Extended Bio

James Prieto guides towards wholeness, connection and integration of our natural selves by cultivating inner-resources, self-healing, and compassionate communication (NVC). He’s passionate about the intersection of Animas Valley Institute inspired work with NVC as a way to contribute to Earth elder Joanna Macy’s “Great Turning” and Thomas Berry’s “Great Work.”

He started his professional career in electrical and computer engineering, satellite communications, and Agile development. He has collaborated on several technical journal articles and US technology patents in digital signal processing, artificial neural networks and satellite communications. See LinkedIn profile for details. After three decades in the technology industry, he experienced the need for compassionate leadership and a collaborative organizational culture.

After discovering NVC in 2002, he began his interpersonal growth journey, and began facilitating NVC workshops and groups in 2005. After attending his first intensive training with Marshall Rosenberg in 2007, he was inspired to pursue his NVC trainer certification from the Center for Nonviolent Communication, which he completed in 2014. His NVC practice is also inspired by several trainers including Mary Mackenzie, Jim & Jori Manske, Robert Gonzales, Kelly Bryson and others.

His active area of research combines Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and nature-based depth psychology by Bill Plotkin, Ph.D. manifesting itself in a book project. He received a Wild Mind Practitioner certification from the Animas Valley Institute in July 2024.

He offers free quarterly online workshops to contribute to more compassion in the world, and as an introduction to his style of workshop facilitation: "Taste of Connection", "Transform Trigger Bullets into Bouquets" and "Empathic Dreamwork."

He authored and self-published the inspirational book “The Joy of Compassionate Connecting - The Way of Christ Through Nonviolent Communication."

James is currently on sabbatical (Sep 2024 to Aug 2025) -- dreaming, writing, listening, courting the Mystery of Soul. Stay connected through this email list.