PROFESSIONAL SPEAKER

Do you need to book an interesting and engaging speaker? Perhaps Dr M can help.

As a retired consultant forensic psychiatrist, with more than 30 years’ experience in the NHS, and author of two award-winning memoirs,’ I don’t talk to dead bodies: the curious encounters of a forensic psychiatrist’ and  ‘From crime scenes to cruise ships: navigating life’s troubled waters with resilience and hope’, 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. Her passion is the destigmatisation of mental illness. She will challenge assumptions and mindsets around this fascinating subject area.

In addition, having had to navigate a significant period of transition following retirement and her husband’s death on her 55th birthday, she has gone on to flourish as a solo traveller in life, having started an art business, written two memoirs, joined an expedition cruise to Antarctica and become a professional speaker and globetrotting cruise ship enrichment lecturer. She shares insights from her journey of resilience and triumph over adversity, offering inspiration and hope.

As an associate member of the UK Professional Speaking Association, she was named Scottish member of the year 2025. Her professional speaking, in addition to her cruise ship enrichment lecturing, from 2023 onwards, has included keynote conference speeches, theatre shows, ‘Meet the author’ events in more intimate settings across the UK e.g. libraries, university and college lectures and being a guest on multiple podcasts and radio shows.

TESTIMONIALS

Rhona was the guest speaker at the Trefoil Guild Scotland Annual meeting 2026. Her talk was engaging, informative and entertaining. We laughed and cried in equal measure. She had the audience eating out of the palm of her hands. What she said resonated with so many people. She also led an art workshop in the morning, which all my members loved.

Rhona is totally dependable. In fact, although she had been taken into hospital for a procedure that week, she came straight from the hospital to attend our event.

Alison Plummer, Chair of Trefoil Guild Scotland

Rhona has a remarkable ability to make complex and often misunderstood subjects both accessible and engaging. We were delighted to welcome Dr Rhona Morrison as a guest speaker for North Lanarkshire Libraries' *Killers and Coffee* series at Airdrie Library. The event was exceptionally well attended, bringing together crime fiction enthusiasts, aspiring writers and members of the local community for an evening that was both fascinating and thought-provoking.

Drawing on more than 30 years' experience as a consultant forensic psychiatrist working with mentally disordered offenders, alongside her career as an author, Dr Morrison delivered an engaging, insightful and thoroughly captivating talk. She shared fascinating behind-the-scenes stories from her professional life and explored how her experiences have influenced her writing, making complex subjects accessible with warmth, humour and compassion.

What made the evening particularly special was the level of audience engagement. From the moment Dr Morrison began speaking, the room was completely absorbed, and the question-and-answer session sparked lively discussion, with attendees eager to continue the conversation long after the event had officially ended. The feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive, with many people describing it as one of the most memorable author events they had attended.

Events like *Killers and Coffee* are about much more than books - they create opportunities for people to come together, discover new ideas, meet inspiring speakers and connect with others who share their interests. Dr Morrison's generosity, professionalism and ability to engage with people from all backgrounds made a significant contribution to that sense of community. She was a pleasure to work with throughout, and I would wholeheartedly recommend her to libraries, literary festivals, book groups and organisations looking for an exceptional speaker who leaves a lasting and meaningful impression.

Katie McGrath, Librarian at North Lanarkshire Libraries