It takes a team, always.

I am a Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN) and have been for over 40 years. Much of my career has been spent in forensic and community psychiatry.

Qualifications

I am pursuing by Bachelors in Psychiatric Nursing and I am due to complete this late 2026.

I am qualified to teach Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) and even received training from the fantastic Marsha Linehan. If you get a chance to read her memoir, I highly recommend it.

I am also qualified to teach Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and have been teaching groups for the last 20+ years.

I am a Certified Nonviolent Communication trainer, which involved extensive training and practice spanning five years.

Why Choose Marla?

I ground my work and my personal life in the core values of Nonviolent Communication which are clarity, honesty, empathy, and shared responsibility.

I’m committed to helping people uncover what is really driving conflict, communicate without defensiveness, and build relationships that actually work.

I don’t teach NVC as a script or a set of polite phrases; I teach it as a practical, usable framework that supports real change. That’s what NVC is all about: a life-changing way to approach one another and better communicate.

Choosing me as a trainer means you get someone who’s direct, grounded, and focused on outcomes. I create learning environments that are safe to speak plainly, explore discomfort, and build skills that hold up in real-world situations. My goal is always the same: to help you communicate with more confidence, more choice, and more connection, wherever you need it most.

Does Marla Work Alone?

As an NVC trainer, I often bring NVC students on board because developing new trainers is essential for the long-term strength and reach of this work.

With more trainers equipped, confident, and grounded in NVC, the method can spread further into workplaces, schools, healthcare, community programs, and everyday relationships. The more trainers we develop, the more likely it is that NVC becomes accessible, normalized, and widely understood across sectors.

As well as students, I have key relationships with the background team (Marky Herkel) who helps with I.T and administration. I would be lost without his computer magic!