CNVC Certified Trainer
Catherine Cadden is a mom, activist, educator, storyteller, and dancer with 35 years of experience in bringing innovative programs in nonviolence, mindfulness, and conflict transformation to people of all ages, on six continents. In 1997, she founded the TEMBA School, a visionary K–8 academic program which integrated nonviolent principles, mindfulness, art, and peace studies. In 2006, Catherine co-founded Play in the Wild! Initiations into Nonviolence for youth, families, and educators.
Internationally recognized for her work, Catherine brought Nonviolent Communication to the first Steiner School in South Africa; gave a TEDx Talk in 2010 on Direct Action in L.O.V.E.; and was a keynote speaker at the UNESCO Asia Pacific Education conference in 2012. She is the author of the book, Peaceable Revolution Through Education.
Catherine lives in Beloved partnership with Jesse Wiens Chu. Together, they co-founded Baba Tree International in 2011 to support people around the world in learning real-world application of spiritual nonviolent practices in a integrated way for social justice. They co-authored the book, The Ongo Book: Everyday Nonviolence. They currently reside in Indonesia with their two children.
I am grateful to have had the honor to study directly with Marshall Rosenberg over the course of 18 years. I owe a great deal of my NVC roots to Julie Greene, one of the original founders of BayNVC. On my NVC journey I have worked with 49 different certified and non-certified NVC trainers in 9 languages, other than my first, because I value diversity, community, and continued learning.
I hold most closely my indigenous roots and elders to guide my parenting, living interdependently, and waking up to be able to walk towards a hopeful future for all beings. These days I am most passionate about honestly facing colonial collapse, systemic racism, and the climate crisis with compassionate choices that model to my children how to live in respect, consideration, and care of all beings.