Trainings and Workshops

I offer professional trainings for therapists, healthcare teams, and organizations, as well as public workshops for personal growth and relational skill-building. Some workshops are scheduled and open for registration (listed below), and I also develop custom trainings tailored to your organization's needs.

My work is rooted in Nonviolent Communication (NVC)—not just a tool for conflict mitigation, but a psychological and philosophical framework for understanding emotional reactivity, projection, and the indirect (often ineffective) strategies we use to get our needs met. By exploring what’s underneath our reactions, we can move beyond manipulative, covert power dynamics and shift toward clarity, integrity, and genuine connection.

Training Topics

Topics Grounded in NVC:

Nonviolent Communication (NVC) for individuals and couples
NVC as a clinical tool for therapists and other practitioners
Codependency and people-pleasing: building assertiveness, boundaries, and grounded connections
Authentic relating: finding safety in honesty
Navigating challenging client interactions
Existential humanism through applied NVC

Upcoming Workshops

There are no current scheduled workshops. See below for workshops with dates TBD and to be notified when dates are chosen.

Nonviolent Communication for Couples (open to all)

THIS WORKSHOP JUST ENDED.

Tuesday, May 12th, 6pm–8pm PST (Virtual)

Limited to 14 participants (7 couples)

Do you and your partner find yourselves stuck having the same type of conflict, despite knowing you both care and want to improve your dynamic?

Nonviolent Communication (NVC) offers a powerful framework for breaking conflict cycles and creating more clarity, emotional safety, and collaboration. Rather than focusing on “who’s right,” NVC helps couples learn how to identify what’s happening underneath the conflict: unmet needs, protective strategies, and the emotional reactivity that keeps patterns repeating.

In this two-hour interactive workshop, participants will learn the fundamentals of NVC and practice applying it with their partners in real time. You’ll leave with practical tools you can continue building on for a lifetime.

In this workshop, you will learn how to:

Recognize the underlying unmet needs beneath conflict
Take ownership of your own feelings and perceptions
Make clear requests instead of demanding or communicating indirectly
Interrupt cycles of people-pleasing followed by resentment
De-escalate reactivity and return to connection
Practice repair conversations that build trust over time

Who this is for:
Couples at any stage of relationship who want more honest, grounded connection and better tools for navigating conflict. This workshop is appropriate for both long-term struggles and everyday challenges.

All relationship structures are welcome (monogamy, ENM, polyamory). Non-romantic duos are also welcome (friends, family members, co-parents, etc.). There will be partnered exercises, so this workshop requires at least two people signing up together.

Important Note:
This is an educational workshop and is not psychotherapy or a substitute for couples counseling.

Cost: $130 per couple ($65 each)

Sliding scale pricing available for those who need it

Registration required - space is limited.

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Nonviolent Communication (open to all)

DATE TBD (Virtual)

Limited to 16 participants

Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is not just a communication tool - it's a framework for understanding what's happening inside when we're emotionally activated, getting clear about over what we do and do not have control, meeting others with genuine connection, and asserting ourselves in ways that both clear and inviting.

In this two-hour workshop, participants will learn the fundamentals of NVC and practice applying its concepts in interactive exercises. You’ll leave with practical tools you can continue building on for a lifetime.

In this workshop, you will learn how to:

Recognize the underlying unmet needs arising in activating moments
Gain awareness about how your feelings and perceptions may be unconsciously guiding your actions
Get clearer on the strategies you use - and the strategies that may be more effective - to meet your needs
Approach conflict in ways that both meet your needs and facilitate connection
Make clear requests and set boundaries effectively
Shift from cycles of demand, guilt, and resentment, to a greater sense of choice

Who this is for:
Anyone who wants to get clearer on their own role in interpersonal dynamics, who feels ready to take responsibility for their internal experience and gain a greater sense of choice over their responses.

Important Note:
This is an educational workshop and is not psychotherapy or a substitute for couples counseling.

