Boarding School Survivors Team

 

Nick Duffell , the founder of BSS, was born in 1949 and went to boarding schools both in Europe and in England. He has a degree in Sanskrit, and taught for a while at a boarding school in India. After some years as a builder and carpenter, he retrained in psychotherapy. He has worked as a family therapist and mediator, organisational consultant, and has wide experience as a trainer and facilitator. He writes and broadcasts on psychological issues and has two grown-up sons. He is the author of The Making of Them, edited by the late Rob Bland.

 

Helena Løvendal-Sørensen was not born in England, nor was she sent to boarding school. In Denmark, where she was born and educated, such institutions were considered punishment rather than reward. She therefore brings a fresh eye to the programme, as well as her experience of working with people, as a social worker, psychotherapist, and supervisor. She specialises in working with women, has consulted to local authorities on child sexual abuse, and was a faculty member of the London Institute of Psychosynthesis. She is married to a boarding school survivor.

Helena and Nick are married and founded the Centre for Gender Psychology, and authored Sex, Love and The Dangers of Intimacy (Book is available from the Gender Psychology site).

 

Darrel Hunneybell accredited as a psychotherapist with the UKCP having trained with The Institute of Psychosynthesis. He is also a clinical supervisor working with both individuals and groups. He has over twenty years experience in the NHS and Local Government, in both Social Services and Education. He brings an understanding of the effects of abandonment, alienation and institutionalisation to his work with the psychological effects of the public school experience. Alongside co-facilitating the Boarding School Survivors workshops Darrel has worked with Nick on the Images of Masculinity week in France and Men: Sex, Power and Spirit. He co-leads the third series of the quarterly men's group, Searching for my Father I found my Self, with Hank.

 

Pippa Foster trained as a clinical psychologist before qualifying as a psychodynamic psychotherapist. She has over 25 years experience, and has worked as a therapist, trainer and supervisor in a variety of different contexts, including the NHS, commercial and charitable sectors. She has worked in a number of different countries, and has a particular interest in cultural and spiritual issues. Pippa is an ex-boarder, and travelled from different parts of the commonwealth to school. She lives in Sussex, has two sons, works as a psychotherapist and is developing as a sculptor. Pippa co-facilitates BSS Workshops for Women.

 

Nicola Miller has 16 years experience of providing Body Psychotherapy and Supervision to individuals and groups. She trained in Gestalt Psychotherapy, Energetic Integration, the Pesso-Boyden System (PBSP) and working with Boarding School Survivors. Nicola was a 3rd generation boarder herself. Initially she came to BSS work with great skepticism but has found it invaluable both personally and professionally. She brings a deep appreciation of the struggle to belong, to form loving bonds and to unravel the knots that inhibit our creativity and joy. She has adult daughters, three grand-children and lives in Leeds. Nicola co-facilitates BSS Workshops for Women and the Away From Home days.

 

Specially trained psychotherapists and counsellors are now available in some areas to help prepare for, follow up and integrate the work of healing begun with these workshops. For more information or to find out about a referral please click here.



Staff in training may sometimes be in assistant roles on the workshops.

 

Other resources: ChildLine 0800 1111


Boarding School Survivors is an organisational member of the
British Association for Counseling