Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling

Born without arms, not without attitude!Nicky Abdinor is an expert on doing MORE, with less. Nicky is a registered Clinical Psychologist, international speaker, and founder of the non-profit organisation, Nicky's Drive. Nicky has a passion for challenging our perceptions of ABILITY. She is a firm believer that it's not our situation, but how we THINK about our situation, that determines our emotional well-being.  Nicky is a sought-after inspirational keynote speaker who gained international recognition following her TEDx talk, "Driving Dreams." She was awarded the 2022 “Speaker Hall of Fame” award, a great honour through the Professional Speakers Association of South Africa. Nicky has presented talks as far as Europe, the USA, Middle East and Australia - and now will be chatting to us from her office in Cape Town Some key points from our interview: ·        How unbroken means finding meaning in our perceived brokenness·        How there was no medical explanation for being born without arms and shortened legs·        How her parents always focused on what she could do and not what she couldn't which led to her never seeing her limitations·        How it was never a question of can Nicky do this? but how ·        How she focused on academics and trained as a psychologist·        How she believes her humour helps her with her positive attitude ·        How meeting a client who had lost and arm and a leg in an accident made her realise she should share her story to motivate others ·        How a woman in the UK gifted her an adapted car and she said driving gave her wings·        How she started a non profit organisation to help other people with disabilities get their car adapted to meet their needs ·        How she believes it's so important to not ignore what is wrong, but focus more on what is right Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nickyabdinorspeakerTwitter: @Nicky_AbdinorLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickyabdinor/Instagram: @nicky_abdinorWebsite: www.nickyabdinor.com TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJV9LG9-Vp0   Short of time but want to tune in?Watch Short Vlog Versions on our You Tube Channel HERE

Tammy is Canadian and moved to Scotland in 1989.   She is trained in adult massage and when she had her first child it just felt logical to massage her.   She then discovered research about the benefits of massage for preterm babies and became passionate about massage for all, especially babies/children.  She began teaching parents, mid-wives, health visitors, early years practioners and the Scottish School of Child & Baby Massage was born 28 years ago.   She ran her business while having and raising a family of 7 children. She has many stories about the profound impact that massage has on lives of other babies/parents with bonding, health & well-being and wants to start writing a book now that most of the young people have moved out!!  Some key points from our interview:·       How unbroken means being able to pick herself up whatever happens·       How life in Vancouver was chaotic as she was born to a schizophrenic mother ·       How she fell in love with massage at 12 when received one from a Dutch woman and started to have massage parties teaching her friends as a teenager·       How when she moved to Scotland, she met Jim and qualified in massage·       How her family became one of seven children including one son who has severe autism and epilepsy·       How she loves teaching mums to massage their babies and has so many stories of mental health improving for the mums and physical health too for babies·       How she believes that massage can be used to help others connect to themselves and their baby which improves the bonding between them both·       How self-care is not a luxury but an important way to take care of our healthHer website for training: http://www.babymassage.org.uk/Online course for Parents: https://bambinoandi.co.uk/Facebook:  Scottish School of Child & Baby Massage                                          *                               *                           *                          *Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://www.buzzsprout.com/1386718    Short of time but want to tune in?Watch Short Vlog Versions on our You Tube Channel HERE

Jaz Ampaw-Farr is a ‘resilience ninja', international speaker, coach and author. Hailed in the US as ‘The British Oprah', Jaz has travelled the world advising governments, educators and helping tens of thousands of people with her bespoke leadership development programmes, training courses and motivational speeches. As a successful entrepreneur, mum of three, and former teacher - she knows a thing or two about galvanising people into taking action! With a passion for resilience, positive disruption, and a human-first approach to everything, Jaz's energy is infectious and you can't help but become mesmerised and fall under her captivating spell Some key points from our interview:·       How she believes that unbroken is about being unbreakable and being able to reform with a new story to be resilient·       How she feels that resilience is all about knowing what to do when you don't know what to do·       How her start in life was tough and being beaten, neglected and sexually abused left her feeling broken, worthless and defeated for many years ·       How she ended up in care at eight years and homeless as a teenager but meeting five everyday heroes when she was at school changed her life ·       How having a family is her success as she broke the cycle·       How she's passionate about helping people to become at least 10% braver·       How her brother dying of a heroin overdose motivated her to speak out to show others what is possible in choosing a different life·       How when she recently received an award at a conference, she was moved as she reflected on the enormity of her journey from foster care to speaker of the year  www.jazampawfarr.com Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://www.buzzsprout.com/1386718 Short of time but want to tune in?Watch Short Vlog Versions on our You Tube Channel HERE

Andrea Rainsford –Andrea had an extensive career in the corporate world, working as a Business Development Manager for Ernst & Young and Eversheds.  A career change beckoned following a stroke and in 2009, Andrea graduated with a BSc in Computing Science. A need to help and guide small businesses followed and SEO Angel was born in 2014.  SEO Angel aims to de-mystify SEO, to help small and micro businesses with their visibility and watch them thrive! Some key points from our interview:·        How she believes that Unbroken means her life had many broken shards of glass at times, but she's examined and fixed them and is thriving again·         How in 2003 she was diagnosed with ME which almost broke her as she fought against the illness and believes that could be what led to her stroke·        How once she was left hospital, she didn't leave her house for six years·        How she was unable to carry on with her work and went to university and got a degree in computing science·        How she went to university in a wheelchair, but walked in for her graduation with crutches  ·        How despite being told by her Dr's that she won't walk again she never gave up on her dream of walking unaided·        How she practices self-care ·        How at the time of this interview she has walked without the use of crutches for the last eight weeks only but is also determined to dance unaided too!·        How she recognises that it would be so easy to wallow in everything she's been through, but she chose to get back https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-rainsford-seo-angelhttps://www.subscribepage.com/o4t3y8 Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://www.buzzsprout.com/1386718    Short of time but want to tune in?Watch Short Vlog Versions on our You Tube Channel HERE

As a professional speaker, author and resilience coach Steve's mission is to deliver his story that took him from wheelchair to world champion and beyond.  He explains how he fixed his broken life and the learnings he gained which he now shares to empower people with the right mindset to go confidently on their journey in the direction of their dreams, their GOLD.   He's passionate about everyone experiencing the happiness and fulfilment of achieving the life that they have imagined and truly deserve Some key points from our interview: ·        How Kuntsugi means unbroken to him, which is a Japanese word that refers to a broken vase that is mended with gold, making it better and more unique·        How he believes that resilience is a like a wave and there are a range of emotions you need to go through to come out the other side·        How a car accident in 2002 caused so many injuries to his legs that he was told he may never walk again·        How his patience was tested as he wore a cage over his leg for 18 months but could also only twist the bolts through his legs by 1mm per day, which grew his leg back·        How even walking just 10 seconds per day caused utter exhaustion, but he pushed himself to improve·        How he stopped saying “Why me?” and instead I'd say “Try me!”·        How years later he was looking for a new challenge and discovered paratriathlon's and started his training ·        How he has always focused on what he can do rather that what he can't do·        How he went from being told he may never walk again to becoming British and then world champion in the paratriathlon·        How he believes if you want to become a high achiever in life then you need to start focusing on what you want to achieve www.steve-judge.co.uk Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://www.buzzsprout.com/1386718    Short of time but want to tune in?Watch Short Vlog Versions on our You Tube Channel HERE

Joan Kane (director, writer, performer, educator) recently performed her script of Almost 13 in the Edinburgh Festival Fringereceiving a five-star review. She also got favourable reviews for her direction of Safe and what do you mean in New York and Edinburgh.  She is the founding Artistic Director of Ego Actus Theatre Company. Off Broadway, she directed Sycorax at HERE, Play Nice! at 59e59 theatres, and I Know What Boys Want at Theatre Row. She directed Six Characters in Search of an Author in Oslo, Norway and Kafka's Belinda in Prague. Joan was awarded Best Director in the United Solo Festival where she has directed six pieces. She was named to the Indie Theatre Hall of Fame by nytheatre.com.  She has also directed plays and readings at the Lark, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Urban Stages, Workshop Theatre, Nylon Fusion, Abingdon Theatre, Oberon Theatre, the Samuel French Short Play Festival, T. Schreiber Studio, and many others. Joan is an alumni of the LaMama directing and playwriting symposiums in Umbria, Italy. She is a member of the Playwright/Director unit at Actor's Studio, the League of Professional Theatre Women, the Dramatists Guild, and the Society of Stage Directors & Choreographers Some key points from our interview:·        How she believes that being broken is ok ·        How in the summer of 1969 she witnessed a gang member being murdered and she was then raped by the murderer to silence her·        How she became a selected mute after these traumas, as she was too scared to speak out·        How a friend encouraged her to go for therapy at high school as she was having obtrusive dreams·        How she was encouraged at a writing retreat in Italy to share her story·        How it took her many years to write her story down due to shame and denial·        How writing has been her escape from trauma and her therapy too·        How she's passionate about storytelling and wrote “Almost 13” which are her memories of a young girl's violent summer in Brooklyn and plays all 10 characters herself ·        How she believes we can all have horrible things happen to us, but we can survive them too Review of Almost 13  - “Joan Kane sets an example to others to face up to their stories and to be prepared to share them in order to disseminate, perhaps dissipate and gain some healing through the process”Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://www.buzzsprout.com/1386718   Short of time but want to tune in?Watch Short Vlog Versions on our You Tube Channel HERE

