Second Cohort · NVC Immersive

Bansko,
Bulgaria

July 3 – 12, 2026

10 Sessions 30 Hours of Practice Working-Friendly From €540
Apply for Your Spot

Deposit €150 secures your spot · Flexible payment options available

Why this exists

Have you ever called someone
just to say "I miss you"
and ended up in an argument?

Or wanted to tell your partner something important — and watched the conversation collapse before you even got there?

We've been there. Feeling lost in communication patterns that don't serve us — with the people who matter most.

The parent you love but can't quite reach. The partner you keep hurting without meaning to. The co-founder you respect but can't align with. The team where things feel off but nobody says it out loud.

And sometimes — the hardest one — yourself. The version of you that says yes when you mean no. That keeps the peace at the cost of your own needs. That has never quite learned how to disagree without disappearing.

Most of us were never taught how to actually talk to each other. NVC — Nonviolent Communication — is a practical framework for exactly this. And this Dojo is 10 days of real practice with people who are tired of the same old patterns.

🙅
Finally Say No

Without guilt. Without the slow resentment that builds when you keep saying yes. For leaders: clear boundaries mean faster decisions and less burnout.

👂
Hear No Without Collapsing

Without shutting down or fighting back. For managers: people who feel safe saying no to you stay longer and work better.

🗣️
Ask for What You Need

Without hinting, without demanding. For teams: clear requests eliminate the wasted hours spent guessing what someone actually wants.

💬
Be Really Honest

Not "I'm fine" honest. For co-founders and teams: psychological safety is the single biggest predictor of high performance.

🤍
Have the Hard Conversation

The one you've been putting off for months. Avoided conflict doesn't disappear — it compounds. Addressing it early saves time, energy, and relationships.

Make Work Feel Human

Teams that communicate well don't just perform better — they actually enjoy working together. Retention, creativity, and collaboration follow naturally.

Why do this with us

You can read the book.
We practice together.

You can understand NVC intellectually in a weekend. And then Monday comes — someone says the wrong thing — and all of it goes out the window.

NVC is a muscle. Muscles don't grow from reading about exercise. They grow from repetition, from doing it wrong, from doing it again, with people next to you when it gets hard.

That's what 10 days together does. You don't just learn the framework — you start to rewire how you actually respond in the moment.

6 Years of Living It

Yeji has run an intentional coliving community for 6 years with NVC as the backbone. She brings real field wisdom — what works when real people with real tensions live and work together.

Expert Facilitators

Martina (Neuroscience, Amsterdam) & Matthias (ETH Zurich) bring scientific grounding, deep empathy, and years of NVC facilitation across communities and organizations.

Proven in Real Life

Our first cohort in Chiang Mai showed us it works. Real people, real tensions, real shifts. Not a bubble that pops when you get home — something that sticks.

Why Bansko

A mountain town that
works for you.

Bansko isn't just a beautiful backdrop — it's a place that makes the Dojo possible. Pleasant summer weather, an affordable cost of living, a vibrant international nomad community, and excellent infrastructure for staying productive.

🌤️ Perfect Summer Climate

Warm days around 25°C (77°F), cool nights dropping to 12–15°C (54–59°F). While the rest of Europe bakes, Bansko's mountain altitude keeps it genuinely comfortable — a real escape from the summer heat.

💰 Affordable Living

Great food, accommodation, and activities at roughly half the cost of Western European cities. Your money goes significantly further here.

🌍 Vibrant Community

Bansko has one of Europe's most active digital nomad communities. There's always something happening — and always interesting people to meet.

💻 Built for Work

Reliable fast WiFi, excellent coworking spaces, and a culture that understands remote work. You can stay productive throughout.

📅

Our team will be in Bansko from June 12. Come earlier, stay later — make the trip more meaningful. We'd love to have you around.

The Timing

Part of something
bigger.

The Dojo runs right after two major nomad community events in Bansko. If you're already planning to be there — this is the perfect way to go deeper.

Before the Dojo Coliving Gathering

A gathering for coliving hosts, builders, and enthusiasts. Connect with people shaping the future of community living.

Learn more →
Also Before the Dojo Bansko Nomad Fest

One of Europe's biggest gatherings of digital nomads, remote workers, and location-independent entrepreneurs.

Learn more →
Investment

What's included.

