The Locked up Living Podcast: Surviving and thriving in prisons and other challenging environments

Sally Needham, Human Development and Performance Lead at Sheffield United Academy, discusses the role of psychology and neuroscience in elite football. She emphasizes the importance of mental health and wellbeing in high-performance sports and the need for early intervention and education. Sally explains the application of polyvagal theory in understanding player behavior and the impact of child development on coaching. She also shares her own experiences and challenges in implementing neuroscience in elite sport. Overall, Sally highlights the significance of understanding the individual and promoting wellbeing in the pursuit of athletic excellence.

1. The focus on well-being and transition in elite sport, particularly football, is not enough of a priority.

Dr. Judy Mackenzie, a retired psychiatrist and psychotherapist with extraordinary experience, discusses her career in working with therapeutic communities in prisons. She worked at HMPs Glen Parva, Aylesbury, Grendon, Gartree and Dovegate. She shares her passion for storytelling and the importance of understanding people's stories in therapy. Dr. Mackenzie talks about her experience starting the first therapeutic community for young offenders in HM Young Offender Institution, Glen Parva, and the challenges she faced in maintaining its success. She also discusses the dynamics and conflicts that can arise within prison therapeutic community teams and the importance of addressing and processing these tensions constructively. Dr. Mackenzie shares her views on the effectiveness of therapeutic communities and the need for a psychodynamic approach and a sense of community and belonging. She also briefly explains psychosynthesis psychotherapy and how it incorporates transpersonal elements. Finally, she reflects on the toll that working in the prison system can take and the importance of self-care.

Keywords

therapeutic communities, prisons, storytelling, psychotherapy, Glen Parva, conflicts, psychodynamic approach, community, psychosynthesis psychotherapy, self-care

Key points;

Therapeutic communities in prisons provide a supportive and transformative environment for offenders.

Addressing and processing conflicts within therapeutic community teams is crucial for their effectiveness.

A psychodynamic approach and a sense of community and belonging are essential in therapeutic communities.

Psychosynthesis psychotherapy incorporates transpersonal elements and focuses on understanding the state of the soul.

Working in the prison system can take a toll, and self-care is important for maintaining emotional balance.

Sally Needham, Human Development and Performance Lead at Sheffield United Academy, discusses the role of psychology and neuroscience in elite football. She emphasizes the importance of mental health and wellbeing in high-performance sports and the need for early intervention and education. Sally explains the application of polyvagal theory in understanding player behavior and the impact of child development on coaching. She also shares her own experiences and challenges in implementing neuroscience in elite sport. Overall, Sally highlights the significance of understanding the individual and promoting wellbeing in the pursuit of athletic excellence.

1. The focus on well-being and transition in elite sport, particularly football, is not enough of a priority.

Dr. Judy Mackenzie, a retired psychiatrist and psychotherapist, discusses her career in working with therapeutic communities in prisons. She shares her passion for storytelling and the importance of understanding people's stories in therapy. Dr. Mackenzie talks about her experience starting the first therapeutic community for young offenders in HM Young Offender Institution, Glen Parva, and the challenges she faced in maintaining its success. She also discusses the dynamics and conflicts that can arise within prison therapeutic community teams and the importance of addressing and processing these tensions constructively. Dr. Mackenzie shares her views on the effectiveness of therapeutic communities and the need for a psychodynamic approach and a sense of community and belonging. She also briefly explains psychosynthesis psychotherapy and how it incorporates transpersonal elements. Finally, she reflects on the toll that working in the prison system can take and the importance of self-care.

Keywords

therapeutic communities, prisons, storytelling, psychotherapy, Glen Parva, conflicts, psychodynamic approach, community, psychosynthesis psychotherapy, self-care

Key points;

Therapeutic communities in prisons provide a supportive and transformative environment for offenders.

Addressing and processing conflicts within therapeutic community teams is crucial for their effectiveness.

