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About Joy Helmer

About Joy

I have had a lifelong passion for creating a peaceful world. Shaped by difficult experiences in my family growing up, witnessing the cold war, the civil rights era and the Vietnam War, among other conflicts, I have always had a deep knowing that human beings have the potential to live together in much more life-affirming ways.  While I have been a psychiatric nurse my entire adult life, my avocation and passion has been to understand the origins of conflict and violence. I am self taught and have no advanced degrees in these subjects. I was trained as a mediator in the early 90’s and was involved with the Restorative Justice movement for several years.  I led a workshop on accountability to a group of men convicted of murder and other violent crimes at a state prison for several years. I have also studied different forms of communication, from Non-Violent Communication to Compassionate Listening. I was President of the Board of Directors of The Compassionate Listening Project for two years and was also on the Board of the Israel-Palestine Project for three years. One of the most profound influences in my life  has been my training with Landmark Education where I have taken courses since 2001.  I have practiced meditation daily since 1980. My basic approach to the entwined subjects of war/armed violence and peace is inquiry, deep listening, engagement and embracing all of it, even that which I may dislike intensely.

My Promise for the World:

By the year 2033 all people will know the joy of heart to heart connection.

Fall in love with life!

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Posts by Joy Helmer

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