Included
10 NVC sessions (30 hours of guided practice) All session materials Welcome dinner — July 3 (home-cooked together) Farewell dinner — July 11 evening Community co-creation facilitation Activity coordination support
Not Included
Accommodation (see options below) Flights & transportation Coworking spaces Meals outside of included dinners Optional activities (costs split by group)

Transportation to/from Bansko not included, but we're happy to help coordinate rideshares and share recommendations.

Where to stay

Our team and many participants will be staying at Chaletida Hotel in Bansko — where all sessions are hosted. A great location, with a small pool, garden, and outdoor kitchen. Each room is private with its own bathroom and key card. You're warmly welcome to join us there.

Note: availability on their website may not be fully up to date — just let us know your preference in the application form and we'll coordinate directly.

You're also free to find your own accommodation — but being in the same place makes the community experience richer.

🛏️ Double Room €290 for 10 nights (Dojo period) €29 / night · €450 / month
🛏️🛏️ Triple Room €460 for 10 nights (Dojo period) €46 / night · €650 / month
🏠 Maisonette (4) €640 for 10 nights (Dojo period) €64 / night · €980 / month
🌿 Staying longer? Monthly rates are a much better deal if you're coming for Nomad Fest or planning to explore Bansko before or after the Dojo. We recommend it.
Group rate possible. If enough participants stay at Chaletida, we may be able to negotiate a better rate. Let us know your accommodation preference in the application form and we'll do our best.

Just let us know your accommodation preference in the application form — we'll coordinate with the hotel on your behalf. Payment goes directly to the hotel.

Program Investment

Deposit €150 secures your spot. Remaining balance due by June 10th.

⏱️ Super Early Bird (€490) has closed. Secure your spot at Early Bird pricing before May 31st.
Regular
€590
Until June 15

Standard program investment.

Late Bird
€640
June 16 – 25

Still room for you.

Last Minute
€690
June 26 – July 2

Final spots only.

🤝 Bring a friend and you both get €50 off — every additional friend adds another €50 for both of you. No deadline on this.
💬 Financial concerns? We believe access to this work shouldn't be limited by budget. If the pricing is a barrier, reach out — we're open to discussing installment options or other arrangements. brave.dojo.official@gmail.com
The Program

10 Sessions.
30 Hours.

Sessions fit around your work and life. Weekday sessions run 16:00–19:00. Weekends go deeper with two sessions and a long integration break in between.

Fri July 3 · Arrival Welcome Evening 17:30 – 20:30 Home-cooked dinner together · getting to know each other · orientation · needs meditation. A gentle landing before the practice begins.
01
Weekend · July 4–5 Internal Foundation — The Inner Work
SAT 4 July ×2
Sessions 1 & 2 The Jackal & Feelings 10:00–13:00 · 15:00–18:00 Do you swallow your true thoughts to be "nice," only to resent the person later? → Learn to use inner judgments as clues to what matters to you. Pinpoint exactly what's happening inside so you don't get overwhelmed.
SUN 5 July ×2
Sessions 3 & 4 Empathy & Needs 10:00–13:00 · 15:00–18:00 When someone shares a problem, do you jump to advice? Do you take "No" personally? → Learn the superpower of Presence. Every "No" is a Yes to another need. Needs are never in conflict.
✦ Sunday July 5 · 20:00 Co-Creation Meeting After the Needs session, we sit together and design the week ahead based on what's alive in us. This is where the program becomes ours.
🌿 Mon July 6 · Break Day Rest · Work · Explore Let the first weekend sink in. Wander Bansko. Work. Sleep.
02
Weekdays · July 7–9 External Mastery — The Art of Connection
TUE 7 July
Session 5 Observation 16:00 – 19:00 "You always ignore me!" Most conflicts start because we mix facts with our stories. → Describe reality like a camera. Raise difficult topics without starting a fight in the first 10 seconds.
WED 8 July
Session 6 Requests — Part 1 16:00 – 19:00 Do you hint at what you want and hope they guess it? → Learn the specific syntax of a "Do-able Request." Ask for what you need without it becoming a demand.
THU 9 July
Session 7 Requests — Part 2 16:00 – 19:00 Asking is one thing. Handling a "No" with grace is another entirely. → The freedom to ask for what you need — and the grace to handle a "No" without taking it personally.
🌿 Fri July 10 · Break Day Rest · Work · Explore Breathe. Prepare for the final weekend.
03
Final Weekend · July 11–12 Integration — Bringing It All Together
SAT 11 July ×2
Sessions 8 & 9 Self-Connection & Connecting in Conflict 10:00–13:00 · 15:00–18:00 When pressure rises, we disconnect. When stakes are high — all theory goes out the window. → Become your own support. Role-play real scenarios. Hear the "Yes" behind someone's aggressive "No."
SUN 12 July
Session 10 + Closing Celebration, Mourning & Gratitude 10:00 – 13:00 · Community Lunch 13:00–14:30 We rush through life — skipping what worked and suppressing what hurt. → Learn to consciously mourn what didn't work and celebrate what did. Leave with wholeness, renewal, and readiness to give from fullness.
13–15 July
Optional Integration & Travel Hiking · local towns · we decide together as a community.
💻 Here to work? Your schedule is protected.
✓ Mornings free every day ✓ Weekday sessions 16:00–19:00 only ✓ Two full break days (Mon & Fri) ✓ Great coworking spaces in Bansko
Everything beyond sessions is optional. Join what calls you. Skip what doesn't.
🏔️ New to Bansko? We've got ideas for you.
🌲 Bonfire in the woods 🏔️ Hiking in Pirin National Park 🥶 Cold plunge in the river 🍷 Bulgarian wine evening 🚐 Day trip to Plovdiv* 💆 Spa · 🌳 Forest time
*We book the van. You split the cost. All activities co-decided.
Community Life

