What if improving the way we communicate begins not with changing our words, but with changing the way we think?
That is the idea at the heart of Nonviolent Communication (NVC), a framework that encourages us to look beyond judgments and understand the human needs behind every action. Before meeting Yi Han, I knew very little about NVC. By the end of our conversation, however, I found myself questioning the way I think, speak, and even relate to myself.
Who is Tan Yi Han?
Tan Yi Han is the Head of Education and Impact at GUILD Asia, co-founder of PM.Haze, a facilitator and practitioner of Nonviolent Communication (NVC), and an active member of A Good Space Co-operative (AGS). Across these roles, he is passionate about creating spaces where people can communicate with greater empathy, navigate conflict more constructively, and build deeper human connections.
Discovering Nonviolent Communication
Yi Han first encountered NVC almost unexpectedly. He described it as a moment of clarity, like a thunderbolt. Before that, he had been drawn to ideas of building an ideal community where people from different backgrounds come together. NVC became part of that vision, but more importantly, it became something that changed how he saw himself. He spoke about reading a book called Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg that reframed the way he understood “right” and “wrong.” It challenged the quiet violence we often carry in everyday thoughts, especially the inner critic we rarely question. That idea stayed with him. It made him wonder why he struggled so much with self judgment, and whether there was another way to relate to himself.
Over time, NVC softened something in him. It helped him move from judgment to understanding, not by ignoring behaviour, but by recognising the human needs underneath it. He shared that this shift allowed him to accept both himself and others more fully, even in moments where he did not agree with actions or decisions. For him, it was not just communication. It was a way of finding peace.
Why NVC Is a Lifelong Practice
But Yi Han was also honest about how difficult this work is. He described NVC as something closer to learning a new language than attending a workshop. It is not something people change into overnight. It requires repetition, discomfort, and patience as the brain slowly unlearns habits of judgment and learns to respond with thoughtfulness. Many people start with interest, he shared, but only a small number continue the practice consistently over time. Even when people do not continue, he still hopes the exposure plants something in them.
Looking Beneath the Surface
He shared one story that stayed with me: A participant once started to attend the NVC workshops. Through NVC, he began to see situations differently, especially moments of tension. One day, his partner asked for an expensive gift, an Apple Watch. His first reaction was resistance. It felt unreasonable to him. But in that moment, he paused and asked a different question instead: what need is this request trying to meet? That shift changed everything. Instead of arguing about the object, he began to understand the underlying need behind it. Eventually, he chose to buy the watch.
This story reminded Yi Han that this was not about the gift itself. It was about how understanding needs can transform conflict into connection. At its core, he said, it is always about human needs.
Turning Concern into Action
When asked about the future, he admitted he does not think in fixed five-year plans. Instead, he sees himself continuing work in NVC, communication, and areas like bullying prevention. He also shared a past project that shaped him deeply, the People’s Movement to Stop Haze, which he founded in response to environmental concerns he could not ignore. That experience taught him what it means to turn concern into action, even when the path is uncertain.
If there was one reflection he returned to again and again, it was this: action matters more than complaint. But action is also more sustainable when it is grounded in understanding, not frustration.
A Conversation That Changed My Perspective
Throughout the interview, Yi Han also made us reflect a lot on ourselves. More than just sharing his own journey, he constantly brought the conversation back to how we think, how we relate to others, and how we move through life. It inspired me to reflect more deeply on my own patterns, and I realised that my perspective on self reflection and everyday interactions had shifted quite significantly after the conversation. There was also something very grounding about his presence. Even though he described himself as introverted, he still gave a lot of his time and energy to meet with us and engage in the conversation. I left feeling genuinely grateful for that. There was a sincerity in the way he spoke and listened that made the entire experience feel human and unforced.
Final Reflections
More than anything, I walked away feeling more introspective and appreciative. It encouraged me not just to think differently about NVC, but to also check in more intentionally with myself and with the people around me, including supervisors, peers, and the communities we are part of.
In many ways, the conversation did not just teach me something new. It changed the way I look at reflection itself.
To find out more about Yi Han’s work, you can find him on Instagram at @yihan.dreams and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanyihan/.
This is part of a series called People Behind Purpose, where we sit down with changemakers in A Good Space to discover more about their work, build deeper connections, and gain fresh perspectives on creating social impact.
Through these conversations, we hope to share our experiences, reflections, and key takeaways so that others can be inspired by the journeys and insights of those driving change in our community.
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Written by Ye Weixuan – [Programmes and Community Engagement Intern]
