A community-based rehabilitative in-prison program rooted in empathy and compassionate communication that equips people with skills for healing, accountability, and navigating daily life during and after incarceration.

For over twenty years Safer Communities Project, now known as Healing Communication, has brought the principles of Nonviolent Communication to people impacted by the justice system, combining practical training in empathy, self-awareness, and emotional literacy with restorative practices to strengthen relationships and transform communities inside prisons and jails in California and beyond.

Founded in 2002, the Safer Communities Project traces its origins to Nonviolent Communication (NVC), the evidence-based method and philosophy developed by Marshall Rosenberg, PhD. Our work is informed by NVC consciousness, emphasizing a mindset of curiosity and presence while teaching concrete, practical skills and using language that honors the sacred value of all human life. The year-long curriculum reflects core NVC principles and methods for cultivating empathy, self-awareness, and compassionate communication, and creates opportunities for participants who are currently incarcerated to explore and develop new pathways for understanding others and responding in ways that nurture connection rather than conflict.