Shared Meals.

🍽️
Welcome Dinner · July 3 ✦ Included

Home-cooked together. Our first act of community. Come ready to chop vegetables and meet each other.

🍷
Farewell Dinner · July 11 ✦ Included

Somewhere beautiful in Bansko to close the journey together.

🌿
Weekend Lunches · July 4, 5 & 11

Between morning and afternoon sessions. Each pays their own.

🍜
Weekday Dinners · July 7, 8, 9

After sessions end at 19:00, we often eat together. Not compulsory. Each pays their own.

What People Say

From past participants.

"The Dojo was a unique and precious time to practice recognizing my feelings and needs, then being fully authentic and honest when expressing them. The two-week structure meant that I could form the habit of paying attention to what's alive in me and acting in alignment with that. This new way of being had time to sink in." — Past participant, Chiang Mai Cohort · 9/10
"I'd tell a friend that Brave Conversations Dojo is less like a traditional structured course and more like an immersive relational container. For me, the biggest impact wasn't the content alone, but how the community dynamics and communication unfolded in real time." — Past participant, Chiang Mai Cohort · 7/10
"I would tell them how it helped me to become a better listener, more compassionate, and more aware of my own and other people's feelings and needs." — Cihan, Chiang Mai Cohort · 10/10
Questions

Frequently Asked.

Can I work full-time during the Dojo?

Yes — this is designed for working professionals. Weekday sessions run 16:00–19:00 only. Mornings are entirely free. There are also two full break days (Monday July 6 and Friday July 10).

Do I need prior NVC experience?

No prior experience needed. Whether you're a total beginner or have practiced for years, the Dojo is designed to meet you where you are. We focus on embodied practice, not theory.

What's the refund policy?

Cancel within 72 hours of booking: full refund including deposit. Cancel after 72 hours but before paying remaining balance: deposit non-refundable, no further charge. Cancel after full payment, before June 15th: 50% refund of total paid. Cancel after June 15th: 25% refund. Found someone to take your spot? Full refund at any time.

Do you organize activities and excursions?

We're not a travel agency — but we love Bansko and will happily share ideas, help coordinate, and occasionally book logistics (like a van to Plovdiv). Activities are co-decided by the group. Organizing together is part of the NVC practice.

Is English required?

Sessions are in English. You don't need to be fluent — NVC is about the language of the heart, not perfect grammar. As long as you can communicate basic thoughts and feelings, you belong here.

Follow Along

See what we're
building.

Behind the scenes, stories from the community, and what NVC looks like in real life.

@brave.dojo
Bansko, Bulgaria · July 3–12, 2026

Ready to enter
the Dojo?

Bansko, Bulgaria · July 3–12, 2026 · From €540

Apply for Your Spot

Deposit €150 secures your place · Installment options available · Reach out if you have questions about pricing