Testimonials & References
What People
Say
About the book:
“Don’t Be Nice, Be Real.” by Kelly Bryson MFT
“Prepare yourself for some unsettling and unconventional answers to the big questions of happiness and relationships. Kelly¹s real life stories, humor and refreshing theories teach the mechanics of integrity and authenticity.”
John Gray, Ph.D.,
Author of Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus
“Kelly takes his experience as a counselor and trainer for the Centers for Nonviolent Communication, adds his own wit, wisdom and humor to create an entertaining expression of universal communication principles and self awareness insights.”
Marshall B. Rosenberg, Ph.D., Founder of the
Centers for Nonviolent Communication.
“No one can fully love
until they are fully real. Don’t Be Nice, Be Real takes important steps toward
teaching us how to be real, and therefore how to love.”
Warren Farrell, Ph.D. Author, Women Can’t Hear What Men Don’t Say and
The Myth of Male Power
“Thanks for taking Morrie’s inspiration to heart.”
Mitch Albom, Author of Tuesdays with Morrie, and The Five
People You Meet in Heaven.
“Kelly Bryson is a sincere, honest, open-minded, compassionate, and creative communicator, with a wily wit. I honor Kelly for the wealth of experience he has gathered in nonviolent communication, and the way he has put his lessons together in Don’t Be Nice, Be Real. Practicing the techniques in this book can move you out of old patterns and bring greater authenticity and aliveness to your life and relationships. ”
Alan
Cohen, Author of I Had It All the Time, A Deep Breath of Life, The Dragon doesn’t Live here anymore, Are you as Happy as your Dog? & 17 other best selling books.
“This book is a must read if you want to move beyond diagnostic categories, and toward the intimacy that comes from genuinely sharing your reality. Kelly Bryson speaks with authority about how to shift from angry defensiveness and control to relationships based on compassionate authenticity.”
Brad Blanton, Ph.D., Author of Radical Honesty and co-author (with Neale Donald Walsch) of Honest To God
“I feel like our souls wrote this book together, as I am so aligned with it’s message. I am privileged and honored to endorse it. It is a breathtakingly original mix of humor, radical wisdom, and new culture spirituality. Superbly written, easy to read, great stories, shatters the illusions that cause ‘self abandonment’, and unwraps dynamics of freedom and security, the mystery of love relationships.”
Stan Dale, Founder of the Human Awareness Institute, author, featured on Oprah, Donahue, Geraldo, on faculty of the Inst. For the Advanced Study of Human Sexuality and voice of the “Lone Ranger”
“In living the principles taught in this simple yet profound book, my life has dramatically improved. I now experience more harmony, more hugging, more laughter, and much more love! Kelly’s style is hilarious and holy - and will convince readers of all ages of the spiritual practicality of putting oneself first.”
Diana Loomans, Author of “Full Esteem Ahead”, “The Laughing Classroom”, Positively Mother Goose, and The Lovables, President of the Quantum Success Institute & Global Learning
“Learning to speak my heart fully without blame or shame, and learning to reach into the experience of another through empathy – these have been two great gifts of Nonviolent Communication(sm).”
Vicki Robin, Co-author, YOUR MONEY OR YOUR LIFE, co-founder of The New Roadmap Foundation
“Don’t Be Nice, Be Real is probably one of the most authentic books about compassion and relationships
I’ve ever read. For the first time ever, there is a book that stands apart from its competitors with its unique philosophy about compassionate selfishness. It may sound like an oxymoron, but believe me, its not.
Jennie S. Bev,
Author of Guide to Becoming a Management Consultant, and the Managing Editor of BookReviewClub.com.
“I found your examples and stories very helpful–they were specific enough that the abstract concept became a real experience. I enjoyed your word play (Cling-On, the Blame that Binds, Non-Rushin’ Orthodox) and your humanness. You showed the readers you’re just like us; we can relate to an author who hurts, says things he may regret, and dares to speak up to meet his needs. It is a book I’ll recommend along with Rosenberg’s when I am teaching and sharing Nonviolent Communication(sm). When I’m in my accommodating mode, I feel the courage to speak up for my needs because you’ve showed me often in the book how it has worked.”
