About
Marg Pontin is a consultant, manager, educator and workshop leader based in Western Australia.
Marg is one of only a handful of trainers in Australia certified by the Center for Nonviolent Communication. She has trained nationally and internationally since 2004 with world leaders in Nonviolent Communication and mediation, organisational learning and development, and strategic planning and teamwork.
Marg has worked in education, disability, and corporate and community development.
Her 25 years-plus in teaching spans primary, secondary and adult education. Her career includes 12 years of school leadership as principal.
I use the term Nonviolent Communication as Gandhi used it... While we may not believe we are ‘violent', our words and thoughts often lead to pain for others and ourselves.
Marshall Rosenberg
What is Violent Communication?
If “violent” means acting in ways that result in hurt or harm, then much of how we communicate—judging others, bullying, having racial bias, blaming, finger pointing, discriminating, speaking without listening, criticising others or ourselves, name-calling, reacting when angry, using political rhetoric, being defensive or judging who’s “good/bad” or what’s “right/wrong” with people—could indeed be called “violent communication.”
What is Nonviolent Communication?
Nonviolent Communication is the integration of 4 things:
Consciousness: a set of principles that support living a life of empathy, care, courage, and authenticity
Language: understanding how words contribute to connection or distance
Communication: knowing how to ask for what we want, how to hear others even in disagreement, and how to move toward solutions that work for all
Means of influence: sharing “power with others” rather than using “power over others”.
Nonviolent Communication serves our desire to do three things:
Increase our ability to live with choice, meaning, and connection
Connect empathically with self and others to have more satisfying relationships
Sharing of resources so everyone is able to benefit
“Nonviolent Communication shows us a way of being very honest, without any criticism, insults, or put-downs, and without any intellectual diagnosis implying wrongness.”
— Marshall B. Rosenberg, PhD
Violence is the tragic expression of unmet needs.
Marshall Rosenberg
Useful Links
For more information about trainers and training events around Australia, as well as product information you may like to contact www.nvcaustralia.com
For information about Marshall Rosenberg and international trainers and events, and to download the first chapter of Marshall's book Nonviolent Communication, you may like to contact www.cnvc.org
Marg Pontin
I have always been passionate about good relationships and clear communication between people. For much of the past two decades I have used the language tools developed by Marshall Rosenberg to foster better communication for individuals, groups and organisations.
I have seen the difference NVC makes in a range of settings - between managers and staff, people with intellectual disabilities and their carers, colleagues, couples, organisations and their customers, parents and their children and teachers and their students and parents.
My key areas of interest are personal and family relationships, education, corporate communication and community development.
CNVC Certified Trainer
Who I’ve worked with
I’d love to work with you
"I love that this model doesn't require both sides to speak the same emotional language. As a lot of it can be internal dialogue and the physical conversation is so simple, there is no need for an understanding of fancy emotional terms. It breaks down so nicely."
BK