Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling

#publicspeakingtraining #diversityandinclusiontraining #genderstudies

Anna Dravland reached out to me via social media when she heard about the show as she loved the idea of it and when she shared her story with me, I knew I had to interview her! 

She has been through so much both physically and mentally but what I love about her is her honesty and her refusal to be defined by her experiences.  She has a daily routine of staying grounded, practising gratitude and sharing goodness

She is a disabled stroke survivor, among many challenges she has endured, and Founder of Spread Goodness Day, a non-profit event started in 2017 dedicated to empowering world change through goodness and “making the future so bright, we all need shades!”  The event celebrated its fifth anniversary on March 11th 2022, and has spread hundreds of thousands of acts of goodness throughout the world through her spread goodness challenge

A 2014 graduate of Northern Michigan University, Anna’s commitment to world change was lit during college as she dove into the works of volunteering and non-profits. Those passion-fuelled volunteer activities led to her career in marketing, event promotion and community relations.  She loves the benefits of volunteering and the impact it can have for others


Prior to her injury, she worked for Travel Marquette, enticing visitors to share the beauty of her hometown. Her passion now is inspiring people to survive with goodness, bringing the powerful, healing energy of kindness to their lives.



Some key points from our interview:
-How even though she feels she has broken many times she’s able to piece herself back together and is a more beautiful version of herself
-How after her rare stroke at just 34 she had to learn to walk and talk again and her life was never the same again
-How she wants to show people that there is life after a stroke
-How during her stroke recovery she had to accept the loss of all the things her stroke took away from her
-How the kindness and love she received by her community and friends helped to heal her and she now wants to use kindness to heal not just herself but the global community too
-How she still gets days when she struggles and is angry but is still about to remain positive and can find the light and goodness all around her and in others too

www.spreadgoodnessday.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 edited highlights on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken

Short of time but want to tune in?

Watch Short Vlog Versions on our You Tube Channel HERE

#publicspeakingtraining #diversityandinclusiontraining #genderstudies

Anna Dravland reached out to me via social media when she heard about the show as she loved the idea of it and when she shared her story with me, I knew I had to interview her! 

She has been through so much both physically and mentally but what I love about her is her honesty and her refusal to be defined by her experiences.  She has a daily routine of staying grounded, practising gratitude and sharing goodness

She is a disabled stroke survivor, among many challenges she has endured, and Founder of Spread Goodness Day, a non-profit event started in 2017 dedicated to empowering world change through goodness and “making the future so bright, we all need shades!”  The event celebrated its fifth anniversary on March 11th 2022, and has spread hundreds of thousands of acts of goodness throughout the world through her spread goodness challenge

A 2014 graduate of Northern Michigan University, Anna’s commitment to world change was lit during college as she dove into the works of volunteering and non-profits. Those passion-fuelled volunteer activities led to her career in marketing, event promotion and community relations.  She loves the benefits of volunteering and the impact it can have for others


Prior to her injury, she worked for Travel Marquette, enticing visitors to share the beauty of her hometown. Her passion now is inspiring people to survive with goodness, bringing the powerful, healing energy of kindness to their lives.



Some key points from our interview:
-How even though she feels she has broken many times she’s able to piece herself back together and is a more beautiful version of herself
-How after her rare stroke at just 34 she had to learn to walk and talk again and her life was never the same again
-How she wants to show people that there is life after a stroke
-How during her stroke recovery she had to accept the loss of all the things her stroke took away from her
-How the kindness and love she received by her community and friends helped to heal her and she now wants to use kindness to heal not just herself but the global community too
-How she still gets days when she struggles and is angry but is still about to remain positive and can find the light and goodness all around her and in others too

www.spreadgoodnessday.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 edited highlights on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken

Short of time but want to tune in?

Watch Short Vlog Versions on our You Tube Channel HERE

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 edited highlights on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken

Short of time but want to tune in?

Watch Short Vlog Versions on our You Tube Channel HERE

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 edited highlights on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken

Short of time but want to tune in?

