Are you finding yourself ‘stuck’ in a conflict in your personal, professional, or community context? Are you new to the principles of conflict transformation (as opposed to conflict resolution) and Non Violent Communication? This one-day workshop offers a structured, experiential space to explore what gets us into conflict and what can get us out.

What you can expect

Drawing on St Ethelburga’s commitment to reconciliation and building trust across difference, this training is highly experiential and participatory. You’ll move through cycles of learning, group dialogue, pair work, embodied practice, and personal reflection. Together we will explore the forces that pull us into conflict, the values that help us move toward peace, and the biological patterns that shape how each of us responds. You’ll also experience a wide range of interactive methods designed to help you have courageous conversations and immediately put your learning into practice in your everyday conflict contexts.

You will learn to:

• Work with our practical models to understand the drivers of conflict and the actions we need to take to transform it.

• Recognise your own biological and emotional responses to conflict, and how to regulate them.

• Understand your own instinctive conflict patterns and how to work with them, not against them.

• Learn and practise Non-Violent Communication (NVC) as a tool for honest, empathetic, and connection-building dialogue.

• Workshop current conflict situations to identify a pathway of transformation.

• Feel more confident in navigating tension with presence, curiosity, courage and imagination.

• Deepen your understanding of what builds peace — in relationships, communities, and systems.

• Connect with a community of practice committed to dialogue, reconciliation, and meaningful change.

Themes we’ll explore together

• Frameworks from Dialogue for Peaceful Change

• Non Violent Communication

• St Ethelburga’s 4 stories and values for peacemaking

• John Paul Lederach’s conflict transformation model

• Amanda Ripley’s distinction between good conflict and high conflict

• Nervous system regulation

• Conflict styles and relational dynamics

• Communication skills

• Integration and reflection

Our approach

You will be guided by experienced facilitators who work at the intersection of dialogue, conflict transformation, and community resilience. The day follows a rhythm of teaching, embodiment, pair and small-group work, reflection, and whole-group sharing. The environment is invitational and spacious, encouraging each participant to share to the degree they feel comfortable, listen generously, and celebrate difference. We will utilise the historic St Ethelburga’s church and Bedouin Tent, rooting our facilitation in our 4 core values.

Who this is for

This introductory training is perfect for anyone beginning to navigate conflict in their personal, professional or community contexts. Whether you are a teacher, faith leader, project manager, youth worker, artist, business person, parent, friend or team member - you will find something helpful in this workshop. 

Concession tickets

To discuss discounted tickets, please email rebecca.brierley@stethelburgas.org