Rachel Pontin
Rachel has been learning Nonviolent Communication since 2004 and teaching since 2015. She’s worked with schools and communities in Albany, Denmark, Perth, Pemberton, Margaret River and Canberra. She’s currently working towards her CNVC certification. Rachel has been unofficially apprenticed to NVC under her mother, Marg Pontin, and they now run Talk Your Peace together as a mother-daughter team.
Rachel studied resonance and trauma with Sarah Peyton online, including the year-long course Integrating The Shadow in 2023, and is interested in the neurobiology of learning and emotions, executive functioning and how brains and people change. She completed her Certificate in Embodiment Coaching with Embodiment Unlimited in 2025.
She homeschooled her neurodivergent teenager who has gifted her with ample opportunities to practice patience, reconnection, co-regulation and self-regulation.
She’s a director and co-owner at The Health Nut, a small health food business in Albany.
She’s lived in communities, share housing, house-sits, rentals and is now growing a food forest in her suburban backyard in Albany. She has hosted over four hundred international travellers in her home over twelve years via Couchsurfing, Workaway and other hospitality platforms. This taught her about trust, safety and how common our human needs are across cultures. There have been a lot of informal NVC sessions in her loungeroom and around the dinner table!
She has a background in permaculture and martial arts (she did her Permaculture Design Course at Fair Harvest in Margaret River in 2013, Permaculture Teacher Training in 2022 at the same venue, and is a blue belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu as well as 4 years of MMA). This has given her a solid background in systems thinking, adult learning and the interplay between movement and emotional regulation. She sees NVC as a powerful system for the ‘people care’ ethic in permaculture.
Her definition of NVC is ‘a powerful framework, a philosophy and a set of practical tools for aligning our behaviour and communication with our core values’.
Rachel is a writer and keeps a blog. She launched a Talk Your Peace YouTube channel where you can find short videos on NVC. She’s planning to develop more online NVC resources including courses and memberships. Rachel and Marg at Talk Your Peace have a comprehensive training package for school leaders, with extensive experience teaching NVC to school staff and parents.
Rachel is particularly interested in bringing NVC to young men, homeschoolers, permies, people living in intentional communities, the queer community and neurodiverse people. She is also offering workshops on shame, as a powerful way to understand difficult behaviour.
Talk Your Peace is a Western Australian leader in Nonviolent Communication training. We share tools and frameworks for better relationships and communication based on NVC principles. Between us we have over thirty years of experience in teaching Nonviolent Communication. We offer NVC trainings & resources to move towards a world that is consent-based, respectful, authentic and compassionate.
What people say about Rachel:
‘Visual and sensory items aided the learning process, along with the small group and the sensitiveness of the facilitators.’ – Attendee
‘Loved clear and practical explanations, lots of practice opportunities especially going for a walk! And the cards. Enjoyed seeing both trainers model empathy and clear communication both to each other. Really found the dance floor demo clear and helpful (eg. Rachel’s empathy guesses).’ – Attendee
‘Really enjoyed the revision of yesterday’s concepts & practice with group & Rachel & Marg. Loved opportunity to mix groups and role play scenarios.’ – Teacher
‘Great introduction to in person NVC, powerful insight into shame. Super helpful day. Thankyou!’ – Attendee
‘Before I signed up, I was trying to figure out how to communicate without shame and blame, anger and rage. It helped (me attend the event) to have concession prices and payment plans. I enjoyed the posters and being able to take photos of these, also books to browse. The slow pacing of material and exercises was helpful. Being present and silent for others. Learning about faux feelings. I feel more confident after each training session. I want more! Enjoyed the connections with other participants.
This is the simplest and most profound way to understand yourself and others, and to be able to live a more enriched life and feel connected to others.’ – Mandy
Contact Details
Rachel’s blog: www.rachelpontin.com.au
Talk Your Peace: www.talkyourpeace.com.au
Sign up to our newsletter: https://rachelpontin.systeme.io/peace
Facebook: www.facebook.com/talkyourpeacewa
Rachel Pontin
Trainings offered by Rachel Pontin
See:
Rachel’s blog: www.rachelpontin.com.au
Talk Your Peace: www.talkyourpeace.com.au
Sign up to our newsletter: https://rachelpontin.systeme.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/
Interests
Rachel has been learning NVC from 2004 and teaching around WA since 2015, while working towards CNVC certification. Rachel apprenticed with her CNVC trainer mum, Marg Pontin, and runs ‘Talk Your Peace’ in Albany WA with her.
Rachel’s background is in NVC, Parenting, Permaculture, BJJ, MMA, embodiment coaching, writing and hosting Couchsurfers. She homeschooled her neurodivergent teen.
Rachel works with schools & communities, and teaches shame & grief workshops.