This Book is a Brain Changer

I’ve been diving deep into Sarah Peyton’s book, “Your Resonant Self,” which has quickly risen to my “Top Therapy Books” list. In this work, Sarah seamlessly integrates interpersonal neurobiology, attachment research, trauma treatment, and non-violent communication skills into a powerful method for healing and growth.

Weaving together stories, research and guided meditations, Sarah helps her readers transform their inner voice and cultivate a warmer relationship with themselves. She calls this the “Resonating Self-Witness,” which can both engage in emotional experiences and simultaneously hold and observe ourselves with kindness and acceptance. The result is a literal brain changer.

Sarah defines resonance as “the experience of sensing that another being fully understands us and sees us with emotional warmth and generosity.” One of the primary tools she uses is the development of “resonant language,” which gives us the sense of joining with and being deeply understood. As Sarah wrote, “The way people speak to themselves can lead to long-term support and well-being or to stress and lack of resilience. When people change the way they speak to themselves, they change the way their brain works.”
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Compared to other neuroscience-heavy books, this one is remarkably easy to follow along. Sarah is skilled at simplifying complex understandings about the brain (with helpful graphics!) and other key psychological concepts, which makes this a rewarding read for both clinician and client alike.

It’s no surprise to me that the teachings are not only theoretical, but arose from Sarah’s own deep healing work; her sweetness and care can be felt on every page.

This method of developing a caring self-witness is not new (what is new under the sun?), and may remind you of many other therapeutic orientations and spiritual practices. But the synthesis of multiple disciplines and the explanation of relevant brain functions is unique. In the end, as Sarah tells us, what works best is what most resonates with you.

I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking to heal their own pain, soothe their inner critic or understand themselves on a deeper level! And you can listen to her meditations for free here!