Episode Description
I am thrilled to be joined on the podcast by the inspirational 29-year-old, Harriet Barnsley.
Harriet lives in Birmingham, UK with the love of her life and their cat, Fred. She studied at the University of Reading where she graduated with a degree in Philosophy. She loves fitness and her favorite food is dark chocolate!
Harriet’s story starts in 2014 when she had just awoken from a six-week coma following a devastating incident. It happened the day after her last ever exam at Reading University, in May 2014.
She had come home to Birmingham for a hen party, and on that sunny Saturday evening, she was traveling into the city center with her childhood friend Beccy, looking forward to a fun time catching up with old friends.
They stood waiting for the bus when two cars sped round the corner – one lost control and smashed into them.
The drivers were racing each other at more than 100mph. They were both drunk. When the car struck, the pair were thrown meters into the air. Harriet sustained a traumatic brain injury and was left with life-changing injuries. Beccy was killed instantly.
In this episode, Harriet and I talk about her recovery, loss, grief, living with disability, mental illness, writing a memoir, road traffic safety activism and so much more.
Please, head to Amazon at the link and get your copy of my E-book or paperback book edition, Ray of Light, and please leave me a rating and review. It would mean the world to me.
About The Author
Marlene McConnell
Marlene McConnell is an author, podcast host, self-love teacher and trauma survivor. She believes that trauma recovery is accessible to everyone, and that it starts with the acknowledgement that something has happened to you combined with a willingness to heal. McConnell’s book was inspired by the realization that she touched many lives by sharing her story at a support group. Her message of hope not only resonated with the survivors, but also with the family members and friends who supported them at the group sessions. Marlene is also an attorney who holds B.Proc, LLB and LLM law degrees. She loves travel, Pilates, nature, learning new languages, and good food.