A psychodynamic approach and a sense of community and belonging are essential in therapeutic communities.

Psychosynthesis psychotherapy incorporates transpersonal elements and focuses on understanding the state of the soul.

Working in the prison system can take a toll, and self-care is important for maintaining emotional balance.

Duncan Craig is the founder and CEO of We Are Survivors. Here he discusses the work of his charity in supporting male survivors of sexual abuse and exploitation. He shares his personal journey of realizing his own survivor status and the lack of support available for male victims. Duncan highlights the barriers faced by male survivors in seeking help, including societal homophobia and the lack of visibility and representation. He also discusses the services provided by We Are Survivors, the demographic data of their clients, and the need for multiple attempts at seeking help. Duncan reflects on the case of Reynhard Sinaga and the limited media coverage of his crimes. Finally, he discusses the importance of storytelling and maintaining psychological health in challenging work. In this conversation, Duncan emphasizes the need for regular supervision and the role it plays in supporting the staff. He also highlights the organization's values of transparency, integrity, understanding, and responsiveness. He talks about creating a supportive environment for the staff, including providing spaces for breaks and encouraging laughter. Finally, Duncan shares his personal coping strategies, such as creating boundaries between work and personal life and watching light-hearted TV content.

Main points;

• Male survivors of sexual abuse and exploitation face unique barriers in seeking help, including societal homophobia and the lack of visibility and representation.

Duncan Craig is the founder and CEO of We Are Survivors. Here he discusses the work of his charity in supporting male survivors of sexual abuse and exploitation. He shares his personal journey of realizing his own survivor status and the lack of support available for male victims. Duncan highlights the barriers faced by male survivors in seeking help, including societal homophobia and the lack of visibility and representation. He also discusses the services provided by We Are Survivors, the demographic data of their clients, and the need for multiple attempts at seeking help. Duncan reflects on the case of Reynhard Sinaga and the limited media coverage of his crimes. Finally, he discusses the importance of storytelling and maintaining psychological health in challenging work. In this conversation, Duncan emphasizes the need for regular supervision and the role it plays in supporting the staff. He also highlights the organization's values of transparency, integrity, understanding, and responsiveness. He talks about creating a supportive environment for the staff, including providing spaces for breaks and encouraging laughter. Finally, Duncan shares his personal coping strategies, such as creating boundaries between work and personal life and watching light-hearted TV content.

Main points;

• Male survivors of sexual abuse and exploitation face unique barriers in seeking help, including societal homophobia and the lack of visibility and representation.

Nick Duffell has had a very varied career, which has include working as a teacher, a carpenter, a divorce mediator, a psychotherapist, and a psycho historian. He is the author of The Making of Them. Nick  book about boarding school was groundbreaking when it was first published and provoked a backlash. Whilst we featured several previous conversations about boarding school, we thought, when reading his book, that it might have been well have been subtitled, A History of How the British Disliked Their Children.

Nick is the author of a number of books, several relevant to our topic.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trauma-Abandonment-Privilege-Nick-Duffell/dp/1138788716/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Jjql9XE6-nGXpxja6GmdvnbYRY1tkuTGFBC3Vm_sbmM0pscihCOPLN5bulgJdr6mEIJftd5ZQYjVnxbSkJyTNw6bY1-b8dA4nGTnkhT20M6wlVEgY7jRUAx4bcmBYQ0p.RwbrV-VOw6gjHrOLUM5LluC8zJcWZxaoAc7pYHTbs40&dib_tag=se&qid=1710784370&refinements=p_27%3ANick+Duffell&s=books&sr=1-1