Arno Michaelis is a speaker, author of My Life After Hate, co-author of The Gift of Our Wounds,  Filmmaker, and Peacebuilding Consultant.  In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Arno was a leader of hate groups, and frontman of the hate-metal band Centurion before single parenthood, love for his daughter, and the forgiveness shown by people he once hated helped to change his world, bringing love for diversity and gratitude for all life.  Arno has appeared on CNN's “Anderson Cooper 360”, “The View”, the BBC, CBC, and ABC. He has published op-ed on CNN, The Huffington Post, The Washington Post, and Al Jazeera English.·        How he feels proud of his broken heart as it opened him up for the world to touch the most tender part of him·        How his faith in humanity remains unbroken·        How he had an idyllic childhood even though he ended up in hate groups·        How violence and hatred made sense in his world when nothing else did and he likens it to an addiction·        How a black women pointed to his newly tattooed swastika on his finger and told him “That's not who you are” and her compassion totally disarmed him and left him powerless·        How he left hate groups and went to the rave scene which was hyper diverse and found himself embraced by the people he would have attacked in the past ·        How he struggles with self-forgiveness but recognises its importance and that it's a process·        How he believes people commit crimes because they are suffering ·        How he now embraces diversity, practices gratitude, is a Buddhist, promotes peace and has totally tuned his life around     https://www.parents4peace.org     https://www.instagram.com/arnomichaelis/?hl=en Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://www.buzzsprout.com/1386718    Short of time but want to tune in?Watch Short Vlog Versions on our You Tube Channel HERE

He says he's just a bloke that runs ultra-trail marathons in his spare time…16 now!!He lives just outside of Glasgow with his awesome wife Nikki who has been and is his total rock. He's 48 years young and passionate about running, cycling and all things motorsport and if he's not in trainers, he's on a bike or driving a car. ‘Anxiously chilled out' describes his approach to stuff now after suffering a catastrophic stroke, out of the blue, in February of 2017 at 42, that changed his life and set him on a new and exciting path and adventure.  He thinks the words loyal, considerate, challenging and inappropriately dark humoured would best describe him. Some key points from our interview:·       How he thinks the word unbroken means acceptance of who and what he is·       How at forty-two years old he suffered a cryptogenic stroke despite being obsessed with cycling and training·       How he wasn't sure it was a stroke when it happened, but his wife had read about FAST (face, arms, speech and time) acronym and knew it was worse than just an ear infection, which is what he thought he had·       How he didn't want to make a fuss and call an ambulance, even though he was aware that he couldn't stand or speak properly ·       How he found himself in dark spaces emotionally·       How he believes his stubbornness helped him to recover physically and emotionally·       How he made a choice of who he was now going to become because of his stroke·       How he believes that his stroke was the best thing that ever happened to him as it softened him·       How he accepts and loves who he is now and feels he's a more compassionate version of himself  Reach Out to Andy here: Instagram - andyd2574_stroke_of_luck Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://www.buzzsprout.com/1386718   Short of time but want to tune in?Watch Short Vlog Versions on our You Tube Channel HERE

Deborah Henley has over 20 years in psychology and personal developmentFormerly a competitive oarswoman, sailor and swimmer, with qualifications in neurolinguistics, hypnotherapy and the expressive arts - she draws on some extraordinary life experiences, a keen commercial sensibility and a quirky and creative perspective on lifeHer book, ‘Your Leadership Story', was shortlisted in the Business Book Awards and has become a transformational programme for speakers to find their message and storyWorking with global bluechips such as Accenture, AmEx, Microsoft and the MOD, she inspires her audiences to bring the life and soul back into their organisationsHer vision is to equip leaders to create cultures in which everyone can shine - even (or especially when) they feel ‘Perfectly Flawed'Some key points from our interview:How unbroken means to her that our soul, and our essence is like water and can't be broken How she focused on looking after her father's needs when her mother left when she was eleven, before her own needs How as an adult she was able to let go of her anger and frustration and was able to forgive her mother How she felt as if she didn't matter much, and she struggled with her self-worthHow her journey has been about creating healthy boundaries and learning to put herself first and standing up for her soulHosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://www.buzzsprout.com/1386718  Short of time but want to tune in?Watch Short Vlog Versions on our You Tube Channel HERE

Roxy Rhodes is a psychotherapist and business coach with a private practice in Derbyshire who works predominantly with women who are ready to make some life changes.  Her no BS, filter-free and empathic approach makes her a force to be reckoned with. She'll call you out on your excuses and hold your hand to make the changes.  Her sarcastic humour will immediately put you at ease and you'll find yourself feeling like you've known her for years. She genuinely loves to watch women grow and says that's her "why" that underpins everything she does.  Some key points from our interview: ·      How Unbroken means being whole and authentic and not using any valid reason as an excuse to not do the things we want to do·      How at aged two she was scalded over 70% of her body and wasn't expected to live·      How miraculously her organs that had shut down started to work again and she need her hands or feet amputated ·      How she grew up in hospitals and loved everything about them·      How she feels that because her parents never covered up her burns and skin grafts, she never felt any shame around them ·      How she believes we are only vulnerable if we are ashamed ·      How she learnt to put good boundaries in place to support herself·      How she wants to inspire other to not try and fit in and don't let anything hold you back, go after your dreams You can find out more about her at roxyrhodestherapy.co.uk and filterfreebusiness.com ..And join her free Facebook Group at facebook.com/groups/filterfreebusiness"Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling" features  individuals who have all triumphed after adversity and have not just bounced back in life, but forward and are now making a difference for others.Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://www.buzzsprout.com/1386718   Short of time but want to tune in?Watch Short Vlog Versions on our You Tube Channel HERE

Peter Paul Parker is a Dahn Master in the mind-body-spirit arena, a musician and sound healer. He works with both the energy and physical body. Peter is a Ki Gong champion, winning the international competition with the British Team in Korea in 2016. Peter runs a successful coaching business achieving amazing results with highly sensitive people and empaths using the Dream Method.He has set up a local charity called Brighter Living helping the elderly with their health and well-being using Ki Gong and meditation. Peter has also worked with schools locally, helping students connect with themselves.Peter has launched the Bright Beings Academy online internationally, which incorporates everything that he does to empower people to reach their full potential as human beings. Peter's motto is ‘Journey Inwards – Succeed Outwards' Some key points from our interview:·        How he believes that unbroken means that even though at times it may feel like the end of the road, he knows it isn't and he keeps going·        How he used to focus on what the fall over but now he focuses on the come back·        How his mother became his best friend as he couldn't understand his brother's energy, but she passed away when he was eleven·        How he struggled when he was sent to boarding school after his mother died and felt like it was hell because there were paedophiles and bullies there·        How he left the sales world to become a musician and loved improvising music as it became a type of meditation for him·        How he looks back and sees that his drinking habit covered up the pressures of the music world and his unprocessed childhood trauma – ptsd -now helped by traditional Chinese medicine·        How he discovered Ki Gong at a mind, body & spirit festival he was at with his wife and it spoke to him·        How he believes that everything we go through comes up in our body- “The Body Keeps the Score”“Journey Inwards – Succeed Outwards”Reach Out To Peter here >>                            https://www.peterpaulparker.co.uk/"Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling" features  individuals who have all triumphed after adversity and have not just bounced back in life, but forward and are now making a difference for others.Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://www.buzzsprout.com/1386718  Short of time but want to tune in?Watch Short Vlog Versions on our You Tube Channel HERE

Charlotte Rush is a Marketing Director with a career spanning over 20 years. In recent months she has started to embark on a journey of becoming a lived experience speaker, telling her story, which details how she has been shaped by grief, and how she's now playing an active role in moving beyond it. An orphan by the age of five, Charlotte is currently writing a book about her life, which was initially merely a form of therapy for herself. Charlotte now hopes that by sharing her story she can help others understand how you can emerge from a life defined by grief to build something meaningful and loving. It's a story of resilience – about how even the darkest and most disabling challenges life can throw at you can be overcome with drive and determination and a growing understanding of the grieving process Some key points from our interview:·       How unbroken means being able to adapt to life's biggest challenges that are thrown at you ·       How she lost both of her parents by the time she was five years old and went on to live with grief all her life·       How she never had any specialist support as a young child growing up with grief·       How she was recently diagnosed with PTSD because of her childhood even though it felt like it was just a normal life for her·       How she feels that she's just on the start of her journey at aged forty·       How she now feels comfortable about living with grief all her life and decided to write her story down to help othersReach out to Charlotte on...www.rushconsulting.co.uk"Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling" features  individuals who have all triumphed after adversity and have not just bounced back in life, but forward and are now making a difference for others.Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://www.buzzsprout.com/1386718 

