Thursdays with NAMI: A car crash severed her spinal cord as a teen; today she helps others adjust to life in a wheelchair
7 p.m. March 17, 2022
Madeleine Holden was 18 when she was hit by a car near Montreal, putting her in a coma for weeks. When she woke up, the young Canadian faced a new reality - life in a wheelchair.
Thus began her mental health journey. She grieved for her healthy, unlimited body and her expectation of an easier future. But over time she adapted well - studying social work, falling in love, and having a family. “I’m a lot less anxious now,” she says. “There’s a lot of peace in taking the time to sit down and think things through.”
Today Madeleine works as a peer counselor for people who are currently adjusting to life in a wheelchair. Typically, her clients are “moving out of rehab and coming back into the world as a different person,” she said.
On a whim she took a storytelling class in 2020 and found an outlet for sharing her experience as a severe trauma survivor. She has told her story on Soul Stories Live in Chicago and will be sharing it during the show. She lives with her husband Jean‐Pierre on a small farm in Quebec. Join us for a conversation with this gentle and inspiring woman.
Thursdays with NAMI is held virtually every Thursday from 7:00-8:30pm. It is free of charge. Go to www.naminc.org and search "Thursdays" for more information and to register for future sessions.
#mentalillness #MentalHealth #traumasurvivor