About Nonviolent
Communication (NVC)

A feelings and needs list is a core tool in Nonviolent Communication. It supports awareness, clarity, and connection, both with ourselves and with others.

Why Feelings and Needs Matter in NVC

In Nonviolent Communication, feelings and needs are at the heart of every human experience. Feelings offer valuable information about what is happening within us, signaling whether our needs are being met or not in a given moment. Needs refer to universal human qualities, such as connection, safety, autonomy, meaning, or rest, that shape our choices and actions across cultures and situations.

As we learn to name our feelings with more precision and connect them to the needs behind them, our focus naturally shifts. Instead of moving into blame, judgment, or self criticism, we begin to experience more clarity, self-connection, and honesty in how we relate to ourselves and others.

A feelings and needs list can support this learning process, especially in moments when emotions feel confusing or intense, when conversations become tense or stuck, or when we want to express ourselves clearly without attacking or withdrawing.

Free Feelings and Needs List (PDF)

We offer a complete, practical Feelings and Needs List, inspired by the work of Marshall B. Rosenberg, PhD, founder of Nonviolent Communication.

You’re welcome to use it:

• for personal reflection
• during conversations or mediation
• in journaling, coaching, or group settings

New to Nonviolent Communication?

If you’re discovering NVC for the first time, you’re not alone. Thousands of people begin exactly where you are now, with a feelings and needs list and a curiosity to understand themselves (and others) more deeply.

To support you, we created a Beginner's Pathway.

Join our NVC Beginner’s Pathway Email List

When you sign up, you’ll receive:

• 3 monthly emails with NVC resources and helpful information to guide your learning
• ocasional discounts

Go Deeper with the NVC Library (7-Day Free Trial)

If you’d like to move beyond lists and start learning directly from experienced NVC trainers, we invite you to explore the NVC Library.

The NVC Library is our on-demand learning space with:

• over 1,000 curated learning resources, with new material added regularly
• teachings, reflections, and practical insights from world-renowned CNVC Certified Trainers
• video and audio trainings, full course recordings, trainer tips, articles, and practice exercises

You can explore the NVC Library with a 7-day free trial, no pressure, cancel anytime.