Details at a Glance

Empowerment Therapy (ET) is an NVC-based therapeutic model, which empowers counselors, psychotherapists, psychologists, social workers, and others who work with individuals one-on-one to create a healing and empowering relationship with their clients/stakeholders. 

This therapeutic model was designed by Myra Walden, author of Need-based Therapy, who has herself been a psychotherapist for the last 31 years. This intensive training programme is offered by Myra Walden and Bob Wentworth. The 9 learning sessions will also be supplemented by 7 practice sessions, held by Manasi Saxena (CNVC Trainer and part of the Living Bridges core team).  

How does Empowerment Therapy helps you empower your clients/stakeholders?

This approach to therapy is a holistic and relational, and takes into account childhood experiences that lead to self-alienation. Empowerment Therapy also integrates strengthening and resilience practices to help clients reconnect with themselves, release anger safely, recognize their unmet needs, mourn, and devise strategies to meet their needs and build more fulfilling lives. Empowerment Therapy is specifically designed around:

• increasing the clients’ sense of emotional safety, 
• enhancing the connection between client and therapist, and 
• helping empower people to create better conditions.

Learning Objectives

As a participant int his training programe, you will:

• learn about the principles of Empowerment Therapy, the characteristics/traits we can aspire to embody, 
• learn the four key differentiations that help us create a sense of safety for our clients
• understand, review and practice the elements of empathy 
• learn about the the main components of an empathic response in a therapeutic/counselling setting
• practice self-regulation through a mindfulness model that can reduce reactivity and impulsivity

This introductory intensive course is a deep dive. Completing this programme qualifies you to take this learning forward!

Who is this for?

The programme is for counselors, psychotherapists, psychologists, social workers, coaches, teachers, spiritual companions, caregivers, and any other professionals who work with individuals one-on-one, supporting people’s journey towards equilibrium and wholeness and help empower them to build more satisfying relationships and more fulfilling lives.

The concepts in this course can prove challenging. In order to learn the most and increase flow during the sessions, we highly recommend that you study  the material that we will provide before each session. Prior reading, as well as attending the practice groups significantly increases the likelihood that you will be able to apply the concepts and that your clients will benefit.

Program Structure

About the Facilitator

Myra Walden:

Originally from Mexico, Myra immigrated to the U.S. in 1983. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and a master’s degree in clinical psychology from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology. She has practiced psychotherapy since 1991 and has offered workshops for mental health professionals since 1997.

Myra is a certified trainer in Nonviolent Communication. She co-founded the Institute for Empowering Communication and wrote the book Empowerment Therapy. She lives in West Chicago, Illinois, USA where she enjoys people and nature.

Bob Wentworth

Bob is a certified Empowerment Therapy trainer and a certified trainer in Nonviolent Communication (NVC), the foundation of Empowerment Therapy. As a trainer, coach, facilitator, and mediator, he focuses on bringing more love, empowerment, and wholeness into the world.

Bob has long been interested in what supports individuals and groups in thriving. After studying a variety of personal transformation modalities, he discovered NVC, which he experiences as a uniquely powerful practice for supporting personal healing, relating to ourselves and others with kindness, and enhancing individual vitality and collective synergy. He has led NVC trainings around the world. He co-founded Family HEART Camp, a camp that supports parents and children in learning to live together in more satisfying ways. He lives in Santa Cruz, California, USA, and has a PhD in Applied Physics from Stanford University.