After a lifetime spent caring for her disabled parents, Helen had her own children, and began to suspect her mum was deliberately pretending to be unwellShe began reading her mother's 55 years' worth of diaries after her death in 2016 and discovered her mum's deception went far beyond anything she had imaginedShe wrote My Mother, Munchausen's, and Me in the aftermath, piecing together the truth about her parents, her childhood, and her identitySome key points from our interview:• How Unbroken means moving forward with happened to her without it defeating her• How after she read her mother's diaries, she realised that her whole childhood was founded on lies• How it took her many years to realise that her childhood was abusive as she had been gaslit by her mother for years and it didn't occur to her to question it• How her mother controlled her thoughts, ran her down constantly, believing she was a failure, telling her what she liked and didn't like- since she has developed mental health awareness.• How her mother's symptoms of Parkinson's didn't match the illness and even her Parkinson's nurse realised she wasn't being truthful about her condition• How she chose to forgive her mother as she wanted to be free of her grip on her, but it's continuous work• How she's determined to create the best life she can for her and her family and will love wholeheartedly and sincerely even though it terrifies her to be vulnerable*Factitious disorder, malingering, hypochondriasis all are similar meaning terms.www.helennaylorwriter.com"Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling" features  individuals who have all triumphed after adversity and have not just bounced back in life, but forward and are now making a difference for others.Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://www.buzzsprout.com/1386718Watch edited highlights on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken

Winnie M Li is an author and activist. Her debut novel Dark Chapter is a fictional retelling of her real-life stranger rape in Belfast, from victim and perpetrator perspectives. Translated into ten languages, it won The Guardian's Not The Booker Prize, and was nominated for an Edgar Award and the Best First Novel Award. She is currently adapting it for the screen.Her second novel Complicit was published in Summer 2022 and selected by The New York Times for their August book club. Winnie is also Founder of Clear Lines, the UK's first-ever festival addressing sexual assault and consent through the arts and discussion. Her PhD research at the London School of Economics explores media engagement by rape survivors as a form of activism. She holds an honorary doctorate from the National University of Ireland in recognition of her writing and activismSome key points from our interview:How being Unbroken means being able to retain her essence of who she is despite everything she has gone through.How she writes and speaks about rape to leave a trail, offer hope, and build communities for other survivors.How she wrote every other chapter from the perpetrators point of view in her first book “Dark Chapter” to try and make sense to what had happened in this 15-year old's life.How she chooses not to be angry after hearing that the man who raped her has now been linked to other cases of sexual assault since his release from prison.How her second book “Complicit” looks at the misogyny, power, exploitation, and the open secrets that have become normalised in the film industry for women.How she never assumed that she would meet a partner one day and become a mum.LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/winniemliSocial media: Twitter @winniemliInstagram winniemliFacebook https://www.facebook.com/winniemli"Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling" features  individuals who have all triumphed after adversity and have not just bounced back in life, but forward and are now making a difference for others.Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/Watch the highlights of the interview on YouTube HERE

Richie is an entrepreneur, film producer and actor. His entrepreneurship spans successful businesses across property development; sport; and education. As an actor Richie has appeared in many TV, Feature films on Netflix and Amazon, and has recently completed a number of international Bollywood films. Richie believes everyone in life can act and we all take on the role of a character in life. He has found acting to be a successful way of tackling and dealing with deep personal matters. We wear masks which hide the true ‘us' and help portray different images. But what lays behind the mask? - often trauma, sadness, and darkness. Richie is in the process of removing his mask and raising awareness of childhood sexual abuse and the impact this has in adulthood, particularly amongst middle aged malesSome key points from our interview:How he believes that Unbroken means overcoming traumas that could have broken him, but didn't .How he's now on a mission to remove his mask of trauma and feels passionate about speaking out about the childhood sexual abuse he experienced as a teenager.How he struggled with shame and blame for years, wrongly thinking it was his fault but now understands that the blame lies 100% with the perpetrator.How it took the impact of other traumas to bring the feelings of the childhood sexual abuse to the surface and now wants to speak out to heal himself and other men too.How he recognises that he used alcohol to self-medicate to stop the pain and negative thoughts he was feeling.How he recognises the importance of speaking out to rid the feelings of shame to reclaim his life."Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling" features  individuals who have all triumphed after adversity and have not just bounced back in life, but forward and are now making a difference for others.Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://podfollow.com/unbroken-healing-through-storytelling

Lynn is a mental health awareness champion, counsellor, film producer and author of four books that give advice and hope to sufferers of mental illness and their families, including Hope with Eating Disorders 2nd Edition, Hope with OCD, Hope with Depression and Hope with Anxiety, all published by Hammersmith Health Books.  A mother to grown-up twin daughters, Charlotte and Samantha, and Grandma to Charlotte's 6-month-old twins Georgia and Reggie, Lynn's passion for mental health awareness came through the battles she faced with Samantha, who suffered with anorexia nervosa in her teens and obsessive-compulsive disorder in her early 20s. Some key points from our interview: ·        How she believes that we are broken at times, but we can make waves to make ourselves better·        How when she noticed the changes in her daughter's behaviour regarding food, that she had to speak to her about it·        How she spent four years looking for help to deal with her daughter's eating disorder and decided to discharge her from all treatments and do it herself ·        How she believes that the way eating disorders are approached hasn't changed or evolved·        How she's passionate about breaking the taboos around mental illness and that no family ever feels alone in their struggle·        How she's so proud of her daughter who has produced and co-written a short film called “A Day with OCD” – obsessive compulsive disorder.·        How she works with the whole family and not just the sufferer of the eating disorder·        How eating disorder recovery is possible  Website: www.lynncrilly.comhttps://www.instagram.com/lynn_crilly/"Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling" features  individuals who have all triumphed after adversity and have not just bounced back in life, but forward and are now making a difference for others.Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://podfollow.com/unbroken-healing-through-storytelling

Jennifer Fraser is the founder of The Bullied Brain. She's an award-winning teacher, best-selling author, and unlikely whistle-blower. And key in mental health awareness. Her new book The Bullied Brain: Heal Your Scars and Restore Your Health tells the story of her journey to repair after battling to protect students from teacher abuse and failing.  With a PhD in Comparative Literature, she believed that there must be research that could help her recover.  That's when she discovered what scientists know about the amazing powers, we have within to repair our hurt brains. And to contribute to suicide prevention. Some key points from our interview: ·        How she feels that we are never unbroken as our brains are never unbreakable·        How she discovered her son was a victim of bullying and abuse, including emotional abuse from teachers at his school when she took the testimonies of 8 other students who had also been bullied·        How she discovered that the school had known about this for a year and failed to protect their students·        How she decided to do the research into the neuroscience of being bullied and wrote her book to show the impact of bullying on the brain but also how it can be healed too·        How her own trauma of being emotionally, physically, and sexually abused by 3 teachers was triggered by her son's trauma·        How she went to the police to report her own abuse to stop covering up and to honour a student “Ellen” who tragically died by suicide after being abused by a head teacher that was covered up by the school·        How we all have the power to convert our mind bully to our own empathic coach in order to rewire our brain"Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling" features  individuals who have all triumphed after adversity and have not just bounced back in life, but forward and are now making a difference for others.Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://podfollow.com/unbroken-healing-through-storytelling

David Mark is recognised as a 'master of the dark psychological thriller', drawing upon his 15 years of experience as a crime journalist. After a decade as a full-time novelist and Sunday Times bestseller, David penned the critically-acclaimed memoir PIECE OF MIND, detailing his lifelong battle with depression, mania, OCD, addiction and hallucinations. The book has been labelled 'a life-saver' and 'essential reading' by readers, contemporaries, and mental health professionals. How he feels that unbroken means that he's like a wild horse as he's not had his will snapped or been broken into submission by his illness.How he believes that he's so much more than the events in his life.How being truthful was not as difficult as he thought it would be when he was writing his memoir,How writing really helped him to work out what was his illness and what was his personality.How he used to think he was demonic because of the hideous hallucinations he experienced but managed to grow used to them by learning what was real and what wasn't.How he still struggles with the idea of being vulnerable and weak.How he can't emphasis enough that we should treat people who are unwell with tenderness, patience and compassion.How he now feels he's at the best he'll ever be and never though he could be this well with his mental illness."Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling" features  individuals who have all triumphed after adversity and have not just bounced back in life, but forward and are now making a difference for others.Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/

