Compassionate Communication instructor Steve Torma

Steve Torma

Compassion Camp Co-Director and Nonviolent Communication Faculty

Steve (he/him) was born and raised on a family farm in Ashtabula, Ohio, and is a 25-year member of Earthaven Ecovillage. His ancestors are Hungarian and French Canadian.

Steve co-founded an intentional community in Ohio in 1980, where he lived until joining Earthaven Ecovillage in 1996. At Earthaven, he co-founded a thriving neighborhood, was president for three years, and has taught Nonviolent Communication for twelve years. In addition to his passion for community, Steve co-managed a natural foods co-op for 10 years, ran his own traveling bookstore business for over 20 years, and now teaches Nonviolent Communication and other relationship and community building skills through The REAL Center, which he co-founded in 2009. 

As a lifelong peace, justice, and ecology educator and activist with over 40 years of community living, Steve has sought to integrate personal and social transformation in his own life, in the communities where he lives, and in the larger society. His passion for integral living and thinking has led him to study and experiment with a wide range of spiritualities, psychological systems, and social theories as they relate to creating a more just and sustainable world.

Steve has taught Nonviolent Communication for a variety of intentional communities, organizations, and regional gatherings, including Celo Community, The Mountain Retreat Center, Firefly Gathering, Southeast Permaculture Gathering, Organic Growers School, Kinnection Campout, LovEvolution Gathering, Compassion Camp, and many others.