I’m Joel, a mediator, dialogue facilitator, and Nonviolent Communication (NVC) practitioner based in Freiburg, Germany.
Services I offer
I support couples navigating challenges by finding ways to communicate more honestly and better understand one another, which often leads to finding solutions more easily and moving forward in constructive ways. I offer one-on-one counseling sessions, using empathy to help people connect with themselves, make sense of complex situations, and work through personal difficulties or difficulties with other people in their lives. For families, teams, and communities, I facilitate mediation to help people or larger groups navigate challenging dynamics and tensions, strengthen or restore connection, and reach joint decisions. I also teach these principles directly through NVC workshops and courses for beginner, intermediate, and advanced learners.
My approach & background
My practice is grounded in over 20 years of working with individuals and groups to overcome conflicts and navigate tense or sensitive topics, alongside close to a decade as a group facilitator leading workshops on relationships, sexuality, men's circles, and political dialogue. I am deeply passionate about bringing people together across very big differences in worldviews and diverse personal, cultural, and ideological backgrounds.
In 2019, I discovered Nonviolent Communication and it fundamentally transformed my life, introducing very practical tools for better understanding myself and others and bringing people together much faster. In recent years, NVC has made many of my personal and professional relationships closer and more meaningful, deepened my self-awareness, and continues to help me become a better father, friend, and partner (or at least a bit easier to live with, as my wife might say).
Since 2021, I’ve been sharing NVC through workshops, practice groups, private sessions, and mediations. I also continue to learn, grow, and slowly improve every day, and hope that will be a lifelong journey.