Testamonials

Listening Hour For Home Educators

Hey everyone!

I wanted to share about a space I joined a couple of weeks ago – Listening Hour for Home Educators. They just started the group this year. It’s free and I am in no way affiliated to it – I just want to share because I thought it was the most amazing space and practice and group of people.

They practice “empathic listening” – literally just everyone gets a turn to speak (in breakout rooms) for a few minutes about something they are thinking or feeling and the others listen, and one person responds and reflects back what they’ve heard you say.

It’s based on the idea of universal human needs, and identifying your own needs as a therapeutic tool. I found it so incredibly validating, and great practice for me as a home educator, teacher, and in all my relationships both with children and adults.

We talk a lot about needing time for ourselves and self-care – this was literally the most amazing self-care experience I’ve probably ever had. I hope other home educators will find it useful too.

Listening Hour For Home Educators

I've been attending Lotties's NVC sessions for about 6 months now after being recommended to her group via my unschooling connections.

I already felt a connection to Lottie because we had previously experienced NVC training in another online group.

Lottie's approach with NVC is particularly accessible and enjoyable because Lottie has a naturally warm, open and honest way of expressing herself which puts me at ease and helps me become aware and compassionate towards my own humanness and inner dialogue which is often very critical of myself.

Lotties' ability to express these feelings and the needs that stem from them are congruent, clear and vulnerable and this is the gift she brings to the NVC training. Its as if her vulnerability and courage to be seen, allows me to brave my own true feelings and find relief in doing so.

Lottie's passion and depth of study in NVC is very evident and she is skilled in communicating the tools and has helped me to apply them in situations that I would have otherwise responded in an inflammatory way to. I have been studying NVC for about 4 years but Lottie is always bringing insights that enable me to respond to conflict with understanding and empathy which I struggle to do.

For example, I've had conflict with my daughters school and at my stables where we keep our ponies which is very emotive and triggering for me. When Lottie reminded me that other peoples views and behaviours are about their stuff, she equipped me with a phrase that will help me find breakthrough in my relationships, this was to say to myself or the other "That's really interesting information you've given me" as a way of signalling that others have their unexpressed feelings and needs and often conflict is a tragic expression of others unmet needs.

This leads to empathy for the other and a refocussing of my own unmet needs which I can then focus on instead of putting my energy into trying to change others patterns of behaviour which is impossible. I can change my patterns and find small steps of breakthrough in that.

I feel seen, heard and empowered for change after every session with Lottie which I feel in my body, I feel lighter, I smile more and I am content in my shared reality in the community she has so willingly created to grow and help others grow.