In Search of the Boarding School Self: A Heuristic Inquiry - Cousins, Guy (Auckland University of Technology, 2023)
Navigating the long-term effects of boarding school can pose challenges for psychotherapists. The complexity stems from the defensive coping mechanism, the strategic survival personality, developed in the first critical moments at boarding school. Although the topic has garnered increased attention in the psychotherapy community, novel approaches are required to navigate the defensive barriers of adults who have attended boarding school. Using heuristic research methods, this dissertation is an intimate exploration of an adult's emotional landscape. My subjective exploration seeks to uncover the various facets of the "boarding school self" by examining old essays and letters from boarding school, analysing dreams and poetry, and observing relational behaviours in adulthood. This study contributes to the ongoing conversation by offering further insight into the emotional intricacies of the adult experience ofhaving attended boarding school and potential pathways for clinicians to explore.