On today's podcast I am speaking with best selling author Michael Davitt, who writes under the pen name, Luke Pemberton.

Today he talks about some of his mental health journey.

He talks about his breakdown while working in the diplomatic service and how he links that into complex PTSD and his time spent as child growing up and at boarding school.

He also talk about Boris Johnson and how his boarding school experiences might have impacted his leadership.

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Michael Davitt is an author focusing on mental health issues. He has published five books to-date under his author pseudonym, Luke Pemberton. His books are based around a series of his drawings illustrating how he experienced, and then recovered from, complex-PTSD stemming from emotional neglect in childhood. Prior to writing these books, Michael worked in the diplomatic field after several years in the private sector. He is from Porthcawl in South Wales and is now based in Vienna, Austria.

Some questions for Michael:

1. I would love for you to share some of your journey. How did you start to realise the impact that boarding school has had on you?
2. The notion that boarding school education equals privilege which can then shame people into not seeking the psychological help that many people inevitably need in adult life. 
3. How to overcome childhood trauma and the boarding school experience through:

• Acknowledging that things might have gone wrong for you in childhood and identifying the issues;
• Working through and processing the trauma (involving therapy, but most importantly honest introspection, note-taking or journaling, and then converting notes into drawings using analogies); 
• Executing a new life based on the knowledge and wisdom gained. 

1. The impact of religious education in male boarding schools." 
2. Other areas to talk about: Emotional neglect

• Complex PTSD
• The tools for recovery
• How to find your way out of despair
• Building your self-esteem

 #mentalhealth #complex ptsd #cptsd #breakdown #boardingschool #trauma

To buy Michael's books: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Find-Your-When-Despair-rediscovering/dp/1781327726?ref_=ast_author_dp

Or to reach out to him: [email protected] Or to visit his website: https://www.lukepemberton.com/ 

Published books: How to Put a Troubled Past Behind You: A FRESH, drawing-based approach (Find help, Record your feelings, Sketch your thoughts, and Harvest your success (self-published 2021).

How to Feel More Beautiful Inside: Learn to love yourself a little more, one step at a time (self-published, with ebookpartnership, 2020).

How to See Religion Differently: What questioning your beliefs can reveal, and why it can lead to a healthier mind (Silverwood Books, 2018) 

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Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who works mainly with trauma, boarding school issues, addictions and relationship problems. 

He also runs online men's groups for ex-boarders, retreats and a podcast called An Evolving Man. 

He is also the author of How to Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. To purchase Piers first book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1609869608&sr=8-1 

For more videos please visit: http://youtube.com/pierscross 

For FB: https://www.facebook.com/pierscrosspublic 

For Piers' website and a free training How To Find Peace In Everyday Life: https://www.piers-cross.com/community 

Many blessings, 

Piers Cross 

http://piers-cross.com/ 

 Today I wanted to offer some reflections about the film and the current fundraising which you can find here: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/boarding-on-insanity#/discussion 

We are currently half way through the fundraising. 

A big thanks for all your help. 

We have raised £5000 so far which is wonderful, thank you. 

We are starting to organise a retreat as part of the film. 

This will be a 4 day event where we will film 10 ex-boarders male and females. 

I talk a little today about what has been happening with the film. Please feel free to share the promo as much as possible. Thank you. 

Warm regards, Piers 

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Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who works mainly with trauma, boarding school issues, addictions and relationship problems. 

He also runs online men's groups for ex-boarders, retreats and a podcast called An Evolving Man. 

He is also the author of How to Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. To purchase Piers first book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1609869608&sr=8-1 

For more videos please visit: http://youtube.com/pierscross 

For FB: https://www.facebook.com/pierscrosspublic 

For Piers' website and a free training How To Find Peace In Everyday Life: https://www.piers-cross.com/community 

Many blessings, 

Piers Cross 

http://piers-cross.com/ 

Today's conversation is with author Person Irresponsible (PI). PI is the author of two books. 

Her first book charts her walk from the Mexico to the border of Canada in 2020. Her second book talks about her journey around the UK in a van and also shares some of her boarding school journey.

In this episode we talk about her experiences of boarding school and how that has impacted her life. She talks about how she came across the issue of boarding school while attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). In one meeting 5 out of the 6 attendees were ex-boarders.

PI shares her journey of recovery and also talk about her experiences of being a third culture kid (third country kid). She also shares the difference between girls boarding schools and co-ed boarding schools. What does happen in a girls boarding school?