#howtowriteabook  #sexualabuse #healingLaura Davis is the author of The Burning Light of Two Stars, the story of her loving yet tumultuous relationship with her mother, and six other non-fiction books, including The Courage to Heal, Allies in Healing, I Thought We‘d Never Speak Again, and Becoming the Parent You Want to Be. Her groundbreaking books have been translated into 11 languages and sold 1.8 million copies. In addition to writing books that inspire and change people's lives, the work of Laura's heart is to teach. For more than twenty years, she's helped people find their voices, tell their stories, and hone their craft. Laura loves creating supportive, intimate writing communities online, in person, and internationally. You can learn about Laura's books, workshops, read the first five chapters of her new memoir and all of her upcoming writer's retreats,  from her website www.lauradavis.net. Some key points from our interview:•How she believes we can be stronger at the broken places of our lives•How her supressed memories of her abuse reappeared 25 years later•How her mother didn't believe her when she told her about the abuse she experienced from her grandfather, and it caused an estrangement between them•How she was able to care for her mother in her later life, even though she felt she had betrayed her•How she never got the apology she wished for from her•How she recognised they had a great bond and chose to reconcile with her•How she feels she has an active relationship with her mother since she's died and focuses on all the positive things, she gave her rather than the challenging ones"Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling" features  individuals who have all triumphed after adversity and have not just bounced back in life, but forward and are now making a difference for others.Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://podfollow.com/unbroken-healing-through-storytelling

Meet the man who, like a giraffe, stuck his neck out for what he believed.  Like Nelson Mandela, Siya Twani was imprisoned for making a stand against injustice in South Africa. Siya is a Resilience and Mental toughness motivational speaker who speaks in schools and businesses across the country Siya is a motivational speaker on a mission to empower, educate and enthuse people, especially children and young people, with resilience skills. With over 30 years' experience of speaking in the education sector, he is highly recommended by Ofsted and other authorities and can put his message across in an articulate manner that is accessible to all  Some key points from our interview:·        How he believes he's not a broken person but more of a wounded healer·        How he feels he was imprisoned from the moment he was born as he was born under apartheid·        How he refuses to believe he was a victim of apartheid, but the victor of his life·        How at just 17 he was sent to prison for 4 years because he was speaking out about the injustices within the education system for black students·        How he was tortured and brutalised during his time in prison but chose to forgive his captors years later·        How he learnt to let go of his anger and bring in empathy and understanding by realising his oppressors were victims too of apartheid·        How he strongly believes that through love and understanding we can all make this world a better place to live in ·        How he his philosophy that governs his life is “face it, embrace it, defy it and conquer it”Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://podfollow.com/unbroken-healing-through-storytelling     

Jermaine Pennant had a 25 year career as a professional footballer. A product of the Notts county and Arsenal FC youth and becoming a Liverpool FC legend. His talent is undeniable, yet this was often overshadowed by his behaviour off pitch. From scandalous headlines to stupid mistakes. Jermaine wants to open up and talk in depth about his childhood which left him unguided and unable to understand who he was. Now thirty nine years old he has started to unpick the destructive cycles and really find himself. His brand new podcast, Brutally honest is not only a chance to help other people listen and take note from his mistakes but also for Jermaine to talk it out with guests on the podcast to really get into depth on the subject to create more lightbulb moments for himselfSome key points from our interview• How he believes that being unbroken means using something that could break you to create you instead• How he's now on a mission to understand how his challenging childhood shaped his behaviour which led to some of his mistakes• How he used his passion and talent of football to escape his childhood and thinks life would have been very different if he didn't have that• How he understands that his Dad was doing the best job he could as a young father looking after a toddler who had been abandoned by his mother at three years old• How when his football career was over, he went on a journey of self-discovery to gain more insight into his own personal journey in order to improve and work on himself• How he's passionate about speaking out about mental health and encouraging others to speak out if they're strugglinghttps://www.wearehoi.com/brutally-honest-jermain-pennant/https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1369p9Q0vYQ"Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling" features  individuals who have all triumphed after adversity and have not just bounced back in life, but forward and are now making a difference for others.Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://podfollow.com/unbroken-healing-through-storytelling

Richard is a Times No1. Bestselling author and has now written 4 books. His first, Just a Boy, sold close to half a million copies and is translated into eleven languages.  He's the founder of the iCan Academy and has worked with organisations across the globe for the last 15 years sharing his personal story of resilience. He's also an award winning speaker and a Fellow of The Professional Speaking Association and in 2019 was awarded the PSAE (Professional Speaking Award for Excellence)He was just a week away from his sixth birthday in October 1975, when he woke to discover his mother was missing.  She was the first victim of the notorious serial killer, Peter Sutcliffe. Despite other tragic losses, and a period of dabbling with drugs and prison, Richard decided to turn his life around.  We met through The Forgiveness Project when I was looking for help with the publication process for my book and Richard kindly offered to help.  It was then that we both realised that the number 44, was a very meaningful number to both of us!Some key points from our interview:How life was tough and chaotic even before his mother was murdered as he grew up on a Leeds council estate experiencing poverty, alcohol, and violence How the death of his mother , Wilma McCann, felt like a double blow because it was public and reported in the paper How he was able to understand when he became a parent how difficult it must have been for his father looking after four traumatised childrenHow he's able to look back and remember moments of joy from his childhoodHow he's able to see the gifts of the tragedies in his lifeHow hearing a speech Desmond Tutu in 2010 it transformed his life and realised he was able to choose to forgive Peter Sutcliffe in order to free himselfHow he rang the brother of Peter Sutcliffe when he heard he had passed away to offer his condolences How he believes that resilience is the ability to bounce back from life's challenges and we all have the capacity to do Wilma McCann, 28, Leeds, October 1975Emily Jackson, 42, Leeds, January 1976Irene Richardson, 28, Leeds, February 1977Patricia Atkinson, 32, Bradford, April 1977Jayne McDonald, 16, Leeds, June 1977Jean Jordan, 21, Manchester, October 1977Yvonne Pearson, 22, Bradford, January 1978Helen Rytka, 18, Huddersfield, January 1978Vera Millward, 41, Manchester, May 1978Josephine Whittaker, 19, Halifax, May 1979Barbara Leach, 20, Bradford, September 1979Marguerite Walls, 47, Leeds, August 1980Jacqueline Hill, 20, Leeds, November 1980First book is Just a BoyTed talk link https://youtu.be/c7Mvjj8xxPo Twitter: https://twitter.com/iCanSpeaker Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardmccann/ Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://podfollow.com/unbroken-healing-through-storytelling

Sarah is now one full year clean from cocaine addiction and has been using the 20 years of lived experience and her subsequent training as a recovery coach to help bring others out of the darkness of addiction to dance with her in the light.  Sarah is a single mum to a 3-year-old boy who has been the catalyst for massive transformation in her life.  She strives to be her best for them both. A born leader, Sarah is using her skills, knowledge and experience to create a new recovery community to bring people together and support personal transformationsI met Sarah online and have always been impressed by her ability to be totally honest.  Not every day is great for her as she recovers but she's not afraid to show that vulnerable side of herself.She has been on a massive personal transformation and now feels that her purpose in life is to help others on their recovery journeySome key points from our interview:How unbroken means to her about retrieving all the broken parts of herself that had been lostHow she never believed that dabbling in drugs as a teenager would lead to a drug addiction and cocaine dependenceHow she's learnt through her personal journey of healing, that cocaine stopped her from feeling the hurt of her childhood abandonment issuesHow becoming a mum made her ask herself some important questions which led to her realising she needed to stop before it stopped herHow when she made the decision to quit cocaine, she felt she had to be accountable and chose to go public with her storyHow she realised that drugs never gave her confidence she thought they did, as that was always inside of herHow she's passionate about helping others to heal and recover from drug addiction and has no set up an online community called “Recovery Central”TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMLxNHG3f/  IG: www.instagram.com/the_recovery_witch  FB Personal: www.facebook.com/therecoverywitch2911  FB Biz: www.facebook.com/therecoverywitch  FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/perpetualmotionwithsarah  YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/channel/UCxOdbVy_Cm4RRZ79MSswOjQHosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://podfollow.com/unbroken-healing-through-storytelling  

Jacob Dunne is an author and consultant facilitating important conversations around criminal justice, education, and mental health.   He presented “The Punch” series for Radio 4 which won best factual series at the national radio academy awards 2021. Which followed Jacob's personal experience of Restorative Justice, how it has benefitted other perpetrators and victims of crime, and what the benefits might look like if we were to adopt Restorative approaches more broadly throughout society  He is a former Longford scholar and received a first-class honours in criminology from Nottingham Trent University in 2019 His debut book ‘Right From Wrong” published by Harper North was released on May 12, 2022, which he hopes will shine a light on the reforms and support needed to break an endless cycle of division and hopelessness I know Jacob from our involvement with The Forgiveness Project and was always so impressed by how he managed to turn his life around, after that fatal night when he threw a single punch which resulted in the death of James Hodgkinson Some key points from our interview:·        How he believes his inner child is in a state of unbrokenness and innocence·        How he struggled in his teenage years at school and found the experience degrading·        How he was labelled with ADHD, dyslexia and being on the autistic spectrum whilst at school·        How he feels he failed at school and had a negative belief system and eventually stopped going to school·        How he got involved with dealing drugs, being part of a gang and getting involved with fights·        How he was sentenced to prison at aged 19 after throwing an unprovoked single punch, which killed James·        How he met James's parents, Joan and David, through the Restorative Justice process as it felt he owed it to them to answers their questions·        How their concern about him and his future disarmed him·        How he recognises the importance of self compassion and compassion for others·        How he's passionate about sharing his story and talking about conflict and restorative justice to show people that anyone can turn things around with the right support"Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling" features  individuals who have all triumphed after adversity and have not just bounced back in life, but forward and are now making a difference for others.Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://podfollow.com/unbroken-healing-through-storytelling      

