We know the speaker has received adequate empathy when a. we sense a release of tension, or b. the flow of words comes to a halt.

Empathy is a respectful understanding of what others are experiencing. Instead of offering empathy, we often have a strong urge to give advice or reassurance and to explain our own position or feeling. Empathy, however, calls upon us to empty our mind and listen to others with our whole being.

Labeling and diagnosis is a catastrophic way to communicate. Telling other people what's wrong with them greatly reduces, almost to zero, the probability that we're going to get what we're after.

Use the words "I feel because I" to remind us that what we feel it isn't because of what the other person did, but because of a choice I've made.

My anger tells me firstly that there's a need of mine that's not getting met.

Violence in any form is a tragic expression of our unmet needs.

To practice the process of conflict resolution, we must completely abandon the goal of getting people to do what we want.