About
Dr Rhona Morrison is a retired consultant forensic psychiatrist, artist, award-winning author and professional speaker based in Central Scotland.
Rhona spent more than 30 years working in the NHS with mentally disordered offenders. Her clinical team affectionately called her ‘Dr M’ and it stuck! Following retirement in 2018, at age 55, and after a series of life changing events, Rhona’s life changed course, and she returned to her passion for art, building her own studio and becoming a professional artist; writing two award-winning books; and travelling the world as professional speaker on cruiseships.
Author / Books
‘I DON’T TALK TO DEAD BODIES: THE CURIOUS ENCOUNTERS OF A FORENSIC PSYCHIATRIST’ (2022)
Do you enjoy true crime, crime fiction, mental illness related themes or medical memoir?
If so, it is likely that you will find the content of Rhona’s award-winning memoir, ‘ I don’t talk to dead bodies: the curious encounters of a forensic psychiatrist’, entertaining.
As an NHS doctor for over 30 years, who worked with mentally disordered offenders, she has a wealth of clinical experience , which includes work for the courts, prisons, hospitals and in the community. Rhona regularly worked with murderers, sex offenders and violent, psychotic men. Of course, she also has her very own stalker!
Mental illness sometimes makes good people do bad things. It was Rhona’s job to find them, treat them and rehabilitate them, without judgement, even if they had raped a child or murdered a pensioner.
This is an intimate, honest, eye opening, amusing, bizarre, scary , emotional rollercoaster of a journey inside her world as a forensic psychiatrist.
Rhona is passionate about destigmatisation of mental illness. Her aim is to entertain and educate, as well as to challenge your assumptions and mindset around this emotionally charged subject matter.
Gold medal winner in the Global Book Awards for Genre (2023)
Winner: International Impact Book Award: Memoir, Career Journey Category (2025)
The book is available in paperback, ebook and audiobook versions (narrated by Rhona herself!). It can be ordered via Amazon or through any good bookshop.
‘FROM CRIME SCENES TO CRUISE SHIPS: NAVIGATING LIFE’S TROUBLED WATERS WITH RESILIENCE AND HOPE’ (2025)
Have you ever experienced a significant transition in your life?
Whether it was a bereavement, retirement, redundancy, relationship failure, major illness or change in role, you may have found that the future you had planned was no longer possible. However, the next chapter in life doesn’t have to be a bad one, it will just be different.
Sadly, when Dr M retired from the NHS on her 55th birthday, her husband Richard died from a brain tumour the same day. Her second memoir takes the reader on an inspiring journey full of resilience, hope and fulfilment, as she navigates bereavement and gives herself permission to flourish as a solo traveller in life and has gone on to become a successful artist, author and professional speaker on cruise ships.
Winner Goody Business Book Award: Self Help, Motivation category 2025
Winner The International Impact Book Award: Overcoming Adversity category 2025
Artist
Do you need a unique piece of artwork for yourself or for someone special?
Perhaps Rhona can help. She specialises in detailed watercolour paintings and pen and ink pointillism commissions. These are usually based on photographic images of the subject matter, e.g., pets and wedding venues, which tend to be favourite requests. NB she does not do life drawing of humans. In more recent times, she has also enjoyed exploring fused glass and glass painting.
Since the beginning of COVID she has stopped selling artwork and merchandise in shops and galleries and now focusses on commission-based work. Due to the time constraints of her public speaking and cruise ship enrichment lecturing, she has unfortunately had to cut down the amount of commission work accepted.
There are still some mounted prints available to order in the PRODUCTS section.
She is also willing to run Sip and Draw pen and ink pointillism classes, where the participants get a glass of prosecco and learn the technique. These sessions are suitable for all, even if you have no artistic ability, as she provides the template drawing and completed image to copy. If you can hold a pen and make a dot, you can do it! She is currently exploring developing a commercially available workbook and pen set…watch this space.
Rhona also offers to deliver free pen and ink Pointillism art classes whilst lecturing on cruise ships.
PROFESSIONAL SPEAKER
Do you need to book an interesting and engaging speaker? Perhaps Dr M can help.
Dr M has a wealth of experience to share with her audiences. Intermingled with a series of humorous, bizarre and scary anecdotes about mentally disordered offenders, murderers, sex offenders and her very own stalker, is a strong message about the importance of being non-judgemental and person-centred.
