This page has details of our personal development therapeutic workshops for adult ex-boarders.

For specialist training for therapists to work with boarding issues or CPD, see here

Watch two videos by the founder describing the Boarding School Survivors workshops – short one here  and long one here

NEW: Testimonials from recent workshop participants

“It’s no exaggeration to say this saved marriage and relationship with my kids. Thanks!” Anon.

“I attended the BBS workshop in the summer of 2023 aged 37 having participated in various therapies before discovering the work. I benefitted enormously from the days spent in the company of fellow survivors of emotional and sexual abuse in the public school system. I discovered various behavioural blindspots affecting my relationships. BBS provides a very safe space and first-class facilitation where the most vulnerable felt heard and cared for. I found much expanded self expression through one of the exercises in particular and the programme kick-started an even deeper dive into the environment and events I lived through at boarding school from aged 8. I believe I am a happier and more aware individual having done the work with Nick’s team. Thank you for your love and support.” P.

“I’ve found the workshop has profoundly changed my relationship to going away to boarding school and I no longer feel it’s holding me back in my current life.” N.

“When I first saw the workshops advertised, I wondered whether they would be worthwhile when boarding school was so long ago. I did not regret my decision to sign up – the workshops were a significant step on my recovery journey.” C.
“I hated my boarding school, turned my back on it the moment I escaped, but always thought it made me stronger. Only recently have I realised the ways that boarding school – in order to stay safe – made me more guarded, reserved, inscrutable, and less trusting. The workshops helped me safely revisit the sadness and neglect. I could weep about it for the first time in decades, and now I am joyfully exploring a return to being the ‘friends with everyone’ little being I was before I went there.”  A.
“I would like to thank you for shepherding me through all the arrangements.” Anon.
“The workshops were my entry point into understanding my own boarding experience, sharing this with a group of women who had each suffered, mostly silently, in their own way. We were all quite scared on that first morning and left the second weekend in a much better place. The power of doing this within a skilfully facilitated group kick-started a period of discovery and self understanding that has stood me in good stead ever since. I can’t overstate the value of the group process in healing some of my boarding wounds.” Anon.

The Boarding School Survivors workshops

  • are in groups, either men or women
  • have two highly experienced facilitators on each workshop, and staff in training may sometimes be in assistant roles on the workshops.
  • please apply early as these courses are very popular.
  • when courses are full we have a waiting list as people do sometimes drop out
  • see below for dates and how to apply

To apply for a Boarding School Survivors workshop please download the following documents:

1. A Guide to the Workshops (this is a PDF file), and

2. Confidential Application Form (this is a Microsoft Word file) your answers should typed in – handwritten answers aren’t accepted.

N.B. On some devices or browsers you might have to right click or go ‘save link as’ to download the files.

Booking is now open open for all courses

 

Men’s Course – Spring 2025

Dates:

  • Part One: Saturday 08/03 – Sunday 09/03
  • Part Two: Saturday 10/05 – Sunday 11/05

The 4-day workshop is spread over two weekends, several weeks apart, and participants are expected to commit to attend each day. N.B. These courses are very popular, so early booking is strongly advised.

Venue: North central London, Hampstead, with good public transport links but difficult parking.

Times: 10am (arrive by 9.45) to 6pm each day.

Cost: £650 for both weekends payable in advance – £250 deposit to secure place.

 

Men’s Course – Autumn 2025

Dates:

  • Part One: Saturday 20/09 – Sunday 21/09
  • Part Two: Saturday 08/11 – Sunday 09/11

The 4-day workshop is spread over two weekends, several weeks apart, and participants are expected to commit to attend each day. N.B. These courses are very popular, so early booking is strongly advised.

Venue: North central London, Hampstead, with good public transport links but difficult parking.

Times: 10am (arrive by 9.45) to 6pm each day.

Cost: £650 for both weekends payable in advance – £250 deposit to secure place.

 

Women’s Course – Autumn 2025

Dates:

  • Part One: Saturday 4/10 – Sunday 5/10
  • Part Two: Saturday 15/11 – Sunday 16/11

The 4-day workshop is spread over two weekends, several weeks apart, and participants are expected to commit to attend each day. N.B. These courses are very popular, so early booking is strongly advised.

Venue: North central London, adjacent to Hampstead Heath with good public transport links.

Times: 10am (arrive by 9.45) to 6pm each day.

Cost: £650 for both weekends payable in advance – £250 deposit to secure place.