of you to dedicate your life to helping others. Your work must give you a great deal of satisfaction, as you most likely often see positive results.
My work is as a business consultant. I help people find solutions to the obstacles they describe as keeping them from making progress. Part of my work is to call attention to how they express themselves. Sometimes, I must point to areas that need to be more closely examined. I'm sure you do the same.
In that vein, I didn't understand why your blog ended in mid-sentence. Is this an IT glitch? Did you overrun your word allotment?
It would be helpful to the reader to be brought to the end of your self-expression with a closing thought.
As the words are assumed to be written by you, some of my observations may give you pause. There isn't always enough time in a day to proofread as thoroughly as is necessary. If that's the case with your blog, I hope these comments motivate you to make the small improvements that would polish your words to a much higher sheen, to provide the complete thoughts you undoubtedly want to convey.
Another observation that caught my attention rather abruptly, is that the three "Comments" posted are all identical, except for the first exclamation in each. All three were written within one hour of each other. Forensically, they are suspect.
A hopeless lexicographer, I read everything and edit for syntax, punctuation, spelling and structure, almost automatically. Your piece could use a little touching up.
My intention is simply to be honest and provide my candid response to what I read. My goal is to put a better foot forward. I did not mean to criticize, only to comment constructively.
With respect,
Pat LaRussa

Reply
Mary Moore link
10/18/2022 09:13:41 am

One of the most important bits of information, in my opinion, is this. I enjoyed reading your essay, too. I liked how you explained.

Reply
SopiaDC link
10/26/2022 12:11:24 pm

Thanks for this helpful article. Hope to read more soon.

Reply
Carol link
10/26/2022 12:35:10 pm

Great and excellent article.. Thanks.

Reply
Ruth link
10/31/2022 12:30:34 pm

Thanks, love to read more of this informative and amazing article.

Reply
Letitia R link
12/12/2022 12:52:30 pm

Love your post I will continue reading your post. Thanks

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Sharon M Theroux

    Licensed psychologist, neuropsychologist, mindful meditation teacher.

    Archives

    September 2020

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

we are accepting new patients, get in touch with us today!


Hours

M-F: 9am - 5pm

Telephone

561-395-0243

Email

drtheroux@comcast.net
Photo used under Creative Commons from marfis75
  • Home
  • Our Staff
    • Christorpher J. Fichera, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist
    • Sharon M. Theroux, Ph.D., ABPP, Licensed Psychologist
    • Kristen Prater, Office Manager
  • Services
    • Individual Teletherapy
    • Mindful Meditation offerings >
      • Free Mindful Meditation Drop-ins
      • Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Live Online
    • Infertility Therapy
    • Marriage Therapy
  • Specialties
    • Mindfulness Training
    • Mindful Self-Compassion Training
    • Nonviolent Communication
    • Depression
    • Emotional eating
    • Chronic Pain
    • Addictions
  • Clinicians Corner
    • MBSR Research
    • Mindful Self-Compassion Research
  • Resources
    • Meditations
    • Blog
    • FAQs
  • Contact Us