For some, boarding school symbolizes opportunity and discipline.

Yet beneath the surface lies a hidden emotional cost — one that can shape an entire lifetime.

In AEM #83, Piers Cross sits down with Michael Davitt to explore the lasting effects of Boarding School Syndrome — the emotional and relational challenges faced by those sent away from home as children.

Michael speaks candidly about the survival strategies children adopt in response to early separation: emotional numbing, independence at all costs, and the suppression of vulnerability.

These adaptations may bring success in adulthood — but often at the price of emotional disconnection, burnout, and unfulfilled relationships.

Through years of personal and professional insight, Michael shares how healing begins by learning to reconnect with the body, express emotion safely, and develop genuine compassion for the self.

Recovery is not about revisiting the past for its own sake, but about reclaiming what was lost — our capacity to feel, to love, and to belong.

This episode is a powerful reminder that true leadership and well-being begin with emotional honesty.

Healing the wounds of the past allows us to lead, live, and love from a place of wholeness.