Nethra Samarawickrema | Guest: This Anthro Life

Coach

Nethra Samarawickrema is an anthropologist, coach, and
writer based in Sausalito, California. Her work is grounded in
a unique method that combines Nonviolent Communication
(NVC), ethnography, and design thinking. She has a PhD in
anthropology from Stanford University and has been
practicing Nonviolent Communication for 22 years. She has
taught at the Stanford d.School, alongside her collaborator
Yuri Zaitsev. Together, they run the Listening Lab where they
host workshops on unblocking writing, collaboration, and
difficult conversations.

Through her coaching practice, Listen Up, she brings the transformative capacity of empathy to help people discover their needs. She provides a space where people can express all their complex and contradictory feelings and access what they most want
to bring into their lives but have been blocked from realizing. She has found that when her clients access what matters most to them, dramatic transformations happen in their lives.

Dec. 2, 2024

Stop Chasing Success—Find Fulfillment Instead

Have you ever felt successful on the outside but empty on the inside? In this episode of This Anthro Life, host Adam Gamwell speaks with Dr. Nethra Samarawickrema about the struggles of modern work-life, the tension between authenticity and belonging and why many of us feel disconnected from our careers.

Guest: Nethra Samarawickrema

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An Anthropologist's Perspective on Nonviolent Communication Through Art of Listening

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March 14, 2024

An Anthropologist's Perspective on Nonviolent Communication Through Art of Listening

In this compelling episode of This Anthro Life, the discussion delves into the multifaceted world of anthropology, academia, and personal development. Nethra Samarawickrema shares her perspective on topics ranging from the origins of anthropology to the challenges of fieldwork and knowledge production. Key themes include the importance of active listening in fieldwork, navigating the tension between academic pursuits and community respect, and the impact of nonviolent communication in scholarly and professional environments. Additionally, the conversation explores avenues for creativity, achieving work-life balance, and finding fulfillment outside academia, including alternative career paths like UX design and coaching. Join us in this awakening episode, you might reflect on your own experiences with academic research or personal growth journeys, and how they intersect with the broader themes discussed.

Guest: Nethra Samarawickrema

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March 23, 2022

On Being Heard and Learning to Listen with Nethra Samarawickrema

When we think about social science and social scientists working out in the world, we tend to jump to the science part, you know jobs that focus on research - consumer research, user experience research, or qualitative studies for non-profits. But if...

Guest: Nethra Samarawickrema

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