Watch Short Vlog Versions on our You Tube Channel HERE

Beverley Densham is a mindfulness Pilates teacher of 24 years and an Author

 She graduated from the University of Brighton with a degree in Sports Science and became a Pilates teacher. 

 Two near death experiences and divorce guided her to heal and inspire others with her mindfulness Pilates zoom studio. 

 She created a mindfulness Pilates podcast, and founder of the Happy Kids cards and Happy & Calm cards to help you live happily ever after

 Some people seem to experience a catalogue of events in their life, and I’m always amazed how they draw strength from these events and come back stronger and brighter than they were before!

Some key points from our interview:

• How she feels that she did feel broken and destroyed in the past, but she’s come back braver and better than before
• How after a serious road traffic accident when she was hit by a car when she was cycling, she developed depression, chronic fatigue and PTSD
• How she discovered Pilates which inspired her to heal and set up her own studio
• How she had a pre eclamptic fit during childbirth and nearly died again but believes she survived to protect her son and give others a voice 
• How she and her three-year-old son had to flee their home due to domestic abuse
• How she had to learn to heal herself again but her creativity opened up again as a result
• How she loves to encourage others to connect with their guardian angels
• How she is now thriving in life and business after overcoming all of her challenges 

www.beverleydensham.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/beverleymdensham/

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/beverley-densham-a871831a5

Instagram beverley_densham

My book I Talk to Angels: Connect with your guardian angels  & all good bookshops & signed copies from the website.

tinyurl.com/angelsbev

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 edited highlights on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken

Short of time but want to tune in?

Watch Short Vlog Versions on our You Tube Channel HERE

Beverley Densham is a mindfulness Pilates teacher of 24 years and an Author

 She graduated from the University of Brighton with a degree in Sports Science and became a Pilates teacher. 

 Two near death experiences and divorce guided her to heal and inspire others with her mindfulness Pilates zoom studio. 

 She created a mindfulness Pilates podcast, and founder of the Happy Kids cards and Happy & Calm cards to help you live happily ever after

 Some people seem to experience a catalogue of events in their life, and I’m always amazed how they draw strength from these events and come back stronger and brighter than they were before!

Some key points from our interview:

• How she feels that she did feel broken and destroyed in the past, but she’s come back braver and better than before
• How after a serious road traffic accident when she was hit by a car when she was cycling, she developed depression, chronic fatigue and PTSD
• How she discovered Pilates which inspired her to heal and set up her own studio
• How she had a pre eclamptic fit during childbirth and nearly died again but believes she survived to protect her son and give others a voice 
• How she and her three-year-old son had to flee their home due to domestic abuse
• How she had to learn to heal herself again but her creativity opened up again as a result
• How she loves to encourage others to connect with their guardian angels
• How she is now thriving in life and business after overcoming all of her challenges 

www.beverleydensham.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/beverleymdensham/

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/beverley-densham-a871831a5

Instagram beverley_densham

My book I Talk to Angels: Connect with your guardian angels  & all good bookshops & signed copies from the website.

tinyurl.com/angelsbev

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 edited highlights on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken

Short of time but want to tune in?

Watch Short Vlog Versions on our You Tube Channel HERE

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 schizophrenia
• How 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 response
• How she had to learn and process her complicated grief through her new changed world 

Website: https://www.gillmannauthor.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/

Watch edited highlights on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken 

Short of time but want to tune in?

Watch Short Vlog Versions on our You Tube Channel HERE

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 schizophrenia
• How 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 response
• How she had to learn and process her complicated grief through her new changed world 

Website: https://www.gillmannauthor.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/

Watch edited highlights on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken 

Short of time but want to tune in?

Watch Short Vlog Versions on our You Tube Channel HERE

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 temporary

You can more info about Holly and her Happy Me project here:
Website: www.iamhollymatthews.com

Membership: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/

Watch edited highlights on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken

Short of time but want to tune in?

Watch Short Vlog Versions on our You Tube Channel HERE

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 temporary

You can more info about Holly and her Happy Me project here:
Website: www.iamhollymatthews.com

Membership: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/

Watch edited highlights on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken

Short of time but want to tune in?

Watch Short Vlog Versions on our You Tube Channel HERE