Marshall B. Rosenberg

Dr. Marshall B. Rosenberg (1934-2015) was the founder and director of educational services for The Center for Nonviolent Communication. Growing up in an inner–city neighborhood in Detroit, Michigan, Dr. Marshall Rosenberg was confronted daily with various forms of violence. Wanting to explore the causes of violence and what could be done to reduce violence, he chose to study clinical psychology and received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Wisconsin in 1961. 

In 1966 he was awarded diplomat status in clinical psychology from the American Board of Examiners in Professional Psychology. Nonviolent Communication training evolved from Dr. Rosenberg’s quest to find a way of rapidly disseminating much-needed peacemaking skills. The Center for Nonviolent Communication emerged out of work he was doing with civil rights activists in the early 1960s. 

During this period, he also mediated between rioting students and college administrators and worked to desegregate public schools in long-segregated regions peacefully. Since the inception of the Center, the response to Nonviolent Communication training has been extremely positive. It is seen as a powerful tool for peacefully resolving differences at personal, professional, and political levels. 

Dr. Rosenberg has provided Nonviolent Communication training in 60 countries.* He works with such groups as educators, managers, mental health and health care providers, lawyers, military officers, prisoners, police and prison officials, clergy, government officials, and individual families. e has been active in war-torn areas and economically disadvantaged countries, offering Nonviolent Communication training to promote reconciliation and peaceful resolution of differences.

Worldwide reactions have been inspiring. Evaluations indicate that this training vastly strengthens the ability to connect compassionately with oneself and others, as well as to resolve differences peacefully. Reports also indicate that the benefit of the training is not only stable over time, but actually increases. Dr. Rosenberg has been able to teach individuals to give training in their own community, work, educational, and political environments, and in their own languages, with the same positive effects.

Dr. Rosenberg passed peacefully at his home, with his wife Valentina and all his children by his side, on February 7th, 2015.