What People Say

Vika is a master communicator.

I have expertise. Vika has a masterful understanding that aids me in raising the bar of awareness
about what’s really going for me — what my most important values, concerns, and opportunities are.

She gets to the heart of the matter, every time.

Both my marriage and my business have benefited a great deal from my coaching with her.

And the Thrive Roadmap Essentials seminar knocked my socks off.

I highly recommend her work.

— Tom Esch, President of Esch Consulting, LLC, Minneapolis, MN

 
“The material wasn’t new for me, but so much more accessible!”

— A.D., Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 15 years experience
 

 
I went to the doctor yesterday and my blood pressure was 110. It’s usually up in the high 130s.

I bet that that low blood pressure has to do with being less distressed.

Yay, and thanks!

— Joe M., Independent NVC Trainer, Portland, OR
 

 
Vika’s classes have made a huge difference in our lives and in our relationship.

Over the past ten years my wife and I made many efforts
to work out the major communication difficulties between us. Nothing helped.

Then we found Vika and since then have done two multi-week classes with her.

For the first time, we’re able to understand the roots of our
communication challenges and specific ways to improve things for the better.

I credit Vika and her valuable depth of insight to contributing greatly to saving our marriage.

We look forward to doing more work with her.

— Will G., Attorney/Writer
 

Compassionate Noticing meditation helps me understand
the feelings and needs that can be hidden behind the words others say.

— Aurelien C., Portland OR

 
The gift that Vika brings has altered the path of my life.

On New Year’s Day 2016 I was wondering what it would be like to continue sitting
in the freezing cold wind, fall asleep and just pass from hypothermia.
Thankfully I called a friend that day, and found Vika a couple months later.

While my life now isn’t all roses all the time,
I am a calmer person, my mood pendulum no longer swings terribly out of my control,
and I can associate patterns, moods, and emotions with feelings and needs.

I no longer wish to just disappear from the planet.

I’m accepted and celebrated for who I am in the Thriving Life community,
wherever I happen to be that particular day. And I have a solid community to lean on whenever I’m blue.

I have allies, and tools to thrive with.

— K.H., Healthcare Professional, Portland OR
 

The Power of Noticing: Reacting vs. Choosing article was very touching and insightful for me.

Another person also referred to it as very powerful.  I have sent it on to interested others.

Thanks for collecting your thoughts and sharing them with us!

— Elaine Hultengren, Independent NVC Trainer, Salem OR

 
I love your vision, your commitment to creating a world that thrives
together harmoniously, and to being so authentic about it.

— Greg R., Real Estate Developer, Oahu, Hawaii
 

From the Staff of Our House of Portland, Portland, OR:

We’re excited to have a fresh new opinion on NVC — new tools in our tool box.
Our new strategy to help the client we discussed is WORKING!  Major victory. — Kim

Thank you for your gifts! — K

Thank you for sharing your talents and insight.  — Tim P.

Your facilitation was magical! — KJo

I appreciate what you’re bringing to Our House.
Looking forward to more! — Kristy Fleming, Director of Occupational Therapy

 
I’m teaching NVC and just saw your ‘Broken Toe video‘ and found the metaphor very powerful.  
I enjoyed the video — its clarity, use of regular language, and effectiveness in transmitting
the idea that we can take responsibility for our reactions, without once naming ‘responsibility.’

“Bravo! I hope our paths will cross. You inspire me.

— Ronnie, NVC Trainer, Buenos Aires, Argentina
 

 
“Vika is one of the most gifted, talented, and personally authentic people I have ever known.

Perhaps because she has done her own inner work at the deepest levels,
she has a rare, astonishing knack for sharing advanced psycho-neurological information
in easily-understandable, practical, and deeply empowering stories, characters, tools, and practices.

She listens from a very deep and present level. 

I recommend her at the highest levels as teacher, coach, and mentor.

— Jeffry Jeanetta-Wark, MA., LICSW, Holistic Psychotherapist
    Center for Integrated Well-Being, Minneapolis, MN
 

 
When I found Presence Practice … I knew in my gut that I’d hit the jackpot. 
That pot of gold continues to enrich me and everyone I touch.  Thank you.

I never imagined that community like this could be possible.
It’s so wonderful to have a place to go where I can be just who I am!  Having this place
to truly be my authentic self is causing me to be more my authentic self everywhere else.
Thank you for helping me bring my true self to the world!  

— Lori L., Mediator, Facilitator, Tai Chi player, Washougal, WA, USA
 

 
“You are a gift and an inspiration.

— JHB, Home Remodeler, Portland OR
 

 
I’ve been following NVC for several years because it meets my need to improve my communication skills
that I found very lacking during my encounter with cancer 30 years ago. 