A fascinating conversation.

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Person Irresponsible is the author of several bestselling book including Everywhere I Never Wanted To Go and Everything You Ever Taught Me about her travels across the UK and walking from Canada to Mexico. She is also an ex-boarder who attended two boarding schools.

Questions for PI:

1. I would love for you to share some of your journey. How did you start to realise the impact that boarding school has had on you?
2. Other areas to talk about:
   1. Third culture kids
   2. Losing home
   3. Depression and how school dealt with it
   4. The language of denial – especially - “It never did me any harm...”
   5. The marketing and business side of a boarding school
   6. The psychological abuse girls are put under
   7. What were the punishments like?
   8. What in your eyes have been some of the side effects of boarding school on your life?
   9. Never settling
   10. Addictions
   11. Matriarchy

#boardingschool #girlsboardingschool #addictionrecovery #alanon 

To find out more about Person Irresponsible please visit: https://personirresponsible.com

And to buy her book please visit: https://personirresponsible.com/books or on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Everything-You-Ever-Taught-Me/dp/1527295745

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Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who works mainly with trauma, boarding school issues, addictions and relationship problems. 

He also runs online men's groups for ex-boarders, retreats and a podcast called An Evolving Man. 

He is also the author of How to Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. To purchase Piers first book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1609869608&sr=8-1 

For more videos please visit: http://youtube.com/pierscross 

For FB: https://www.facebook.com/pierscrosspublic 

For Piers' website and a free training How To Find Peace In Everyday Life: https://www.piers-cross.com/community 

Many blessings, 

Piers Cross 

http://piers-cross.com/ 

 Stress - How To Relieve Stress. Stress Management Strategies 

Today I wanted to share some techniques for managing stress.

As trauma survivors we often struggle with stress and can get stressed quite easily.

In this podcast I wanted to share some thoughts about what you can do the next time you are feeling stressed. 

What are some practices you can use to manage your stress levels?

To support the film, Boarding on Insanity: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/boarding-on-insanity#/ 

Kelly McGonigal's Ted Talk. How to Make Stress Your Friend: https://youtu.be/RcGyVTAoXEU?si=iG0bud8yTZu-z-zj 

Warm regards,

Piers

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Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who works mainly with trauma, boarding school issues, addictions and relationship problems. 

He also runs online men's groups for ex-boarders, retreats and a podcast called An Evolving Man. 

He is also the author of How to Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. To purchase Piers first book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1609869608&sr=8-1 

For more videos please visit: http://youtube.com/pierscross 

For FB: https://www.facebook.com/pierscrosspublic 

For Piers' website and a free training How To Find Peace In Everyday Life: https://www.piers-cross.com/community 

Many blessings, 

Piers Cross 

http://piers-cross.com/ 

 Review of RRR - Indian Film - The Psychology of the British Raj & The British Empire's Cruelty 

Today I wanted to offer some reflections about the Indian Telugu film, RRR, directed by Rajamouli, featuring Ram Charam and NT Rama Rao Jr. 

I watched this film at the weekend and today wanted to offer some reflections about the psychology of the British Raj which we see played out in the film. 

The story of the film starts with the British Governor played by Ray Stevenson and his wife who buy a young girl from a village they are visiting. The village presume they are being paid for the singing, not for the girl and try to get the child back.

The girl has a protector who tries to rescue the girl, a man called Bheem, played by NT Rama Rao Jr. 

The story shows his battle to get the girl back from the British whlie battling a policeman played by Ram Charam. 

I was drawn to writing a review because of how the trauma and cruelty of the British Empire is potrayed in the film and how I feel it links into the education of the British especially boarding school. 

I quote from Nick Duffell author of Wounded Leaders. 

#rrr #britishraj #britishempire #legacyofviolence 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RRR 

For more information about the film about the trauma of our leaders, Boarding on Insanity please visit: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/boarding-on-insanity/x/15184448#/ 

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Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who works mainly with trauma, boarding school issues, addictions and relationship problems. 

He also runs online men's groups for ex-boarders, retreats and a podcast called An Evolving Man. 

He is also the author of How to Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. To purchase Piers first book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1609869608&sr=8-1 

For more videos please visit: http://youtube.com/pierscross 

For FB: https://www.facebook.com/pierscrosspublic 

For Piers' website and a free training How To Find Peace In Everyday Life: https://www.piers-cross.com/community 

Many blessings, 

Piers Cross 

http://piers-cross.com/ 

 What is the impact of private education on the UK? 

