Communication and Relationship Building in Community
6-Week Online Course | Starts October 8, 2025
Learn how and when to listen deeply, when to work through disagreements vs when to let them go, and how to help others in your community to do the same.
Course fee: $120-$300 USD
Individual class fee: $20-$50 USD
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Communication & Relationship Building in Community
Classes in this course are suitable for:
Community Newcomers | 
Community Seekers | 
Community Starters | 
Community Residents
Course Description
Communication is the bedrock of any solid relationship – and even more important in a communal setting. Good communication is essential for strong communities yet it’s surprisingly common for it to fail, even among dedicated, caring and intelligent community members. Putting time and energy into learning and using structured communication pays huge dividends in connection, especially in times of disagreement.
Although conflict is inevitable, effective communication and relationship skills can make it less common, less painful and more productive. When we do conflict well, we grow personally and in our community relationships. When we add good discernment, we can avoid conflicts that aren’t useful and devote our energy to those that build trust and connection.
In the Communication and Relationship Building in Community course, relationship coach and course instructor Karen Gimnig will walk you through the many facets of communicating with others in community and why it’s so important to hone these skills. You will walk away from this course feeling more empowered to speak your mind, to discern your thoughts and be a better listener.
Live classes are hosted on Zoom. All classes are recorded and available on our learning platform within 24 hours after each class ends and through 60 days after the last class.
When you register for the full course, you’ll have the option to download Karen Gimnig and Yana Ludwig’s e-book, The Cooperative Culture Handbook.
Course Syllabus
All Communication and Relationship Building in Community classes are held on Wednesdays from 10am-12pm Pacific / 11am-1pm Mountain / 12pm-2pm Central / 1pm-3pm Eastern. You can view your local time here.
October 8: Listening: What We Miss and Why It Matters
- The need for deep listening
- Mirroring: a structure for deep listening
- How and when to use mirroring
October 15: Discernment: How To Pick Your Fights
- Identifying priorities
- Balancing community and self
- How decisions impact relationships
- Validation
- Emotional and cognitive elements
October 22: Feeling Safe Enough To Be Vulnerable
- Balancing safety and vulnerability
- Creating a trusting community
- Making and receiving requests
- Vulnerability and connection
- Empathy
October 29: Embracing Disagreement
- Welcoming disagreement
- Differences and curiosity
- Words to use in disagreement
- Power dynamics
November 5: Facilitation: Finding Common Ground
- Creating spaces where minds can change
- Authority and how it is granted
- Preparing for a meeting
- Variable activities
- Common ground and choices
November 12: Healthy Feedback for Healthy Community
- Why feedback matters
- Giving feedback
- Receiving feedback
- Avoiding put downs and negativity
November 19:Q&A Session
- Ask any additional questions
- Get personalized help
- Networking
The Q&A session is optional and will take place from 10am-11am Pacific / 11am-12pm Mountain / 12pm-1pm Central / 1pm-2pm Eastern. You must register for the full course to attend the Q&A session, and this session will NOT be recorded.
Your instructor
Karen Gimnig
Karen is a group facilitator, motivational speaker and relationship coach. Her passion is to help groups achieve their goals for connected and trusting relationships through skill building and personal exploration.
As an Imago Facilitator, Karen uses the theory and practice of Imago Relationships to guide teams and communities through the complexity of working together. She helps groups and individuals identify root causes of challenges and then walks beside them offering gentle support as they seek solutions.
Karen enjoys working with non-profit organizations, communities (including communities of faith), and workplaces. Her clients describe her as “profoundly effective,” increasing trust and providing simple (but not easy) tools for improved communication and relationships.
You can learn more about Karen and her services here.
Testimonials
Registration
You might also be interested in
- Navigating Conflict & Restoring Connection (Inside Community Podcast episode with Ted Rau)
- The Cooperative Culture Handbook (book)
- Understanding Diversity in Community (10-hour pre-recorded course)
The elements of an online course
Online learning platform
Once you register for the full course, you’ll get access to our learning area that includes:
- class video recordings, audio files, and transcripts for learning on the go
- interactive presentations
- recommended books with access to course participant discount
- class slides and other course materials
- a dedicated discussion forum to connect with your classmates
Live interactive sessions
Each week you join a 2-hour live class with the course instructor, where you learn in a group setting with:
- the opportunity for questions and answers, and personalized support
- break out sessions
- group discussions
Classes are recorded if you miss one, and you will have 60 days after the last class to view recordings.
Journey with a cohort
You’ll join participants from around the world how, like you, want to learn how to be better communitarians. Benefits include:
- opportunities to connect with like-minded people
- opportunities to share ideas and stories
- a network of support to carry your community project forward
