Yes, we can go there.
Talking about things that matter.
“When (Peggy Haymes) shares stories, they land.
Not as performance,
but as precise, timely insights
that shift how you see things”
Topics
for business and corporate events
keynotes, seminars and workshops
The Gift of Goldfish Grief: Unexpected ways to boost your emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence is at the core of leadership success and strong relationships. At the core of emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize and manage our feelings.
But how do we do that if we don’t know what we’re feeling in the first place?
In The Gift of Goldfish Grief I connect the gift of everyday experiences as pathways for learning our own emotional landscape: recognizing what we’re feeling and knowing what to do with that feeling. In so doing we bolster our emotional intelligence, opening doors to career and relationship success.
What you’ll take away
Attendees will
• Discover a pathway to strengthening their leadership by nurturing emotional intelligence
• Identify a common hurdle to developing emotional intelligence and how to move beyond it
• Recognize the power of everyday experiences to foster growth.
Topics
for motivational and inspirational events
keynotes, seminars and workshops
You Can’t Flunk Grief:
Why grief isn’t about getting it right and what you can do instead
Grief is hard enough without grading our work and second guessing our efforts.
You Can’t Flunk Grief challenges the beliefs that grief should have one path, that we should feel one kind of way, or that faith should provide one neat answer to all all of our questions. With both humor and insight, I invite us to remove the expectations of shoulds and step into the messy realities of grief without self judgment.
Attendees will
• Move beyond seeing grief as a series of tasks to be done in a particular order
• Let go of judging their own feelings as right or wrong
• Discover the freedom to embrace their particular grief journey
Choosing Gratitude (Except When You Can’t):
What to do when life is less than inspirational
Gratitude is a powerful force. and choosing it can make all the difference in our lives. But what if you just can’t get there?
Out of my own experience experience as all as over two decades of experience as a licensed therapist, I offer a way to embrace all of our feelings without losing our way or judging ourselves for having them.
Even those not Instagram-worthy.
Attendees will
• Discover the power of gratitude to shape and shift our lives
• Learn the difference between embracing gratitude and practicing toxic positivity
• Find a path for listening to and honoring all of their feelings as part of a richer and deeper life
Let’s connect!
Retreats
I’m available to design and lead a custom retreat for your church, women’s group or other organization.
As a leader, I receive consistent positive feedback for my ability to inspire and encourage a group by the sessions I lead, balancing what I share with the group with facilitating rich conversation among participants.
What previous retreat participants have said:
Peggy was… insightful, caring, humorous, and prepared. I cannot imagine anyone better suited.
I loved the flow of Peggy and her sessions were so relevant
Liked that speaker was warm, gentle, truth-telling, good humor…
Peggy was fabulous!
What people are saying about Peggy Haymes
Peggy Haymes is an exceptional speaker with a rare ability to combine deep knowledge, clarity, and calm. Her command of the subject matter is evident, but what truly sets her apart is how she anchors a conversation and brings a measured approach to every exchange. Anyone who listens to our podcast series together can hear this firsthand—by episode four, Peggy had taken my typically boisterous, high-energy style and gently guided it from frenetic to tranquil. That influence speaks volumes about her presence, professionalism, and skill as a communicator.
Tommy Bateman, Host of Mind & Medicine: A Sentara Podcast
Peggy brings a calm, grounded presence that immediately puts the room at ease. There’s no long warm-up or over-explaining. You find yourself going straight into the work, and somehow it just works.
What stood out most was how skillfully she held the space while letting the group do the heavy lifting. The breakout sessions weren’t filler. They were where real insight and movement happened, even in the very first session.
She has a strong intuitive sense of what’s needed in the moment. She reads the room effortlessly and offers just the right reflection or question to unlock something deeper. When she shares stories, they land. Not as performance, but as precise, timely insights that shift how you see things.
People opened up quickly. Things surfaced without being forced. That kind of trust doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from real experience, and she clearly has it.
If you’re looking for someone who can guide a group into meaningful, honest work without pressure or theatrics, she does it exceptionally well.
Ellie Clarke, Ardmore United Methodist Church Women's Retreat
Radical Welcoming Committee Member at Ardmore United Methodist Church, Winston-Salem, NC
“This presentation should be a required learning module; it was very informative.”
“Beautiful soul with much patience and grace, practicing what she is preaching.”
“Peggy did an amazing job. It is evident that she is a subject matter expert.”
“Peggy was an amazing speaker! I wish we had had more time with her.”
“A great presentation on a difficult and sensitive topic.”
“Schedule Peggy again - she was an amazing speaker.”
Comments taken from evaluations of presentation on grief to Sentara Health.
