Feelings: Navigating Emotions Without Getting Lost in Them
with Martha Lasley
We’ve all experienced moments where emotions run high, and what started out easy becomes a storm of feelings. But what’s really going on beneath the surface? Is your anger truly about what happened, or is it something deeper?
In this interactive webinar, we’ll dive into one of the core skills of Nonviolent Communication: understanding and expressing our feelings without letting them control us, or turning them into reactions that drive us further apart.
Sept 10, 2025, Wednesday, 11 am to noon Eastern Time.
What We’ll Cover
Most of us were taught to suppress or ignore our emotions, or, on the flip side, to act on them impulsively. NVC invites us to understand and express our feelings in ways that fosters connection rather than conflict.
Instead of saying I’m furious with you, we might pause, notice what’s alive for us, and share something like, I’m feeling really angry right now because I long for warmth and understanding between us, and I’m not sure I know how to create that.
This shifts:
Toward inviting closeness rather than escalating distance.
From blame to self-revelation.
From an abstract value to something tender and relational.
This shift is crucial. When we ignore or mislabel our feelings, we risk acting in ways that disconnect us from others. But when we acknowledge our feelings with honesty and clarity, we open the door to true understanding and compassionate dialogue.
Together, we’ll explore:
How to identify your emotions without getting lost: Learn how to separate the raw feeling from the interpretation, and how to express it in a way that builds understanding rather than walls.
Why feelings are not facts, but important signals: Understand that emotions aren’t indicators of what’s “true,” but they’re deeply connected to our needs and values. We’ll discuss how to use them as guides to better communication, not as weapons in a conversation.
How to express feelings without blame or defensiveness: We’ll cover how to talk about emotions in a way that doesn’t shift the focus onto the other person or make them feel attacked.
This Is For You If…
- You’ve ever felt overwhelmed by your emotions and wished you could express them more clearly.
- You want to connect with others from a place of vulnerability, without being perceived as “too emotional” or “too cold.”
- You’re looking for tools to communicate your feelings honestly without resorting to blame or shutting down.
Feelings aren’t problems to solve—they’re opportunities to connect.
Join us and practice the art of expressing what’s alive inside you without letting your emotions hijack your relationships.
About the Facilitator
Martha Lasley
As a partner in the Authentic Communication Group, Martha Lasley facilitates small groups to explore power dynamics and transform the domination culture. She has authored four books: Facilitating Authentic Communication Groups, Coaching for Transformation; Facilitating with Heart; and Courageous Visions. She supports activists to realize their visions and develop heart-centered authentic relationships. Martha is passionate about social justice and supports people to create heart-centered, authentic relationships. She lives in Ecovillage, in Ithaca, New York where she likes to host friends, garden and cook with her neighbors.
Give yourself the gift of more internal harmony and deeper relationships.