NVC Essentials … is the best blog I’ve read
that summarizes the complications that emerge like ping pong balls between care-receivers and care-givers,
when illness intervenes in a family that never communicated effectively in the first place.

— Orla N.
 

I always feel safe, seen and gotten with you!  [Since our session] I had some new clarity
and a major shift in … my connection to my own power….

I’ve been focusing on breaking up as the only way to remove myself from daily situations
with my partner that I’m not happy with.  It dawned on me that I don’t need to break up
to remove myself from those situations.  I can simply choose to communicate my need and
do something else that better meets my needs at that moment. 

“This was so empowering to me and gave me such a sense of freedom! 
I’ve been stuck in the other mindset for quite some time; having a shift in perspective was a long time coming.

I can still consider over time if it’s the right partnership for me. In the meantime,
I feel like I have my power back! I’m very grateful.

–P.S.K., Portland, OR, USA

Vika brings powerful insight and clear, grounded presence
that encourages honesty, integrity, and depth.

I appreciate her ability to hear and track what I share, and to map and understand the complex layers and threads.

She offers clear witnessing, an invitation to go deeper, empathic understanding, and
practical tools to address my issues.

Vika’s compassionate presence lives alongside her laser-sharp skill and vision …
truly a gift for clients and group participants.

I highly recommend Vika’s groups and individual coaching.

— Lena R. Ph.D., Vancouver, BC, Canada

 
Thank you so much for Presence Practice group last night. 

It was so healing for me.

I’m so glad you’re in the work you are in — so magical! 

Maybe we can try and do a phone session during one of the weeks when I’ll miss group.

— Lucy B., Portland OR
 

 
I’ve found Vika and her work to be both mind-bogglingly effective and heart-opening.

She’s always authentic about her own humanity, and her uncanny ability to reach out to people,
empathize with them, and connect deeply with them is unique in my experience.

The relationship coaching that she’s done for my wife and me has
opened up a new world of connection for us that I never dreamed possible.

The individual coaching that she’s done for me has helped me release shame and guilt
and learn how to both maintain my boundaries and open up to other people more easily.

The Presence Practice Group is a wonderful opportunity to be held and heard lovingly
by like-minded and like-hearted people in the community.

I heartily (pun intended) recommend everything she offers.

— David L., PhD, Music Historian, Author, & Energy Healer, Portland, OR
 

 
Thank you for providing and holding a space that’s been instrumental in my personal growth.

There is a new sense of calm inside me, where before (I now realize) there was only shame and resentment.

I have a new excitement and curiosity for myself.
I’m so grateful for the support I get within the Presence Practice community.

— K.F., Former Pro Athlete, Portland OR
 

 
It’s so, so powerful for me to do [Compassionate Noticing].
I’m usually on such alert mode, and with this practice
I relax in a way that’s almost impossible for me to do on my own.

I have such a feeling of wellness afterwards, like a glow.
This feels amazing, it works! 

Thank you SO much, this is so healing for me.  

— Christina C., Portland, OR, USA
 

 
I just want to say how much I respect you and your constant striving to be as good as you can in this lifetime.

I appreciate how you try so hard not to ever speak with people from anger and
you’re always helping others to reach their potential in loving communication.

You are a gift to this world.

— A.K., Portland OR
 

I really value time for self reflection, as well as
meeting with others to connect and support personal growth.
Compassionate Noticing meets both these needs for me. 

I go from overwhelm to almost instantly relaxed.

I’m also grateful to be using it regularly now with my wife, to deepen our relationship.
It’s a simple, effective well-being practice,
we look forward to tapping into it for the rest of our lives!  

— Chris V.S., Portland, OR, USA

One of the things I so appreciate about Vika:
she always encourages me to live from what’s alive in me,
what’s most deeply true for me … and I can trust her to do the same.

— K.F.

 
I found the material much more applicable and practical and
I gained MUCH more from [the Healthy Boundaries Program] than I expected.

Your work has improved (and continues to improve) my life,
and has improved the quality and direction of the work I do in the world.

— Lori L., Mediator, Facilitator, Tai Chi player, Washougal, WA, USA
 

 
When people ask me about my life, close to top of the list of the good
is my experience … of our Presence Practice group.

I even dropped out of my other group as it didn’t have the depth of emotional contact that ours has. 

Thank you so much for experiencing  me the way that you do.  I feel really touched
by all that you share and so grateful to be part of our community.

It is your humanity, intelligence and vulnerability that keeps me coming each week.
Your willingness to be ‘imperfect’ is a game-changer for me.

— Mr. M.R., retired therapist, Portland OR