I met Amy at my Karate club and have witnessed her personal growth and achievements over the years and always been inspired by her grit and determination.  I think you will be too! She earned her first Scottish National Team cap at 14 and has been following her passion with the sport around the world since. She started an online business at 18 to allow her to pursue her passion and build an income alongside travelling and competing as a self-funded Karate athlete.  In 2015, she suffered a career threatening injury, with doctors saying she would not be able to compete again. Through two years of rehabilitation and persistence, she returned to competition going on to win British titles and a European medal. She uses this experience to help people going through tough times in their life and find the joy in every day.  Most recently, she represented Team GB in contention for the Tokyo Olympics for 2020. Wearing the tracksuit and representing Great Britain, was something she could have only dreamed of as a little girl. Some key points from our interview:·        How she believes that even the negative experiences in her life have been an opportunity for her to learn and grow from·        How she's always striving to be a better athlete and person through fitness and personal development·        How she recognises the importance of surrounding herself with positive people when she was injured and focusing on working on her mindset·        How she had to allow herself time to be heartbroken when her hopes of competing in the Olympics didn't happen·        How the discipline of being an athlete helped her to train both her body and her mind and feels she's much stronger now than before she was injured·        How she hopes her story inspires others that despite experiencing hard times, there is a way out·        How her practice of gratitude and looking for joy every day, helps her to remain positive "Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling" features  individuals who have all triumphed after adversity and have not just bounced back in life, but forward and are now making a difference for others.Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://podfollow.com/unbroken-healing-through-storytelling

Sometimes we meet people in life for the first time that we feel like we've known for years.  That was exactly what it felt like when I met my guest, Lou Lebentz, a few years ago through the PSA (Professional Speaking Association)She is a well-known UK psychotherapist, EMDR specialist, trauma clinician and Founder of “Trauma Thrivers” a hugely popular trauma informed Facebook community for those in recovery from trauma and addiction.  Previously, Lou worked in rehab at the Priory Hospital Roehampton, and before that, in both the Rag Trade and the Radio Industry.  The change in career choice made possible because of her own struggles with mental health and desperately seeking suitable treatment and wellnessLou's current mission now she recognizes trauma sits underneath most mental health conditions is to move beyond individual work so she can educate and trauma-inform groups.  Lou says, “If I could help enlighten as many people as possible on how to recognise and rectify trauma within themselves and others.  Not only would that help us all do the personal work required but we could also stop repeating the mass re-traumatisation within our society, our species and ultimately our world.Some key points from our interview:How she believes that human beings are unbreakable despite feeling broken at timesHow she recognises she had one trauma after another from a young age, but also feels affected by her mother's generational trauma How she was abused by a female babysitter at just aged four, but couldn't speak about it for many yearsHow she experienced sexual violence at 19 when she was raped How her avoidance of all the hurt and trauma led her to numbing out by using alcohol and believed that happiness was found in money and material things How she's grateful that her drink was spiked with LSD as it led her to psychosis, rehabilitation and weeks in a psychiatric hospital, but it was also a turning point for her and woke her up to her traumaHow she retrained as a trauma therapist to help others trauma survivors to shine againWebsiteshttps://traumathrivers.com/Socials https://www.facebook.com/groups/traumathrivers/https://www.instagram.com/traumathrivers_loulebentz/https://www.facebook.com/loulebentztraumathrivershttps://www.linkedin.com/in/loulebentz/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9oIwwwD_ZDlleY_WOpH9XwPodcasthttps://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-trauma-thrivers-podcast/id1561794822Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/Watch via YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbrokenYou can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://podfollow.com/unbroken-healing-through-storytelling

Raga Olga D'SilvaI met Raga through social media when she asked to interview me and was instantly drawn to her.  She is warm, loveable and authenticWith over 25 years of experience in the creative field, Raga has worked in senior positions in advertising in India and New Zealand and has been the recipient of several prestigious awards.Raga is a co-founder of India's largest international speaker agency, Speaking Minds. Raga is a published author of Untold Lies, her debut book which received much love. Raga has been named as one of the top most Diversity & Inclusion Leaders by the World HRD Congress in 2022.  Raga was also named amongst the Top 100 wonder women in advertising, marketing, and entertainment in 2021. She is on several DEI Boards, including Sony Pictures and Aristocrat. Raga is a host of several online shows, including Coming out stories from India. Raga is a known advocate in the LGBT space. A two times TedX speaker, Raga is an established voice in the LGBT community and engages with corporates around the world on intersectionality, LGBT lived experience and being aware of our Unconscious Biases.Raga is currently writing three books, scripts for OTT web series and working on her first short film. A story that Raga wrote during lockdown is being made into a feature film by Onir, an award-winning filmmakerSome key points from our interviewHow she believes that she has been broken many times, but putting the pieces back together makes her feel that she remains unbrokenHow she has now created a better version of herselfHow most of her life she felt trapped when she was growing up in the slums of India with an alcoholic fatherHow when her mother discovered that she was gay, she tried to stab her as she was so ashamed How Raga herself recognises she was homophobic towards herself for many yearsHow it took many years for her to accept herself, stop lying to herself and others and live her life as a gay womanHow she's now passionate about speaking out to help shift the culture, conditioning and biases present in communitiesSocial media: Instagram/Twitter: @Totally Out NowYoutube channel : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFuR9o3OCaH5WvFm03upHXwTedX talk: 50 & Out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Visx4Ps2J4ATexX talk: Will you Cancel me? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd_8wdMZFoU&t=408sHosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/Watch via YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbrokenYou can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://podfollow.com/unbroken-healing-through-storytelling

Brian Pennie is an author, speaker, PhD candidate, university lecturer, and life-change strategist. His life used to be very different, however. On October 8 2013, he experienced his first day clean after 15 years of chronic heroin addiction.Addiction nearly killed him, but on that fateful day in October, he received a gift. Call it what you will: a perspective shift, an awakening, or simply dumb luck — that's not important – what matters, is that it completely changed the course of his life.In what seemed like an instant, the world seemed to glow. Colours were more colourful. Sounds were more cheerful. Things that were once hollow were now full of depth. He felt more alive than ever before and he hasn't looked back since.He says:"Captivated by this sudden change, I started to question why I felt so alive. I didn't see it at first, but then it hit me. It had tortured me my entire life. The voices in my head, the stories that I spun myself – the ones that drove my anxiety and, in turn, my addiction – they were gone. For as long as I could remember, thinking had consumed me – my mind racing about what I thought needed to do – but the voices were silent and my anxiety was gone. The race was over and my new life had begun."Some key points from the interview:-How addiction had him early on, but he could not see it.-How his addiction forced him to lead a double life.-How he catches himself if he becomes anxious or thinks negative thoughts.-how he is "Schizophrenically Normal"-How he studied a load of self help, and the revelations that came.-How, after his awakening he had a desire to help others.-How the "Words we speak become the world we live in"Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/Watch via YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken

Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/Watch via YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken

Gill Mann is a psychotherapist and author. She started working life as a lawyer but finally found the courage to follow her heart and re-train as a therapist - and has never regretted it for a moment. She has worked within the NHS, a university counselling service and in private practice. Longer-term work – with its potential for changing lives - is her passion. Writing has always been Gill's other passion but in 2014 it became a lifeline. She learned that her son, Sam had died while travelling overseas. For two years she kept a journal, writing about him and her grieving. She found herself addressing Sam too - there was so much still to say. Another bereaved mother read Gill's journal, and urged her to publish it, saying it had made her feel much less alone. Gill's memoir, A Song Inside, was published by Retreat West Books in July 2020.I was introduced to Gill by another of my podcast guests, Claire Dyer.  Reading her book brought up so many questions for me and I wondered how she coped with all the unanswered questions she might have I think when people hear the word Schizophrenia, they are a little scared by that label, so it was really refreshing to have an open discussion to what it looked like for her as a mother with a son who had that diagnosis We also discuss her grief journey and readjusting to her world that will forever be changed.Some key points from our interview:How she feels that unbroken is about surviving even though the trauma of losing her son, Sam, has had a huge impact How she was determined not to let her trauma build a brittle shell around her to avoid her pain How despite her concerns about Sam, it would take a meeting with several family members for her to be listened to and for him to be diagnosed with schizophreniaHow writing and talking about Sam helps to end the schizophrenia stigma How as a mother she struggled with guilt and regret and feels it's a natural responseHow she had to learn and process her complicated grief through her new changed world Website: https://www.gillmannauthor.co.ukHosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/Watch via YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken

Holly Matthews is Former TV actress (Waterloo Road, Casualty & Byker grove) a widowed Mum of 2, a Self-Development Coach & founder of The Happy Me Project. The Happy Me project is an online and in person, straight talking self-development programme, podcast and online membership.Holly's Ted Talk has been watched by over 150,000 people and she has appeared on Lorraine, BBC, ITV, Talk Radio and featured in The Daily Mail, Mirror, The Sun, Closer, Hello, Psychologies Life Labs and Spirit & Destiny and Prima Magazine.Holly's relatable and raw approach to self-development has her teaching people how to feel ‘more happy and less crappy' in a way that reaches those that never thought self and personal development' would be for them.I had met Holly online and she seemed to be genuine, but I guess I was intrigued by how she had learnt to be so resilient, positive and have such a strong mindset, as It had only been a few years that she became a young widow, with two small children when her husband Ross died from a brain tumour.Some key points from our interview:-How starting her acting career at just eleven years old taught her how to bounce back-How even as a child she practised self-development-How her husband was diagnosed with a brain tumour at twenty-nine years old-How they both made smart choices with their careers and money which gave them the luxury of not working for Ross's final year -How she learnt to find a way through her grief by allowing her to be where she was at-How she recognises that she still has bad days and that's ok too-How she encourages her children to experience their loss and deal with their grief-How she has learnt to pack her better days full of life and joy as she recognises that pain is temporaryYou can more info about Holly and her Happy Me project here:Website: www.iamhollymatthews.comMembership:https://www.iamhollymatthews.com/happymeprojectmembership/"Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling" features  individuals who have all triumphed after adversity and have not just bounced back in life, but forward and are now making a difference for others.Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://podfollow.com/unbroken-healing-through-storytelling

Aaron runs a mental health inspired clothing brand called It's Okay. It's Okay was founded from a spell of severe depression and a close suicide attempt, luckily he was able to fight his way back and create a brand that's foundations are to support, spread MH awareness, fight the stigma and not leave anyone behind. With each and every sale they donate 10% of their profits to designated monthly focused charity, to ensure that everyone gets a shareSome key points from our interview:How he recognises that his depression started after experiencing so much loss and trauma in such a short period of timeHow he was forced back to his hometown after his divorce which was where he grew up and suffered a turbulent childhoodHow he found the courage to speak out about his depression, but it took a few attempts to find the right supportHow he couldn't have come back from depression without speaking out, his therapist and his dog WillowHow he's passionate about overcoming the stigma of mental illness for everyoneHow he's speaking out to improve mental health and share mental health tips on his websiteHow he's started a clothing brand with a heart that also offers support for people experiencing all types of mental health issues; it's so much more than a fashion brand Website: www.itsokclothing.comHosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/Watch via YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken 

Polly got in contact with as she had listened to the show and felt it was time to tell her own story of personal trauma and grief.  This is the first time she has spoken out publicly and I was profoundly moved by our conversation.In 2019 Polly was on holiday in France with her husband and their ten-month-old son. They were driving home from the beach when their car was hit by truck. Her son was killed instantly, and her husband Larry died in hospital a day later. She was trapped in the back of car and airlifted to hospital where she was put into a coma and woken up 3 days later. She was sure her son had died but thought Larry had just been knocked out but was then told he had died as well. She was left unable to walk due to broken pelvis and spent 3 months in a wheelchair after she finally left hospital.She started to work on recovering physically and mentally. She decided to have another child and went on to have Florence by sperm doner… in the meantime she also met her current partner, Ben. Before the accident she ran a fashion label with her sister, all very east London hipster, but gave it up when she had Max and got a proper job before she got pregnant. She has even pitched on Dragons Den! She's now a web designer and living back in Bristol.She says “To outside world I have a wonderful life, but it's marked by the worst tragedy”Some key points from our interview:How she feels that even though part of her life stopped very suddenly after the car accident, she chose to carry on livingHow she knew instantly when she saw her baby after the accident, that he had diedHow sometimes she looks back now and wonders how she has managed to cope with it all How her rehabilitation gave her a focus to heal herself both physically and mentallyHow even though she felt nervous about sharing her story she wants to show others that life goes onHosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/Watch via YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken 

Brian Abram is 64 and lives in Halifax. In 2013 he survived a horrific cycling accident that left him paralysed and a full-time wheelchair user.  After weeks in a coma and a year in hospital he returned home to a very different life. He then wrote a silly story to amuse his grandson, who was just 6 months old when he had his accident.  Encouraged by others, (including Quentin Blake who said, “It's an impressive piece of work,”) he self-published his first book in 2019.  Two years later there are now four books.  He now spends his time doing lots of school visits to raise awareness about disability and to show kids that being in a wheelchair, is no barrier to having fun.Everything he makes is donated to charities that help people who have suffered a spinal injury like me. So far, he's raised just over £28,000 for the Spinal Injuries Association and Back Up Some key points from our interview:·        How he recognises that his body might have been broken physically inn his accident, but mentally he remains unbroken·        How his uses his positivity that he inherited from his mother and dark humour to help him·        How he met the woman who saved his life in the most extraordinary way·        How he first decided to write a children's book for his grandson to explain why he was different to other Grandads ·        How he's now passionate about sharing his story in schools to raise awareness of life in a wheelchair and more importantly the fun he can still have“Nothing is forever; be patient” – Brian Abram You can get more info about Brian and his books here: www.grandadwheels.com You can read his personal blog here: www.thestrifeofbrian.com Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/Watch via YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken 

I was so excited to interview the author Louise Beech, as I've not only read all of her books, both published and unpublished, but she's a dear friend too! It took many years and many rejections for Louise Beech to finally get a book deal in 2015. Her debut, How to be Brave, got to No4 on Amazon and was a Guardian Readers' Pick; Maria in the Moon was described as ‘quirky, darkly comic and heartfelt' by the Sunday Mirror; The Lion Tamer Who Lost shortlisted for the Popular Romantic Novel of 2019 at the RNA Awards and longlisted for the Polari Prize 2019; Call Me Star Girl longlisted for the Guardian's Not The Booker Prize and was Best magazine's Best Book of the Year 2019; I Am Dust was a Crime Magazine Monthly Pick; and This Is How We Are Human was a Clare Mackintosh Book Club pick.  Louise's memoir Daffodils will be released in audiobook 1st April, exploring a shocking family suicide attempt and a difficult childhood. Nothing Else, her eight novel, will be released 23rd June. Today we are going to explore writing a memoir and how that impacted her... Some key points from our interviewHow even though she felt like she had been broken in the past, she's not unbroken as she was never truly brokenHow she reversed her decision in writing her memoir after her mother jumped off the Humber bridge and miraculously survived How she wanted to look back over her difficult childhood, childhood trauma and the challenging relationship with her mother to make sense of it and possibly retrieve some of her deeply buried memoriesHow growing up with a mother that has a narcissistic personality disorder shaped her into stepping into a mothering and nurturing role from a very young ageHow she knows that even though her mind has deeply buried memories around childhood sexual abuse, and she can't currently access them, her body knows and remembers the traumaHow from a very young age, writing has always been a therapy and escapism for her.Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/Watch via YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://podfollow.com/unbroken-healing-through-storytelling 

Gen Edwards is an intuitive energy healer, born in Zimbabwe, and who lived in South Africa for a long time. She is currently loving living in Leeds, and healing globally! She is an accredited healing facilitator using The Emotion Code and The Body Code; and has been practising as a healer since 2015, when she got her first energy healing qualification. Gen has helped hundreds of people all around the world with emotional, physical and mental issues, by helping to sort out old, emotional baggage that no longer serves them and that leads to stress and disease. She works on the premise that our bodies have a powerful ability to restore our own health if conditions are right, so she tries to make the conditions right, with the right energy balance. Just before our interview she told me she was worried that she might not be a good fit for my show as she didn't have a big story or a life altering event, but has grown up with low self-esteem and a feeling of not being good enough and it would take till she was in her 50's to finally be happy with who she was and accept herself I reassured her that her story would resonate with so many people and it's great to show others that despite being in her 50's she was able to do the work and make the changes needed to reverse and change her mindset, thought patterns and behaviour  Some key points from our interview:·        How her definition of Unbroken is to be like a tree that can bend and sway in the wind and doesn't snap due to its resilience·        How she always knew at a very young age she had been adopted at birth·        How despite being adopted into a loving and supportive family, she always felt not good enough and had a mother wound·        How it would take till she reached her 50's that she decided to stop stuffing her hurt down and deal with her stuff·        How she was amazed when her energy healer asked her in their first Kinesiology  session “Who abandoned you?”·        How she decided to work on herself and has reached a peaceful and loving place and no longer thinks she's not good enough·        How she uses holistic therapies and alternative medicine to release trapped emotion and has trained in The Emotion Code and Body Code  ·        How she is passionate now about helping others to heal and transform with acceptance, gratitude and love for a more peaceful life Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/Watch via YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://podfollow.com/unbroken-healing-through-storytelling      

