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Nonviolent Communication Workshop with Suzanne Karsai

Positive relationships are one of the foundations of wellbeing, and arguably the most important of the five PERMA framework elements. The quality of our relationships shapes how we feel, how we function, and whether we flourish. Learning to communicate in ways that genuinely connect us is one of the most powerful things we can do for our wellbeing. We were therefore delighted to host a sold-out workshop on Nonviolent Communication (NVC) led by Suzanne Karsai, which was met with great interest and enthusiasm from our members and guests.


Suzanne is a Luxembourg-based mediator, trainer, and a founding member of iPPL. As a committed advocate of NVC, she weaves its principles into every aspect of her mediation work, whether she's navigating family disputes, workplace tensions, or commercial conflicts.


Suzanne Karsai (facilitator) stands at the front of a meeting room, gesturing towards a projected slide titled "The Four Steps of NVC." The slide shows four numbered circles representing the steps: Observation, Feelings, Needs, and Request. The facilitator holds a book and is mid-explanation to the workshop participants.

The session opened with a short history of NVC and an introduction to its core idea: that we relate to one another in one of two fundamental ways — a compassionate, empathetic, needs-based mode, or a judgmental, fear-driven and criticizing one. A genuine NVC practitioner in heart and soul, Suzanne underlined that it is only human to slip back to the default, negative mode.


From there, Suzanne guided the group to understanding the difference between observable facts and personal interpretations, and helped us build a richer vocabulary for naming our feelings and needs, including the concept of universal human needs that underlie so much of our behaviour. Using relatable, everyday examples, she showed us how to put all of this into practice — expressing ourselves honestly and non-violently in real situations.


A facilitator stands beside a flipchart, pointing to a handwritten NVC communication template in red marker reading: "When… I feel… because I need… Would you be willing to…" A projected slide in the background shows the heading "Request vs. Demand." The facilitator holds a book in her other hand.

Throughout the evening, one message kept resurfacing: empathy is the glue that holds people together, and genuine connection is the foundation of any successful communication.


More Learning Nights to Come

We're grateful to Suzanne for sharing her expertise as part of our Learning Nights series, where members present their passions and areas of knowledge.


Past sessions have included Laura Lane and her research on positive ageing, and Amita Patel leading a workshop on the well-being of expats and immigrants in Luxembourg.

 


Stay tuned — If you want to make sure you never miss out, contact us and we'll email you as soon as we launch each new event.


Ten white activity cards spread out on a red table, each displaying a statement and asking participants to identify whether it is an "Observation" or "Not an observation." The statements include examples such as "She always has to be right," "Everyone in this office is so disorganized," and "Nobody around here appreciates hard work" — illustrating the NVC concept of separating objective observation from evaluation or judgement.

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