Moreah Vestan,
Author of Pleasures and Ponderings: From Nun to Nudist to Now, Nonviolent Communication(sm) Trainer, Columnist.
“Kelly, Reading your book and finding it so full of clarity and fun and it is reaffirming of all I have been learning and teaching in NVC with new insights galore! Thank you heaps!”
Martine Algier,
Authorized Trainer for the Center for Nonviolent Communication(sm) for many years.
“I finished reading your book. I liked reading it as it felt very authentic and close to life. I thought the development of your book is interesting, starting more with examples of how to communicate nonviolently in our society and leading to more of a philosophy/utopia towards the end. Also, I gave your book to one of my German friends who is rather sensitive and receptive. He was very moved by just reading the first chapter. He stopped reading, because he said it was too much recognizing how he became “nice” when staying at his parents place who are dreadfully nice.”
Annette Deyhle, Ph.D., Research Scientist Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Postdoc researcher at
University of California, San Diego
“The book inspired me immensely, I have only read 3/4 of it a few months ago, I think of it w/ excitement for sitting down and studying it for about a month. Anyway, it’s dense with nuggets of different subtleties of the dance of human hearts.”
Stuart Watson, MPA, Mediator, State Coordinator for Oregon State Network for
Compassionate Communication
“Kelly Bryson wrote this book from the experience of a student and a teacher. His personal testimony shows how he walked for miles in “nice” shoes, fell down emotionally, but picked himself up eventually to help others. There are plenty of sample dialogs to train the reader for verbally expressing the way they feel, without fear of retribution. I recommend this book for all nice people who fear the word no.”
Judine Slaughter, Editor, Express Yourself Books
“Thank you for writing your book!! I was very touched by your sense of humour, vulnerability and your
incredible stories – they definitely sparked some personal healing insights for me while I read your book. I have been recommending the book to lots to friends, colleagues and coaching clients as one of the best personal growth books I have read in a long time (and I’ve been around the block with hundreds of books and workshops over the years!!). I am also in the early stages of writing my own book and have struggled with many of the self doubts that you described in your book so your work has helped me to reframe those doubts and move forward anyways.”
Jacqueline Peters,
Coaching & Facilitating for Insights that Lead to Results
“I am enjoying your book DON’T BE NICE, BE HONEST very much. It is filled with deep insights and unusual ways of expressing ideas that grabbed my attention and made them really sink in. I just finished reading Dr. Marshall Rosenberg’s book NONVIOLENT COMMUNICATION. Although both your books are about the same subject: compassionate communication, they are written from different perspectives and complement each other very well. Dr. Rosenberg’s book is written more from the perspective of the perpetrator, whereas yours is written more from the victim perspective. Both I can very well identify with. Thank you!”
Gisela Sommer,
Nutritionist, Orange County, California
“Generally-a moving and inspiring book. I love your personal sharings-it makes the content more real and models showing one’s vulnerabliity. The narrative seems more like a story and less like a dry, overly-organized textbook. The first ten chapters cover well 16 ideas of NVC. Your book is more a narrative than Marshall’s. I prefer your style. Too much organization dampens the passion. Chapters 12 to 15 are each a
world of healing-loved them!”
Joel Rosenfeld, Professor
of Psychology, Golden West College Huntington Beach, CA
”Thanks for your great book and inspiration. What you have shared with me has been very, very important in working with my psyche. I of course think every one needs a copy of your book. I haven’t sold as many as I would like, but I keep promoting them in my classes and on line. One step at a time for humankind.”
Gururattan Kaur Khalsa
Ph.D., Teacher & author of Transitions to a Heart-Centered World & The Destiny of Women Is the Destiny of the World
“Thanks for your great book and inspiration. What you have shared with me has been very, very important in working with my psyche. Everyone needs a copy of your book. I keep promoting it in my classes and online. One step at a time for humankind.”
“Marshall Rosenburg provides us with the most effective tools to foster health and relationships. This is the missing link in my work.”
Deepak Chopra, MD
“These techniques transform potential conflicts into peaceful dialogues”
John Gray, Ph. D.
“I believe the principles and techniques of Nonviolent Communication(sm) can literally change the world, but more importantly, they can change the quality of your life. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Jack Canfield, Author of Chicken Soup for the Soul Series
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