Summary

Nick Duffel discusses the origins and impact of boarding schools in Britain. He explains that the British tradition of sending children to boarding schools dates back to the Middle Ages and was formalized in the 19th century to produce leaders for the British Empire. The boarding school system has become central to British culture, with many aspiring families sending their children to these schools. However, there has been a lack of reflection on the psychological impact of boarding schools, and the psychotherapy profession has been slow to address this issue. The boarding school culture has influenced British society, creating a top-down mentality and an entitlement complex among leaders. This has led to a lack of focus on children's needs and a contemptuous attitude towards younger people. This conversation explores the impact of boarding schools on individuals' emotional intelligence, decision-making, attitudes towards women and migrants, and intimate relationships. It delves into the militaristic and hyper-masculine nature of boarding schools and the purposeful disconnection from femininity. The conversation also examines the influence of boarding schools on attitudes towards intellectualism and the performative nature of intellectualism. It distinguishes between rebels and compliers among boarding school survivors and highlights the challenges of working with ex-boarders in therapy. The conversation concludes with insights on personal well-being and self-care.

Takeaways

• The British tradition of sending children to boarding schools dates back to the Middle Ages and was formalized in the 19th century to produce leaders for the British Empire.

Chapters

00:00Introduction and Background

03:38The Origins of Boarding Schools in Britain

04:07The Psychological Impact of Boarding Schools

10:51The Influence of Boarding Schools on British Culture

16:20The Lack of Reflection on Boarding School Impact

25:27The Un-child-focused Attitude in British Society

28:59The Entitlement Complex and Contempt for Younger People

29:46The Challenges Faced by Young People Today

31:12The Psychological Impact of Boarding School Training

31:36The Disconnect from Vulnerability

32:07The Importance of Emotional Intelligence

32:35The Impact of Emotional Disconnection on Decision-Making

33:08The Influence of Emotional Input on Decision-Making

34:11The Effects of Boarding School on Attitudes Towards Women and Migrants

35:03The Militaristic and Hyper-Masculine Nature of Boarding Schools

35:24The Purposeful Disconnection from Femininity

36:50The Introduction of Girls to Boarding Schools

37:17The Impact of Boarding School on Intimate Relationships

39:07The Influence of Boarding School on Attitudes Towards Intellectualism

42:46The Performative Nature of Intellectualism

43:13The Perception of Boris Johnson's Cleverness

44:29Rebels vs. Compliers

46:37The Impact of Boarding School on Personal Development

51:26The Journey to Well-Being

Nick Duffell has had a very varied career, which has include working as a teacher, a carpenter, a divorce mediator, a psychotherapist, and a psycho historian. He is the author of The Making of Them. Nick  book about boarding school was groundbreaking when it was first published and provoked a backlash. Whilst we featured several previous conversations about boarding school, we thought, when reading his book, that it might have been well have been subtitled, A History of How the British Disliked Their Children.

Nick is the author of a number of books, several relevant to our topic.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trauma-Abandonment-Privilege-Nick-Duffell/dp/1138788716/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Jjql9XE6-nGXpxja6GmdvnbYRY1tkuTGFBC3Vm_sbmM0pscihCOPLN5bulgJdr6mEIJftd5ZQYjVnxbSkJyTNw6bY1-b8dA4nGTnkhT20M6wlVEgY7jRUAx4bcmBYQ0p.RwbrV-VOw6gjHrOLUM5LluC8zJcWZxaoAc7pYHTbs40&dib_tag=se&qid=1710784370&refinements=p_27%3ANick+Duffell&s=books&sr=1-1

Summary

Nick Duffel discusses the origins and impact of boarding schools in Britain. He explains that the British tradition of sending children to boarding schools dates back to the Middle Ages and was formalized in the 19th century to produce leaders for the British Empire. The boarding school system has become central to British culture, with many aspiring families sending their children to these schools. However, there has been a lack of reflection on the psychological impact of boarding schools, and the psychotherapy profession has been slow to address this issue. The boarding school culture has influenced British society, creating a top-down mentality and an entitlement complex among leaders. This has led to a lack of focus on children's needs and a contemptuous attitude towards younger people. This conversation explores the impact of boarding schools on individuals' emotional intelligence, decision-making, attitudes towards women and migrants, and intimate relationships. It delves into the militaristic and hyper-masculine nature of boarding schools and the purposeful disconnection from femininity. The conversation also examines the influence of boarding schools on attitudes towards intellectualism and the performative nature of intellectualism. It distinguishes between rebels and compliers among boarding school survivors and highlights the challenges of working with ex-boarders in therapy. The conversation concludes with insights on personal well-being and self-care.

