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.

NVC gives us tools and understanding to create a more peaceful state of mind.

Any time you throw pain at a Jackal without a clear present request, within a millisecond he'll jump in.

What others do may be the stimulus of our feelings, but never the cause.

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.

Getting in touch with unmet needs is important to the healing process.

Any evaluation which implies rightness or wrongness is a tragic, suicidal expression of an unmet need. Tragic, first because it decreases our likelihood of getting our need met! Even if we think it. And secondly, because it increases the likelihood of violence. That's why I'm suggesting any evaluation which implies rightness or wrongness is a tragic, suicidal expression of an unmet need. Say the need! Learn a need-consciousness.