A specialty of Elena Corral Therapy
Being heard, and hearing.
A way of communicating that turns conflict into understanding — for couples, families, and the voice inside your own head.
What this is
Nonviolent Communication, or NVC, is a way of speaking and listening that separates what actually happened from the stories, blame, and interpretations we tend to layer on top of it.
The core move is simple, though not easy: notice the observation, name the feeling, name the underlying need, and make a clear, doable request. Underneath every hard exchange, there are usually needs on both sides asking to be seen.
In therapy, we use NVC both as a lens on your relationships and as a practice for the way you speak to yourself — where a great deal of the harshness often lives.
What the work looks like
A quiet, honest shape to the hour.
We slow the conversation down enough to hear it
Instead of moving straight to reaction, we notice what actually happened, what came up in you, and what you were needing underneath.
We separate feelings from stories
"I feel abandoned" is often a story about the other person. We look for the feeling underneath — lonely, unseen, scared — and the need that goes with it.
We practice honest requests, not demands
Requests that are specific, present-tense, and doable make it possible for the other person to actually say yes. Or an honest no we can work with.
Who this is for
NVC often fits couples and families in recurring conflict, parents wanting a different kind of conversation with a teenager, and individuals who want to soften how they speak to themselves — especially those whose inner voice has been unkind for a long time.
Questions