Should we abolish Eton?

Today on the podcast assistant professor in Sociology, Dr Sol Gamsu talks about elitism in education.

How does this show up?

And what is the impact on the UK?

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Dr Sol Gamsu is an assistant professor in sociology at Durham University. He is also a sociologist and a geographer of education with a strong commitment to the politics of education and envisaging alternative futures for education and society more broadly. 

His research focuses on elite schooling and he was one of the co-founders of the Labour Against Private Schools Campaign/Abolish Eton in 2019.

Questions for Sol:

1. I would love for you to share some of your journey. How did you get into the work you now do?
2. Why we do not need elitism in education? 
3. Why are some children worth more? What is the economic gap between state and private schools in the UK?
4. What is the impact on our education system of having such a disparity between the rich and poor schools?
5. In 2021 you wrote a report about the private-state school funding gap in England. What were your findings?
6. Could you please talk about charitable status in private schools? What is this and why is it still in place?
7. P.4: (1869): “This legislation effectively placed these schools 'beyond the reach of normal democratic process' where they have remained.” Please discuss.
8. Clarenden Commission & PS Act 1868: “great endowments were reserved for those who could pay.” You mention that this was against the founders wishes. What were the founders wishes? Is this still the case today?
9. What is the HMC? How much influence does it have?
10. What steps can we do to change the system? What are your policy recommendations?

#abolisheton #boardingschool #eliteeducation #privateschools #education

To find out more about Dr Gamsu's report please visit: https://www.common-wealth.org/publications/why-are-some-children-worth-more-than-others

https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/sol-j-gamsu 

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Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who works mainly with trauma, boarding school issues, addictions and relationship problems. 

He also runs online men's groups for ex-boarders, retreats and a podcast called An Evolving Man. 

He is also the author of How to Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. To purchase Piers first book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1609869608&sr=8-1 

For more videos please visit: http://youtube.com/pierscross 

For FB: https://www.facebook.com/pierscrosspublic 

For Piers' website and a free training How To Find Peace In Everyday Life: https://www.piers-cross.com/community 

Many blessings, 

Piers Cross 

http://piers-cross.com/ 

A leading teacher and former head of department talks about the modern education system both private and state.

What is not working in the current system?

What needs to change?

What does he think about Ofsted?

A great conversation talking about Paul's experiences at a public school, boarding school and working as a teacher in the state system.

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Paul has degrees in Geography and ICT. He has spent much of his teaching career as Head of ICT/Computing, Business Studies, Childcare & Development and Health & Social Care. He now runs Parent Guide to GCSE with his wife, Emily, which coaches parents in how to support their children through their teenage years.

Questions for Paul:

1. I would love for you to share some of your journey. How did you get into the work you now do?
2. I would love for you to speak about the difference between the private school education system and the state school system. What was it like spending time in each of those environments?
3. What was your boarding school education like?
4. What is currently not working in the modern education system?
5. What are some of the solutions to overcoming these issues?
6. Could you please talk about mental health in our education system? What are you seeing? What are the tools that are helping the young people with their mental health?
7. What can we do to start changing it?
8. What do you think of OFSTED? What are some of the stories you have heard in your time as a department head?
9. What can we do to start getting fathers to engage more with the upbringing of their children?
10. Fathers for Justice. I would love for you to speak a bit about fathers for justice. Could you please talk about your own experiences – what is the current system like and what needs, in your opinion, to change?
11. How do people learn more about you?

#education #privateschools #boardingschool #ofsted #failingeducation #fathersforjustice

To learn more about Paul and his work please visit: https://www.parentguidetogcse.com

or: https://www.parentguidetoeducation.com/

Email: [email protected]

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Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who works mainly with trauma, boarding school issues, addictions and relationship problems. 

He also runs online men's groups for ex-boarders, retreats and a podcast called An Evolving Man. 

He is also the author of How to Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. To purchase Piers first book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1609869608&sr=8-1 

For more videos please visit: http://youtube.com/pierscross 

For FB: https://www.facebook.com/pierscrosspublic 

For Piers' website and a free training How To Find Peace In Everyday Life: https://www.piers-cross.com/community 

Many blessings, 

Piers Cross 

http://piers-cross.com/ 

A big thank you for your donations so far. 

We have raised $2500 after the first five days which is wonderful. 

Thank you. 

