"Most of us have been educated from birth to judge, compete, demand, and diagnose – to think and communicate in terms of ‘right’ and ‘wrong.’ Thinking and interacting this way can create misunderstanding and a host of other problems, and ultimately brings us further from our naturally empathetic state.”
~ Marshall Rosenberg, American psychologist, mediator, author, and teacher
Collective Voices offers the opportunity to reconnect, repair, and rebuild.
Through my services, I strive to create an environment for increased understanding and trust by using dialogue to strengthen relationships that may be challenged by hurt, conflict, power dynamics, and opposing perspectives.
Collective Voices offers a compassionate, trauma-informed and culturally-relevant
approach to communication, conflict, harm, and healing.
COVID-19 Updates
I have spent over thirty years as a crisis responder in situations as varied as: working with survivors of Hurricane Katrina; supporting the Indigenous communities at Standing Rock; developing and managing the national high-risk youth program at Outward Bound; co-founding a non profit serving marginalized communities and individuals through wilderness programming, parent skills and support groups, and community-based aftercare (Forward Learning Youth and Young Adults); and in 2019, I founded Collective Voices.
Collective Voices' mission is to help people reconnect, repair and rebuild; to interrupt cycles of conflict and violence and to lend a focused, empathetic listening ear, problem-solve current barriers, and find a path forward.
My work is a critical response to the disruption of a healthy community (community = a feeling of fellowship with others; a group of people that often have with a common goal, similar needs, and/or shared interests.) My services are applicable in the following settings: tribal communities, workplace, families, couples, friendships, neighborhoods, governments, and unions.
The Black Lives Matter movement and the COVID-19 pandemic have both resulted in many people and communities experiencing increased feelings of fear, anxiety, PTSD, grief, and loss. People have altered the way they are living, working, and approaching their lives. There is mass upheaval, confusion, and trauma.
As our current conditions spreads fear, illness, and death in its wake, people are struggling with unprocessed feelings, fatigue, panic, and overwhelm. I offer work for individuals, couple, families, business, unions, and groups of all types. The basic
principles of my work remain the same – identifying issues and concerns, validating challenges and the feelings associated with them, and offering tools to support healing and movement forward.
I believe four of my services in particular (although not limited to) offer the opportunity of restored hope, unity and community, and the reduction of fear, anxiety, and depression: 1) Grief Support Services; 2) Conflict & Repair Dialogue;
3) Family Circles; and, 4) Healing/Support Circles (a specific type of Peacemaking Circle.)
COVID-19 has altered the platform in which I do my work. I now offer teleservices until face-to-face sessions can resume.
I look forward to hearing from you.
~ Jessie Kushner