who we are

Welcome to Your Community of Practice

In 2010 Marshall Rosenberg asked Kathleen Macferran if she’d be willing to take on the role of Assessor.  Kathleen questioned, “How can one person assess another person’s NVC consciousness?”  From that wondering, TCCP was born. 

 

TCCP emerged as a conscious effort to co-create a different structure. Kathleen recognized that the complex capacities required of an NVC trainer—holding space for intensity, navigating power dynamics, and modeling empathy under pressure—are best learned within a secure network of relationships, not through private study alone. Rather than relying on the model of a solitary expert and a distant assessor, TCCP was designed as a “living laboratory” grounded in mentorship, peer feedback, and Home Circle–based learning. Over the last 16 years, TCCP has grown from a small pilot program into a diverse international collective, continually refining our processes through the shared wisdom of our members.

 

TCCP is more than just a certification pathway; it is a living, breathing community. We are a diverse collective of mentors, candidates, and practitioners united by a shared longing: to embody NVC with depth and integrity in a world that sorely needs it.

 

We believe that we go farther when we go together. This is a space where it is safe to stumble, courageous to practice, and essential to lean on one another. Get to know the history, the values, and the people who make this community a safe harbor for transformation.

TCCP is guided by certified assessors and assessors-in-training who steward our community, processes, and shared values. We work collaboratively, bringing distinct lived experiences, lenses, and areas of focus.

How We Work With Power

Nonviolent Communication invites a shift from power-over to power-with. In TCCP, we understand that this shift does not happen by intention alone. It requires naming and understanding how power actually operates in relationships, roles, and systems.


Power shows up in many ways: who is believed, who is centered, who gets empathy during conflict, whose harm is taken seriously, and who is asked to adapt. Ignoring these dynamics does not make them disappear—it often reinforces them.


In TCCP:

  • We name power dynamics when they are relevant and impacting connection.

  • We hold roles and structure as a hierarchy of process, not of human value.

  • We expect discomfort, strong feelings, and learning edges to arise when power is made visible.

  • We use NVC consciousness—self-empathy, empathy, and honest expression—to stay in dialogue across difference.

Our intention is not to shame or blame, but to build capacity: the capacity to stay present, to repair harm, and to transform power-over patterns into power-with relationships. We see this work as essential to living Marshall Rosenberg’s vision of Nonviolent Communication in the real world.

What TCCP Is Not

TCCP may not be a good fit if you are looking for:

  • A fast or checklist-based certification process

  • Minimal community involvement

  • Private assessment without shared feedback

  • Avoidance of conversations about power, impact, or repair

The Advocate Circle

The Advocate Circle is made up of TCCP’s CNVC-certified assessors and assessors-in-training. Together, we serve as stewards of the community, holding responsibility for the integrity of the certification process, the health of our relationships, and the alignment of our practices with NVC values.

 

Rather than acting as authorities who judge from a distance, members of the Advocate Circle accompany candidates in relationship. We support learning, discernment, and accountability through mentorship, feedback, and shared reflection.

 

The Advocate Circle’s responsibilities include:

  • Reviewing applications and discerning readiness for the certification path

  • Supporting candidates through mentoring, feedback, and home-circle based accompaniment

  • Stewarding community systems related to feedback, restoration, and care

  • Holding transparency and shared accountability in certification decisions

  • Attending to power dynamics, inclusion, and equity within the community

Assessors-in-training participate fully in the Advocate Circle while apprenticing into the assessment role under the guidance of certified assessors. This structure supports continuity, shared wisdom, and the ongoing development of assessment capacity within TCCP.

 

The Advocate Circle works collaboratively rather than hierarchically, bringing diverse lived experiences, perspectives, and areas of focus in service of the whole community.

Meet the Assessors

Each assessor brings distinct focus areas and ways of working. We invite prospective candidates to read these profiles as a way to sense fit and resonance, rather than hierarchy or ranking. Candidates typically work most closely with one primary assessor throughout their journey, while also being supported by the broader Advocate Circle.

marcia

Marcia Christen — General Circle 

Marcia views NVC as a spiritual practice that heals the world by healing families and communities first. A former educator with a background in sociology and history, she has been a part of the TCCP learning community since 2011. Marcia is passionate about supporting parents and teachers, believing that when we ground ourselves in compassion, we can move from a culture of “winning” to one of deep, authentic connection. Learn more on CNVC and on Marcia’s website.

mika

Mika Maniwa — Global Majority & Asia/Oceania Circles 

Based in Vancouver, Canada, Mika brings over 15 years of experience exploring the intersection of NVC, trauma, and social location. As a Japanese-Canadian practitioner, she is deeply engaged in the work of decolonizing our communication and understanding how power and privilege shape our relationships. Mika supports candidates to unpack self-limiting beliefs and explore the roots of their reactivity, fostering a certification journey that is as much about inner healing as it is about skill-building. Learn more on CNVC and on Mika’s website.

roxy

Roxy Manning — Global Majority & Tech Circles 

Roxy brings a fierce commitment to social justice and equity to the certification path. A licensed clinical psychologist and author of How to Have Antiracist Conversations, she specializes in applying NVC to interrupt systems of oppression and build “beloved community.” As a TCCP Assessor, Roxy is dedicated to supporting candidates from the Global Majority and ensuring that the path to certification is accessible, equitable, and capable of holding the full complexity of human experience. Learn more on CNVC and on Roxy’s website.

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Jennifer Warnick — General Circle 

Jennifer is dedicated to creating “nurturing, restorative environments” where people can live in alignment with their deepest values. A founding director of the Wisconsin Empathy Guild and a leader within Family HEART Camps, she specializes in bringing NVC to life in families and community groups. Jennifer’s work focuses on moving beyond the ideas of “right and wrong” to create practical, lived systems of support that allow communities to thrive together. Learn more on CNVC.

Meet the Assessors in Training

tadesse1

Tadesse Hussein — Uganda and Africa Circles 

Tadesse brings a global, community-rooted perspective to his role as an Assessor in Training. With decades of lived experience integrating NVC into education, community development, and everyday life in Uganda, he offers mentorship grounded in resilience, generosity, and practical application. As an AiT, Tadesse is learning assessment processes while supporting candidates committed to expanding NVC access and sustainability in diverse contexts. Learn more on CNVC and on Tadesse’s website.

kristin masters

Kristin Masters — LGBTQ+ Circle 

Kristin brings a strong commitment to authenticity, inclusion, and relational integrity into her role as an Assessor in Training. Her work centers creating spaces of belonging, particularly for queer and LGBTQ+ candidates, while supporting deep integration of NVC consciousness into leadership and teaching. As an AiT, Kristin is apprenticing in assessment processes while offering mentoring grounded in honesty, care, and courage. Learn more on CNVC and on Kristin’s website.

quotes

“Quote to come.”

TCCP Certification Candidate