In the latest edition of MysticMag interviews, we explore the transformative work of Sarah Peyton, a passionate neuroscience educator and certified Nonviolent Communication trainer. From her personal journey shaped by trauma to her innovative use of resonant language, Sarah shares how she helps others heal and embrace self-compassion through her unique blend of relational neuroscience and emotional insight.
Who is Sarah Peyton? Can you share a few details about your professional background/journey with our readers?
I’m a passionate amateur neuroscientist and a certified trainer in Nonviolent Communication (NVC). My journey into this field began when I first discovered NVC and was struck by its impact. I couldn’t help but wonder, “Why does this work?” This question led me to the world of relational neuroscience, where I started exploring how language and empathy can actually transform the brain and improve its function.
My work took on a profound personal significance due to my son, whom I adopted. He had a challenging early life, and as an adult, he began experiencing flashbacks from his traumatic past. In his search for relief, he turned to alcohol, which, tragically, ultimately claimed his life. This experience shaped my drive to understand trauma and find ways to help others who may feel trapped by its effects. Although I couldn’t save my son, I wanted to ensure that others could find a pathway to healing.
This pursuit of trauma-informed neuroscience has become, for me, a matter of life and death. I’ve focused on making “brains better places to live,” helping people move past the self-blame and negative beliefs often rooted in early trauma. Receiving letters from people whose lives have changed as a result of this work is incredibly meaningful to me. By fostering deep self-compassion and understanding how trauma affects the brain, I hope to help others experience the inner healing that enables them to live fuller, healthier lives.
What methods do you use in your work to support your clients’ healing?
In my work, I view healing as a peer-to-peer approach rather than traditional therapy. This is because the individuals involved aren’t therapists and aren’t working from a clinical or diagnostic perspective. Instead, the approach centers on how we carefully use language with each other. By avoiding instrumental language—that is, language that tells others what to do—and recognizing the unique way trauma affects the brain’s perception of time, we create an environment for healing.
In trauma, time can feel stuck. Traumatized parts of the brain can’t experience events as “in the past,” so those painful moments feel like they’re still happening now. Understanding this opens up a kind of “time travel” where we bring resonance and compassion to the young parts of ourselves that lived through these difficult experiences.
The methods I use are all forms of “resonant language,” which engages the right hemisphere—the part of the brain most involved in relational and emotional healing. This includes techniques like using feelings and needs from Nonviolent Communication, describing body sensations, and creating fresh, visual imagery through metaphor and simile. I also use “impossible dream” guesses, where we imagine a fantastical wish that captures the person’s struggles, as well as humor and non-insulting swearing to express magnitude (“That was effing amazing!”). These expressions add flexibility to the brain, helping people feel more understood and known.
The second approach is “time travel,” where we focus on the hero’s journey of our own lives, reconnecting with parts of ourselves to heal. Finally, I use a technique called “unconscious contract work.” Here, we uncover deep relational needs—like the desire to save, love, or belong—that can lead to unhelpful behavioral patterns in adulthood. Identifying and shifting these unconscious contracts brings a powerful transformation, helping us release the burdens we’ve carried from unmet longings. These three approaches—resonant language, time travel, and contract work—are the foundation of my practice, guiding people back to their true, resilient selves.
How are your courses structured and what can people hope to learn from them?
My courses are structured to build skills progressively while also addressing specific personal challenges. For foundational skills, I offer a sequence called Resonant Language 101, 102, and 103, where participants learn the techniques I’ve described, like resonant language and the time travel framework for healing. These classes cover the essential tools for connecting deeply with ourselves and others and are designed to strengthen communication skills that foster healing and self-compassion.
Some courses approach things from a different angle by focusing on particular life challenges or emotional patterns. For example, a course might center on untangling from projection—how we might unknowingly place past pain onto present relationships. Others focus on managing perfectionism, navigating anxiety, or working through patterns formed when raised by a parent who couldn’t offer warmth due to their own trauma. By targeting specific issues, these classes help people find relatable entry points into the work.
Once people start with a course that resonates with their personal struggles, they often return to the foundational classes to explore the broader structure and deeper techniques. This way, the courses allow for both targeted problem-solving and the steady building of core skills that ultimately support holistic, long-term growth.
What kind of certification do you offer?
I offer a Resonant Healing Practitioner Certification, which provides training in resonant healing but isn’t equivalent to a therapy degree. This program runs a bit over a year and guides participants through an intensive process that involves both written homework and hands-on practice with small groups and partners. The aim is to help practitioners thoroughly understand and embrace the beauty and limitations of resonant language, honing the discipline to use it consistently in session work. This approach to resonant language requires a unique level of dedication and rigor, helping participants become skilled at supporting others with this transformative communication style.
You are also an author. What can you tell me about that part of your work?
I’ve authored four books, three of which were published by W.W. Norton in New York City, and one in collaboration with Eric Kohler in the San Francisco Bay Area. My first book, Your Resonant Self, explores the neuroscience of self-compassion, providing readers with insights into how understanding the brain can foster kindness toward oneself. This was followed by Your Resonant Self Workbook, which addresses the question, “Why can’t I be kind to myself, even with this knowledge?” It includes exercises based on neuroscience and acupuncture to help activate the brain’s emotional and motivational systems.
My third book, Affirmations for Turbulent Times, has even been translated into Portuguese and sold in supermarket checkout aisles! It offers comfort and resilience tools for moments of hardship, whether related to health, finances, isolation, or stress. Lastly, The Anti-Racist Heart, co-authored with Roxy Manning, focuses on dismantling internalized racism, class, caste, or privilege. This collaboration provides a pathway for understanding and addressing these deep-seated issues, offering a compassionate approach to personal and societal healing.
Is there anything else about your work that you’d like to share that we haven’t covered?
One of the most essential messages in my work is understanding that when we think negatively about ourselves, those thoughts are not grounded in truth but in trauma. We often internalize beliefs that we’re “too much,” “not enough,” “not smart,” or any number of self-critical narratives. These aren’t truths—they’re the lingering impact of past trauma. My work helps people uncover and challenge these beliefs, revealing a more compassionate, accurate self-perception as they engage with these healing tools. It’s about recognizing these thoughts as remnants of trauma rather than as definitions of who we truly are.
To learn more about Sarah’s work, you can visit sarahpeyton.com
