Mindful Communication Speaking and Listening with Wisdom and Compassion

Skilful communication and warm connection are needed today more than ever before. This book explores the potential of mindfulness skills, and how they can be applied to communication in a range of settings. Experienced mindfulness teachers and trainers Frits Koster, Jetty Heynekamp and Victoria Norton provide an outline of the mechanisms underlying mindful communication while a selection of experts presents a concise overview of six communication programs that are becoming well-known in the mindfulness world. They describe the background and structure of each course and offer tasters in the form of short exercises and online audio downloads. Each chapter is followed up by further resources, reading lists and web addresses. Mindful Communication will be of interest to professionals in mental health, social care, education and to anyone who wishes to listen and speak with more wisdom and compassion.

Foreword Alison Evans Foreword Ernst Bohlmeijer Acknowledgements How this book came about 1. Introduction The value of mindful communicationFrits Koster, Jetty Heynekamp and Victoria Norton 2. Nonviolent Communication Mindfulness and compassion in relationshipsOren Jay Sofer and Sietske de Haan 3. Interpersonal Mindfulness Awakening together Erik van den Brink 4. Green Zone Communication Our day-to-day conversations as mindfulness practice Gregory Heffron, Esther Hasselman and Chris Trani 5. Mindfulness and Communication Creating a space to coexist Edel Maex 6. Deep Listening Transforming communication Rosamund Oliver and Chantal Bergers 7. Experiences with Open Dialogue Mindfulness and the dialogic practice, on the way to insight Russell Razzaque, Heleen Wadman, Kwok H. Wong and Olaf Galisch

Frits Koster lived as a Buddhist monk in Asia for six years. He is a qualified MBSR, MBCL and IMP teacher and teaches mindfulness and compassion internationally. He is the co-author of various books (Silkworm Books and Routledge). See www.compassionateliving.info or www.fritskoster.com. Jetty Heynekamp is a qualified physiotherapist who has been practising insight meditation since 1982. She is a certified mindfulness teacher and leads meditation retreats and communication workshops with her husband Frits Koster. She is the co-author of several books. Victoria Norton is a certified mindfulness teacher whose professional background is in teaching and communications management.