Cost: $70

EARLY BIRD PRICE (by May 14th): $55

Sliding scale pricing available for those who need it

Registration required - space is limited.

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Coming Soon: How to Stop People-Pleasing (open to all)

Dates: TBD

Through promoting a combination of processing and practical skills, this 6-session workshop series will explore why we people please, what needs we are attempting to meet by doing so, and how we might make more conscious choices about how we relate to others. We will practice skills in real time with each other, as workshop participants will remain with the same cohort over the course of the six weeks. Dates for this workshop have not been set. If you'd like to be notified of when this workshop launches, add your email below (your email will never be shared or used outside of your stated wishes).

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Want to be informed of workshops and trainings when they're posted? Click below to join my email list! Your email will only be used to inform you of upcoming workshops and will never be shared.

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Custom Trainings for Organizations

I offer in-service and professional development workshops for organizations. Trainings can be tailored to your team’s interests and schedule, with 1–2 hour and half-day options available—remote or in person in the greater Portland area.

Have an idea for a topic that could benefit your organization but not sure if it fits within the examples above? Feel free to reach out—I’m happy to discuss and see if your topic aligns with my expertise.

Training and Workshop Inquiries

Testimonials

Esther Leon - physical therapist

"Julie’s nonviolent communication and existentialism training has stayed with me to this day, two years after taking it. I have utilized the strategies she taught not only with my patients, but with my friends and family. It’s amazing watching the difference in demeanor and de-escalation that happens in the person I’m communicating with almost immediately, when using NVC in potentially tense situations. I recommend this course not just to healthcare practitioners, but to anyone who works in a field where emotions can run high."

Ryan Brown - therapist, supervisor, group practice founder

"Julie is an NVC expert and a gifted facilitator. Her workshop on NVC and Existentialism thoughtfully integrates themes like freedom, responsibility, and choice in a way that opens the door to more authentic, grounded, and deeply connected communication. What makes her work especially powerful is the way she bridges these existential ideas with the practical tools of Nonviolent Communication, helping participants not only understand themselves more deeply, but also engage others with greater honesty, presence, and care. The result is a workshop that is both intellectually rich and deeply human - offering a meaningful path toward more conscious and compassionate relationships."

Dr. Sarah Veruz - licensed psychologist

"Julie is a wonderful teacher and facilitator. I took a training with her on NVC for therapists, and despite already being familiar with Nonviolent Communication, she found fresh and creative ways to present the material and engage us experientially. Everyone was participating and excited, in large part due to the way Julie structured the flow and invited meaningful reflection on the topic. I would absolutely take another training of hers!"

Midori - mental health therapist

"This workshop on non-violent communication is exceptional. Julie has a rare ability to present concepts in ways that feel both intuitive and immediately usable. Her teaching style is approachable and pragmatic, which makes the material accessible for everyone. Even for those already familiar with NVC, she offers fresh perspectives that deepen understanding and expand applications to real relational challenges. I have no doubt that anyone who participates will get more out of it than they expect."

Joanne Liu - physical therapist

"So great! Such a valuable practice for bridging connection & understanding! I'm so glad for the facilitation, felt like an open, safe space to dive into vulnerable practice. Very grateful to be learning this way!"

Steven - psychology student

"Julie demonstrates practical methods of how to use this powerful type of communication to better express oneself and to have more ease and understanding with others. Her discussion prompts were challenging and helpful. I can’t recommend Julie and her NVC prowess enough!"

Anonymous feedback from NVC as Applied Existentialism training

"This was excellent! No thoughts [on how to improve] at this time. Thorough, informative, good mix of break out talks and lecture."
"Julie was wonderful and very human and relatable. She is insightful and I love the way she gave case examples."
"Love this workshop and am so excited for more content from Julie."
"Honestly it could be longer! Such interesting material! Fantastic!"
"The presenter was 100% A+++!!!"

Contact

Julie Osburne

Julie@BendingReedCounseling.com

503-908-5011

Portland, OR

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