Enas was born in Libya, into a culture where women, though educated, often leave behind that education and potential, to become mothers and homemakers.  A tradition that she wholeheartedly respects and understands, yet her ambition as a little girl growing up in this culture, was to be all that she could be in her life. Wherever that would take her. She is a coach and mentor, currently training to lead international programmes, whilst also running Arabela Beauty Agency which she founded in the UK and it facilitates and establishes beauty brands She has had many painful experiences in her life but has been able to transform her pain into life lessons and she now says that the hardest of times have also been her greatest teacher. Some key points from our interview: ·        How despite feeling broken many times she recognises that she is unbreakable and feels as if she's walked through fire.·        How she felt unhappy of who she was for a long time and developed an eating disorder and emotional eating as a coping mechanism.·        How her life changed contrastingly when her family became refugees in the UK, leaving behind a life of privilege and comfort.·        How she decided to stay in the UK when her mother left to return to Libya once the civil war was over and how that decision means that her mother no longer speaks to her. ·        How she has learnt to develop a better image of herself and stops feeling guilty about things that weren't her fault through life coaching.·        How she's passionate about her personal development and wants to help others to be the best version of themselves too.·        How she's learnt to overcome her inferiority complex and is now a wellness warrior for herself and others.Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/Watch via YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://podfollow.com/unbroken-healing-through-storytelling  

I first met Dennis through social media when he asked me to be a guest blogger for his blog PsychReg.  I've watched it over the years, and it has grown.  It now includes conferences, academic papers, and a podcast too. When I ask people to be a guest, I ask them to send me a short bio, but his is definitely the shortest one I've ever received! He emailed me this – “Dennis Relojo-Howell is the founder of Psychreg and is the host of The DRH Show”  However, he has an amazing story of starting life in the slums of Manila where he lived with his family with no running water or electricity to becoming an international speaker, author and award-winning blog psychologist We discuss how living in the slums shaped his life and how he used education as his route out.  He has a passion now in teaching resilience as a skill, especially to young people also growing up in a challenging environment Some key points from our interview:·      How he's grateful for his childhood as it influenced and shaped him·      How he recognises he was salvaged by his parents when he was an adolescent when he experienced a disconnect from himself·      How his parents instilled the value of education to all three of their children who all have completed at least one university degree·       How he's used education as way for social mobility ·      How he believes that resilience is something that can be taught to everyone ·      How's he's passionate now about giving back by developing a resilience intervention using blogging for people living in low- and middle-income countries·      How he doesn't share his story to get pity but to show people with the right mindset, resilience and grit you can make positive changes to your life You can get more info about Dennis here:https://twitter.com/dennisr_howellhttps://twitter.com/wearepsychreghttps://www.youtube.com/psychregHosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/Watch via YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://podfollow.com/unbroken-healing-through-storytelling 

Anneke is Dutch born and Australian bred. At the age of 21 she was about as bold as she could be. She took the step, like a lot of Aussies, to venture to Europe… for 6 months. 20 years later she finally returned. Broken, but she returned She survived the Belgium terror attack when Brussels airport was bombed in March 2016 and was close enough to feel the bombs, hear the screams. She was able to wipe the tears away from injured people and hold hands with those in pain… feel helpless for those she lost.  The wounds this experience had on her mind, heart and soul took a long time to heal. She had to relearn how to live, breath, eat and sleep.  Without the right support she wouldn't be here today, she wouldn't be able to talk with me right now and share with the value of ‘heart happy'.  Appreciating the small lights in life that give space for future hope.  Some key points from our interview:·      How she will not let anything defeat her and is determined to grow from her experience·      How her instinct was to go back into the airport and help where she could, despite the threat that there maybe more explosions from other bombs·      How her inner critique let her think that she was a failure following the bombing·      How it was only when she moved away from Brussels and back home to Australia that she got the emotional support she needed·      How she discovered that her day gets better when she looks for the joy and is grateful·      How she works on being kind to herself to make herself “heart happy”  You can contact Anneke here https://www.linkedin.com/in/annekeweemaesHosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/Watch via YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken You can listen to the full extended series of incredible stories on https://podfollow.com/unbroken-healing-through-storytelling 

Tara Notrica is 57 years old and a mother to 2 children, Jared, age 21 and Samantha, aged 17. She's been married to Barry for 24 years and they live in New York Prior to becoming ill with a rare disease called Mast Cell Disease, she was a Special Education Teacher/Administrator. Her disease causes her to have anaphylactic episodes from multiple triggers, which can cause anaphylactic shock Since there is no cure and very few medications for her disease, her transplant doctor and Tara decided to proceed with having a transplant.  In July 2015, she had an autologous stem cell transplant using her own stem cells. In June 2018, she had an allogeneic bone marrow transplant from an unrelated donor.  However, due to various complications, she was hospitalized extensively at MSKCC in New York City.  Her story has been made into a documentary called “Second Chance” featuring all original music co-written and recorded by Samantha The full documentary will be available to the public in Spring 2022, after it has finished completing the film festival circuit Some key points from our interview:·        How despite feeling that her body is semi broken, she feels that her spirit, courage, and resilience remains unbroken·        How whatever is going on with her health she always tries to persevere·        How it took five years before she would receive her diagnosis·        How her resilience developed by her determination to be here for her children and desire to watch them grow up·        How despite her many health conditions she still finds time to lobby for changes in the law to offer transport to children whose parents are unable to take them to school due to ill health·        How she's determined to raise awareness about rare diseases and stem cell transplants·        How her daughter Samantha has recorded nine separate songs for the documentary “Second Chance” which reflects all the different topics they went through as a family   https://www.instagram.com/taranotrica/Instagram-TaraNotrica Trailer Link/Film Information www.4thcoastproductions.com/secondchancedocumentary "Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling" features  individuals who have all triumphed after adversity and have not just bounced back in life, but forward and are now making a difference for others.Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.ukWatch the edit on You Tube as well! https://youtu.be/-NfVe_jb0ag   

Born and brought up on the Isle of Wight, David suffered early bereavement at age 4 when his mother died from Ovarian Cancer.  After a disrupted upbringing, he began work in retail banking at 18, but at 30 became an Anglican Priest.  After the collapse of his marriage and the loss of his faith in 2016, David was forced to reassess and reshape his inner life.  He is now married to Jane and successfully coparents his daughter with his former wife, Karen.  David now runs a successful life coaching and celebrancy business from his home in Salisbury Some key points from our interview·        How he recognises that being unbroken is lifelong journey towards a sense of wholeness·        How he was brought up in two contrasting environments·        How joining the church, learning theology and becoming ordained as a priest gave him a sense of belonging and acceptance·        How he had to own up to the church authorities that he had an affair and therefore lost his job and his home·        How he recognises that a time of crisis is also a time of decision·        How he feels that his breakdown allowed him to focus on his purpose in life·        How he recognises that the true treasure lies in our struggles and pain, and that there is lifelong learning in all of our journeys·        How after being a funeral celebrant for hundreds of people, he realises that we will regret the experiences we didn't have, far more than the riches we didn't have, when we diewww.davidlinaker.com "Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling" features  individuals who have all triumphed after adversity and have not just bounced back in life, but forward and are now making a difference for others.Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk 

Andrea Carter Brown's new collection of award-winning poetry, September 12, was published for the 20th anniversary of 9/11 Her previous collections are Domestic Karma, The Disheveled Bed, and Brook & Rainbow (winner of the 2001 Sow's Ear Press Chapbook Prize) Her poems have won awards from Five Points, River Styx, The MacGuffin, and the Poetry Society of America.  They are cited in the Library of Congress Online Guide to the Poetry of 9/11, and have been featured on NPR, Poetry Daily, and as Split This Rock Poem of the Week, A Founding Editor of Barrow Street and Managing Editor of The Emily Dickinson Journal, she has been Series Editor of The Word Works Washington Prize since 2017.  An avid birder, she lives in Los Angeles, where she grows lemons, limes, oranges, and tangerines in her back yard. Some key points from our interview ·         How her sister's called saved her life when she phoned to ask if she was ok as the Twin Towers had been hit·         How when she returned to her apartment, she was aware that the dust contained ashes of thousands who vanished four mornings ago·         How she has so much gratitude to all the people and strangers that helped her along the way and believes she survived because of them·         How writing “September 12” impelled her to bear witness to that day and its aftermath·         How she also believes in the power of sharing stories·         How she feels that her book, which took twenty years to write, is the evidence of being Unbroken by 9/11 You can get more info about Andrea here:https://www.andreacarterbrown.com                                *                                *                                  *                                    *"Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling" features  individuals who have all triumphed after adversity and have not just bounced back in life, but forward and are now making a difference for others.Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/Watch via YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken   

