Sandra Amiry, Director

Since 2004, I have been practicing and sharing Nonviolent Communication (NVC), as part of my passion for building stronger relationships and developing more integrated and sustainable communities. Before finding NVC, I searched and studied countless communication/relationship help methods to try and find an answer that would break the repeated cycle of disconnection that seemed to plague my and others relationships. After discovering NVC, I almost immediately saw shifts in communication with myself and others; it truly was like magic. I felt so moved and inspired I decided to dedicate myself to sharing NVC, and my discoveries, with others.

Since 2010, teaching NVC has been central to my life, and I am grateful to have worked with various NVC teachers including Marshall Rosenberg, founder of NVC. I joined the team at Rose City NVC at this time, gaining training and experience through the Oregon Prison Project (OPP) co-founded by Rose City NVC in 2009. OPP provides a supervised, hands-on practicum environment where trainers can further develop their own NVC consciousness as well as their teaching expertise. Through our project I’ve taught NVC at Oregon State Penitentiary, Columbia River Correctional Institution, the Reentry Transition Center in Portland, and Coffee Creek Correctional Facility. This work has been deeply meaningful to me as it brings about essential changes in the justice system. It fosters deep transformation, equipping incarcerated persons with necessary skills to reintegrate into communities and families effectively, safely and with reduced recidivism.

My love of NVC led me to pursue Certification. I joined a Trainer community team process which challenged me to “360 feedback,” enabling me to identify and create distance from all that might inhibit me from sharing this work with others. I’ve worked as a Certified NVC trainer for The Center for Nonviolent Communication (CNVC) since 2016.

I excitedly assumed leadership of Rose City NVC and Oregon Prison Project in 2017. Our volunteer team enjoys strong teamwork, and we are excited to grow the community. 

I integrate other modalities including Trauma work, Codependency issues, Cognitive-behavioral, Interpersonal Neurobiology, etc., with an emphasis on Mindfulness and Body Awareness Practices. I include practices which allow me other avenues to support and enhance the integrity of our NVC work. While I believe NVC’s words and form of NVC can help participants access greater compassion and understanding, it’s primary aim is to cultivate an inner capacity for consciousness from which the practices arise naturally.

I currently facilitate Rose City NVC’s various classes, workshops, practice groups, and organizational training with the help of my “teachers in training.” I also offer coaching and mediation to individuals, couples, families, groups and organizations. I delight in offering flexibility and in the creating of offerings/support that work uniquely for each individual or group!

Additional specialties include: anxiety, depression, trauma healing, addiction, codependency, divorce, parenting/co-parenting, relationship conflict, somatic experiencing, mindfulness, abuse recovery, blended families, grief and loss, alternative relationship styles, life transitions, healthy choices, decision-making.