To watch the trailer and support the film please visit (please be aware that there is a trigger warning - some upsetting things are shared) : 

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/boarding-on-insanity/x/15184448#/ 

And if you can't financially support the film please do share via email or messenger to people who you think might really benefit from watching the trailer. 

Thank you, Piers 

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Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who works mainly with trauma, boarding school issues, addictions and relationship problems. 

He also runs online men's groups for ex-boarders, retreats and a podcast called An Evolving Man. 

He is also the author of How to Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. To purchase Piers first book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1609869608&sr=8-1 

For more videos please visit: http://youtube.com/pierscross 

For FB: https://www.facebook.com/pierscrosspublic 

For Piers' website and a free training How To Find Peace In Everyday Life: https://www.piers-cross.com/community 

Many blessings, 

Piers Cross 

http://piers-cross.com/ 

On today's conversation we explore trauma, child development, education and self-directed learning.

What is trauma? How might trauma show up as an adult.

She also talk about the modern education system. What is it like? What needs to change?

We also delve into boarding schools. What is the opinion of clinical psychologist, who specialises in education about boarding schools? Dr Fisher also attended boarding school in her sixth form. What was her experience like?

Are boarding schools developmentally damaging for children?

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Dr Naomi Fisher is an independent clinical psychologist and EMDR-Europe trainer. She specialises in trauma, autism and alternative approaches to education. She works with children, adolescents and adults. 

She is the author of Changing our Minds: How Children Can Take Control of their Own Learning (Robinson, 2021) and A Different Way to Learn: Neurodiversity and Self-Directed Education (JKP, 2023). 

Questions for Naomi:

1. I would love for you to share some of your journey. How did you get into the work you now do?
2. Could you please talk about trauma and child development? How does trauma impact a child?
3. How might these trauma symptoms show up as an adult?
4. In one interview you mentioned “School is restricting children from a natural developmental process.” Could you please explain and expand? Is school the best way to educate your child?
5. What is your assessment of modern day schools? What needs to change?
6. In your clinical experience what do you think of boarding schools?
7. In my research it seems that no child development theory suggests that taking children away from parents is a good thing. If this is true, why do you think that we still say that boarding school is 'the making of us.'
8. What is neurodiversity?
9. What is a different way to learn? What is self-directed learning?
10. What is your vision for the future regarding education of our children?
11. How do people learn more about you?

To learn more about Dr Fisher and her work please visit: https://www.naomifisher.co.uk/

#trauma #childdevelopment #boardingschool #educationsystem #education #neurodiversity

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Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who works mainly with trauma, boarding school issues, addictions and relationship problems. 

He also runs online men's groups for ex-boarders, retreats and a podcast called An Evolving Man. 

He is also the author of How to Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. To purchase Piers first book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1609869608&sr=8-1 

For more videos please visit: http://youtube.com/pierscross 

For FB: https://www.facebook.com/pierscrosspublic 

For Piers' website and a free training How To Find Peace In Everyday Life: https://www.piers-cross.com/community 

Many blessings, 

Piers Cross 

http://piers-cross.com/ 

 Today I wanted to offer some more reflections about trauma recovery. 

In my own life I used to persecute myself a lot. As Pete Walker in his book Complex PTSD says, we can often have a very strong inner critic. This was me. 

Today I share some of the teachings of David Emerald from his book, The Power of TED, The Empowerment Dynamic. 

A few months ago I recorded the first part about Victim to Creator: https://youtu.be/9b75WXHtyLs Today I share the second part. 

What is the persecutor? What is the challenger and how do we move from persecutor to challenger?

I also talk about the work of Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette in King, Warrior, Magician, Lover. What is the Tyrant? 

I also spoke about the conference which will be happening this weekend in London with Joy Schaverien and Nick Duffell: https://www.bss-support.org.uk/final-call-for-conference-2023-registration/ 

Any questions please do let me know. 

Best regards, Piers 

#codependency #trauma #persecutor #tyrant #challenger #powerofted 

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Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who works mainly with trauma, boarding school issues, addictions and relationship problems. 

He also runs online men's groups for ex-boarders, retreats and a podcast called An Evolving Man. 

He is also the author of How to Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. To purchase Piers first book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1609869608&sr=8-1 

For more videos please visit: http://youtube.com/pierscross 

For FB: https://www.facebook.com/pierscrosspublic 

For Piers' website and a free training How To Find Peace In Everyday Life: https://www.piers-cross.com/community 

Many blessings, 

Piers Cross 

http://piers-cross.com/