James is an author and trained counsellor who lives with anxiety, PTSD and depressionHis books include; The Recovery Letters, What I Do to Get Through, How to Tell Depression to Piss Off, How to Tell Anxiety to Sod Off and How to Get to Grips with Grief (released in July 2022).He is the founder of the internationally renowned The Recovery Letters project. I read “How to Tell Depression to Piss Off” before I interviewed James and was pleasantly surprised to find it was such a funny and light book to read.  I asked myself if I could really love a book about depression!  It made me so intrigued to meet James and find out how he could treat such a serious topic so light heartedlyAnd only after a few minutes of speaking to him I understood that his dark humour is just one of the many tools he has in his depression tool kit.Both of us have seen the darker side of life and both of us have used to see us through those times too.I really enjoyed my conversation with James and think you will too as he describes living with his depression and anxiety and the many ways, he has found to support him on his journey.We know that there has been an increase of mental health during lockdown and Covid. And it can present in many ways such as a panic attack, major depressive disorder, seasonal affective disorder, social anxiety, depression and pain.Some people might use CBT, psychotherapy or a light therapy lamp to help, but there are many different types of approaches.  It's just about finding out what works best for youHere's what the comedian, Robin Ince, says about his latest book:A book to play anxiety bingo with and one that will help you realise you are not alone in experiencing absurd mental terrors that feel horribly real. James makes it very funny too, because the ludicrousness of where our anxiety imagination can take us can be as funny on the page as it is horrifying when it is playing out in our mind. You will laugh and come away from this tooled up for the next battle in your mind's darker corners Some key points from our interview:·         How looking back now he realises that losing his father at five and being abused at seven, shaped his life and had an impact of his mental health·         How he has learnt to find meaning in his life and moments of absolute joy·         How he had to learn to celebrate the small wins on his darker days and to take it second by second rather than day by day·         How he became aware that his illness lied to him and not to believe his negative chatter ·         How he still gets anxiety when writing his books but knows that when we share our pain and connect with others something beautiful happens·         How he looks at the many approaches he has tried as his homework with depression and anxiety and writes down what works for him·         How he's learnt to hold on to the fact that things can change and get better, despite what his illness may be telling him and is passionate about mental health awarenessWebsite: http://www.jameswithey.com                                                                     

Michelle Bowdler is the author of Is Rape a Crime? A Memoir, an Investigation, and a Manifesto.  This book was longlisted for the National Book Award for Nonfiction, on the best books lists for Publishers Weekly and the Boston Globe as well as named a Must Read by TIME Magazine and the Massachusetts Book Awards.  Bowdler is the recipient of the Barbara Deming Memorial Award for nonfiction. Her writing has been published in two anthologies, the New York Times, Ms. Magazine, Psychology Today, the American Medical Association's Journal of Ethics, Literary Hub, and other journals.  Anita Hill writes of this book, "Is Rape a Crime? is beautifully written and compellingly told. In 2020, we were all looking for solutions and this book was right on time. It is one we should all be reading." I was introduced to Michelle by a mutual friend who said I should have her on the show to discuss her powerful book and the work she is doing around violence against women She was raped in her home by two men during a burglary and reported it to the Police who sent her to the hospital to have DNA taken using a rape test kit Many years later she read an article about 1000's of untested rape kits in the Police labs which led her onto a journey of enquiry about what happened to these tests and hers too. I really believe that violence against women and misogyny is a hate crime and the rape laws in both of our countries need so many changes, not just in reporting rape and domestic violence but how victims are treated during a trial and the sentences that are given out, because we know that just a small percentage of trials end in a conviction. Some key points from our interview: ·        How sharing her “me too story” publicly for the first time was liberating ·        How she found it harder to come out about being raped than being gay·        How she started to do research into untested rape kits after reading an article in her local paper·        How her feminism and activism got reignited as she wanted to do something about the untested rape kits, which has a huge impact on women's health and bring it to people's attention ·        How she feels lucky that she met someone who was patient with her ·        How she recognises that we all have the ability to heal and move on despite going through hard times  Connect with Michelle  here:https://michelle-bowdler.com/about To buy the book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rape-Crime-Memoir-Investigation-Manifesto/dp/1250255635                                             *                                *                                  *                               "Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling" features  individuals who have all triumphed after adversity and have not just bounced back in life, but forward and are now making a difference for others.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/

Claire Dyer's poetry collections are published by Two Rivers Press, her novels by Quercus and The Dome Press.  Her latest novel, 'The Significant Others of Odie May' is published by Matador, and she has a new collection forthcoming with Two Rivers Press in 2024.  She has curated Reading's Poets' Café for the past five years, teaches creative writing and runs Fresh Eyes, an editorial and critiquing service.  She has an MA in Creative Writing from Royal Holloway, University of London and is a regular contributor on BBC Radio Berkshire Today though we are discussing the story behind her poetry collection “Yield” which beautifully shares her journey of her son becoming her daughter Yield can have three meanings   Some key points from our interview:·         How when her child first told them they thought they were trans she felt fear for their future·         How she writing Yield has been cathartic but took five years to complete·         How they have always been met with love, support and understanding ·         How it's felt like a grief process and had to learn to surrender and accept the changes within her family·         How she recognises that the heart of her daughter has never changed, even though outwardly she may look different to the gender she was assigned at birth Depend – Supporting the families and friends of trans peoplehttps://www.depend.org.uk Mermaids - UK organisation for young trans people and their families, with support and resources for bothhttps://mermaidsuk.org.uk You can get more info about Claire here: www.clairedyer.com Twitter: @ClaireDyer1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/claire.dyer.98 and https://www.facebook.com/Claire-Dyer-Author-131347343704266Insta: @clairedyerwriterhttps://tinyurl.com/yckp79uy 

Kijuan Amey is a retired US Air Force veteran who was forced to retire due to a motorcycle accident which resulted in his loss of vision Kijuan has many talents to include being a musician, singer, actor, and an athlete. Yes, he still performs those talents, but recently has added motivational speaking and self-published author to the resume, despite his blindness symptomsMr. Amey likes to believe his target audience for speaking is high school, college, and military, but it seems he relates to more by presenting the human side of himself. His newly published book, “Don't Focus on Why me: From Motorcycle Accident to Miracle,” relays a lot of messages people need to hear when going through hardships and life altering changes. As he always says, “I may have loss my sight, but I didn't lose my vision to help others.” Some key points from our interview:·         How he had to hit a low point in his healing before he found his resilience·         How he realised that he had a choice in his recovery and attitude ·         How he had a profound moment when he was in hospital when he heard a still voice come over him and asked “Well, why not you”·         How his faith has always been a big part of his life and a support.  He never questioned God and his chronic illness, but accepted it as his path·         How he now believes that sharing his story is his destiny to help others You can order his book here:https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Focus-Why-Me-Motorcycle/dp/B097TRW                                    *                                *                                  *                                    *"Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling" features  individuals who have all triumphed after adversity and have not just bounced back in life, but forward and are now making a difference for others.Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk/Watch via YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken   

Today's episode is with Tiffany Levine, and she's sort of a relation of mine as she's my sister-in-law's, sister-in-law! She did confess before we started recording that she felt quite nervous as she's more used to supporting others through baby loss and not sharing her own story, but she also feels it's important to share her story to serve others on their healing journey too.She is British and living in Australia. She says she is a proud mummy to angel twins and two young boys, and she works as a Bereavement Outreach Worker.Her infertility journey began 10 years ago. After several rounds of IVF, finally falling pregnant with their miracle twins. Enduring hospital bedrest and prematurely giving birth, which resulted in their death too. Emotionally struggling with the loss of our hopes and dreams, being shattered and having a life-threatening infection, she says it felt like she experienced the impossible. Her and her husband, Pete, both had to learn to navigate their lives again and overcoming what now and what next.8 years later, and 2 successful pregnancies, she has found healing through peer supporting others as a volunteer for a local charity and facilitating their support groups. This has been further extended to her dream job, as a Bereavement Outreach Worker, supporting families with the loss of their baby through a charity Program offered here. offering practical and compassionate supportSome key points from our interview:·        How exhausting both physically and emotionally the IVF process is·        How devastating it was to leave the hospital with empty arms after losing her twin girls in their premature birth·        How important it was to open herself up to receive the support offered·        How important it is to mark their birthdays and celebrate their lives as they will always be part of her family·        How she believes that the universe is working with her and meets the people she's meant to exactly at the right time in her life·        How she's now passionate about helping others cope with their grief after baby loss  Precious Wings (Australia): https://www.preciouswings.org/Red nose (Australia): https://rednose.org.au/ and https://rednosegriefandloss.org.au/                                     *                                *                                  *                                    *"Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling" features  individuals who have all triumphed after adversity and have not just bounced back in life, but forward and are now making a difference for others.Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken,  from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk