Led by Amelia White, this event is a professional development workshop for qualified and trainee counsellors and psychotherapists who wish to gain an understanding of how boarding school experiences shape childhood development and present as adult distress in therapeutic work.
Boarding School Syndrome describes the often-unrecognised psychological impact of institutional upbringing on children sent to boarding schools. As these experiences are frequently framed as privilege rather than potential trauma, clients rarely identify boarding school as a concern.
However, its effects may underlie attachment difficulties, emotional regulation challenges, and relationship patterns. Understanding Boarding School Syndrome is essential for therapists to recognise these hidden dynamics in the therapeutic relationship and create space for clients to explore feelings they've been conditioned to dismiss.
This workshop will give you some clinical awareness to work sensitively with this population, whose formative trauma often goes unseen precisely because of the social status associated with their education.
In this session, we will consider:
What is Boarding School Syndrome?
How it is caused, and how it presents in adults.
How to work with boarding school clients in the therapy room.
Through a combination of presentation, discussion, exercises, questions, this workshop will offer a good understanding of some of the key issues to be aware of when working with clients who have been educated at boarding school.
About the speaker
Amelia White is a BACP-accredited therapist specialising in the lasting impact of boarding school education on emotional development and adult behaviour. She has extensive experience working with organizations such as the NHS and Rape Crisis as well as teaching counselling students at Brighton University and East Sussex College.
After completing Nick Duffell’s specialist diploma in Psychotherapy with Ex-Boarders, and with a deep belief in the transformative power of group work,she developed a global online course for ex-boarders, offering both mixed-gender and women-only cohorts.
In addition to individual therapy, Amelia writes regular blog posts, and also leads workshops, training sessions for counsellors, and group programs designed to support those navigating the unique challenges of boarding school experiences.
About CPD Sussex
This event is hosted by CPD Sussex: an initiative focused on supporting the professional development of counsellors and psychotherapists in Brighton & Hove and the wider region.
Born from a dynamic partnership between New Road Psychotherapy and Connexus Institute, CPD Sussex offers low-cost Continuous Professional Development events created specifically for counsellors and psychotherapists (in-training and qualified) committed to growth, connection, and excellence in their practice.
We offer affordable bi-monthly workshops running from September through July. Join us on Tuesday evenings from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Connexus Institute training premises (5 The Drive, Hove, BN3 3JE), a warm and welcoming setting for learning and conversation.