Takeaways

• The British tradition of sending children to boarding schools dates back to the Middle Ages and was formalized in the 19th century to produce leaders for the British Empire.

Chapters

00:00Introduction and Background

03:38The Origins of Boarding Schools in Britain

04:07The Psychological Impact of Boarding Schools

10:51The Influence of Boarding Schools on British Culture

16:20The Lack of Reflection on Boarding School Impact

25:27The Un-child-focused Attitude in British Society

28:59The Entitlement Complex and Contempt for Younger People

29:46The Challenges Faced by Young People Today

31:12The Psychological Impact of Boarding School Training

31:36The Disconnect from Vulnerability

32:07The Importance of Emotional Intelligence

32:35The Impact of Emotional Disconnection on Decision-Making

33:08The Influence of Emotional Input on Decision-Making

34:11The Effects of Boarding School on Attitudes Towards Women and Migrants

35:03The Militaristic and Hyper-Masculine Nature of Boarding Schools

35:24The Purposeful Disconnection from Femininity

36:50The Introduction of Girls to Boarding Schools

37:17The Impact of Boarding School on Intimate Relationships

39:07The Influence of Boarding School on Attitudes Towards Intellectualism

42:46The Performative Nature of Intellectualism

43:13The Perception of Boris Johnson's Cleverness

44:29Rebels vs. Compliers

46:37The Impact of Boarding School on Personal Development

51:26The Journey to Well-Being

In this powerful conversation, Sharla Smith, an equality, diversity, and inclusion consultant, and actor, discusses her work as a facilitator of sessions on unconscious bias, inclusive leadership, and anti-racism. She talks about the importance of creating a safe and respectful space for honest conversations and encourages participants to actively engage in the sessions to get the most out of them. Sharla also describes how her background in acting helps her liven up the sessions and make them more engaging. She shares her own experiences of facing discrimination and the importance of therapy and communication in processing and addressing such issues. Sharla primarily works with organizations in the public sector, conducting training sessions and courses on diversity and inclusion. She emphasizes the need to make the sessions interesting and interactive, incorporating exercises, games, and discussions. Overall, Sharla's goal is to create meaningful conversations and promote understanding and inclusivity.

Takeaways

The acting industry has significant barriers and challenges, including racism and limited opportunities for diverse actors.

The media often distorts historical visibility and reinforces rigid expectations of actors and characters.

Rejection in the acting industry can have a negative impact on mental health and integrity.

Transitioning to diversity, equality, and inclusion work can provide a sense of purpose and impact.

Engaging training sessions in diversity and inclusion require interactive exercises and open discussions.

In this powerful conversation, Sharla Smith, an equality, diversity, and inclusion consultant, and actor, discusses her work as a facilitator of sessions on unconscious bias, inclusive leadership, and anti-racism. She talks about the importance of creating a safe and respectful space for honest conversations and encourages participants to actively engage in the sessions to get the most out of them. Sharla also describes how her background in acting helps her liven up the sessions and make them more engaging. She shares her own experiences of facing discrimination and the importance of therapy and communication in processing and addressing such issues. Sharla primarily works with organizations in the public sector, conducting training sessions and courses on diversity and inclusion. She emphasizes the need to make the sessions interesting and interactive, incorporating exercises, games, and discussions. Overall, Sharla's goal is to create meaningful conversations and promote understanding and inclusivity.

Takeaways

• The acting industry has significant barriers and challenges, including racism and limited opportunities for diverse actors.