The Art of NVC

Do you use faux feelings?

A faux feeling sounds like an emotion but is actually an accusation. Say “I feel disrespected” and you have not described your inner state at all. You have told someone they did something wrong. That one word choice is often the difference between being heard and starting a fight.

The desert island test Could you feel this alone on a desert island, with nobody else involved? If not, it is a judgment wearing a feeling’s clothes.

Twenty cards. Miss one and we will work it through together until it lands. Takes two or three minutes.

1 of 20common words
or press ← for real · → for faux
0 / 20 first try

0faux feelings you accepted as real
0real feelings you flagged as judgments

These twenty words cause a surprising share of the fights in most homes. The full list, and what to say instead, is in the books.

Explore the books
From The Art of NVC and From Conflict to Connection
by Micah Salaberrios · artofnvc.com