Dear friends,

Yesterday was the International Day of Peace, a day that invites us to reflect not only on the conflicts taking place around us, but on what peace asks of us in our everyday lives.

Paulo Freire, the Brazilian educator and philosopher whose work transformed thinking about education, power and social change, described conflict as “the midwife of consciousness”. A midwife does not create the life that is being born, but helps bring it into the world. In a similar way, conflict can bring things into our awareness that might otherwise remain hidden: our fears and assumptions, our needs and values, the things we have not understood about ourselves or others. Conflict can be painful, but it can also become an opportunity to see more clearly.

This feels particularly relevant at a time when we are becoming increasingly aware of, and affected by conflict on a global scale. In our consultancy work, organisations are asking us to help with conflict at work, but it is becoming harder to separate what happens in our workplaces from what is happening in the wider world. Global and national conflicts do not remain at a distance. Fear, grief, anger and uncertainty can enter our homes, our workplaces and our everyday conversations. They can shape how we listen, how we interpret one another, and how quickly we move from disagreement to disconnection.

The question, then, is not simply how we transform conflict, but how conflict can assist our consciousness? What is it revealing about ourselves, our relationships and the world around us? How do we stay present with what emerges - holding grief without being consumed by it, remaining connected when we profoundly disagree, and noticing the assumptions and reactions that can turn conflict into further division?

These questions are at the heart of our work at St Ethelburga’s. We are interested not only in managing conflict, but in developing the consciousness and capacity to meet it differently: to pause before reacting, to notice what is happening within ourselves, to become curious about perspectives different from our own, to listen without needing to agree, and to remain connected across difference.

This is why we offer training in conflict and peacemaking. Our training creates space to explore our own responses to conflict, to understand what happens when relationships become difficult, and to practise new ways of listening, communicating and staying present. Because peace is not simply the absence of conflict. It is also the capacity to become more conscious of what conflict is showing us, and to choose how we respond.

Read on to explore our autumn training offer and find the right training for you.

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Embodied Peace: Working with Grief in Communities

At this time of increased global conflict and uncertainty, many people are carrying grief, anger and overwhelm. These emotions inevitably find their way into our relationships, workplace meetings, faith communities and public conversations.

We are hearing from facilitators, faith leaders, managers and community conveners who sometimes feel unsure how to welcome and work with these strong emotions. In this one-day workshop, we welcome our collaborator Tanya Forgan to explore grief as a bridge rather than a barrier, recognising how unacknowledged loss can harden into fear, disconnection or division.

Together, we will explore how to develop the emotional and relational capacity to remain present—with ourselves, with others, and with the human experience. The day will offer practical tools for supporting people who are grieving, including grounding, emotional regulation and collective witnessing. Participants will leave with renewed connection, resilience and hope.

Next event: Monday 5 October

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Nonviolent Communication & Conflict Transformation

Many of us learned how to navigate conflict, disagreement and argument through what was modelled to us by our families, cultures or schools. Yet the strategies we inherited may no longer support us in the ways we need. We may avoid difficult conversations, feel unsure what to say, or find ourselves returning to the same patterns again and again.

This one-day experiential training offers an introduction to Nonviolent Communication, also known as Empathic Communication—a framework developed by Marshall Rosenberg to help us communicate more compassionately, confidently and effectively.

We will also explore Conflict Transformation, which invites us to see conflict not only as something to resolve or avoid, but as a potential catalyst for growth, understanding and change. This is a welcoming entry point for anyone wanting to explore peacemaking and reconciliation, and how these practices can be applied in everyday life.

Next event: Monday 19 October

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Holding a Radical Centre: Three-Day Depolarisation Intensive

We are living through a time of immense polarisation around questions of identity, politics and belonging. Families, friends and neighbours can find themselves unable—or unwilling—to enter conversations on these subjects, and relationships can begin to suffer.

This immersive three-day training is designed to help participants engage across difference with curiosity, courage and moral presence. Over the three days, we cultivate a community of practice, explore the wisdom of the collective, dive more deeply into personal story and develop greater confidence in holding difficult conversations.

Using our five-step depolarisation framework, developed in partnership with the University of Winchester, participants will explore the systemic drivers of division, practise reflective tools for navigating difficult conversations, and develop strategies for fostering trust and cohesion in communities, workplaces and networks.

The training combines practical skills with visionary reflection, nurturing both inner capacity and outward leadership. Participation also includes automatic enrolment in our Alumni Network, offering access to ongoing in-person and online gatherings, discounts on future trainings, and a continuing community of practice.

Next event: Wednesday 11–Friday 13 November

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You can also join us for our ever-popular Facilitation Training and Conflict Coaching in person and online. If you are unsure which training is right for you, or would like to explore where to begin, please do get in touch.

And don’t forget to scroll down to explore our upcoming events, including Contemplative Practice, SoulSpace, and Towards a Radical Centre: What Does It Mean to Be Together Now?, with Jo Berry, Elizabeth Oldfield, Ali Amla and Sean Ryan.

We look forward to welcoming you soon and offering our space as a place of consciousness.

Warmly,

Rebecca Brierley

Community Reconciliation Programme Manager

And the St Ethelburga’s Team