Tension is an inevitable part of daily life. Dynamics between family, co-workers, neighbors and community members are complex and not always easy. If we’re operating from mistrust, anxiety or anger, distinctions and tensions get magnified. When we address tension or conflict skillfully, however, it presents the opportunity for growth. When we center curiosity and compassion, differences can help to forge new relationships and new narratives.
We will focus on:
- Understanding the impacts of tension and compassion on the brain and the body
- Normalizing how stress and stress responses operate
- Different ways of understanding and experiencing differences, including reframing polarities
- Practicing difficult conversations and how to give useful feedback
About Claudia Horwitz
Claudia serves on the Leadership Development Faculty for the Annie E. Casey Foundation and supports justice movements in a range of ways. She has 25 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, community organizing and movement-building. Claudia has worked with ** She founded and directed stone circles, an organization that worked to sustain activists and the work for justice through spiritual practice; the organization created The Stone House on 70 acres in North Carolina that welcomed 8,000 people for training, retreat and fellowship. Claudia is the author of The Spiritual Activist: Practices to Transform Your Life, Your Work and Your World (Penguin Compass 2002) and numerous articles. She has a master’s degree in Public Policy from Duke University and is a trained yoga teacher. She is passionate about helping people integrate an outcomes-focused approach with thoughtful process, racial justice and the sacred. Claudia lives on Ocracoke.
