Research Opportunity: Can Fairy Tales Help Former Boarders Heal?

Former boarders are invited to take part in a new dramatherapy research project exploring how storytelling, fairy tales and group work might support healing from boarding school experiences.

Sarah Penny, a former boarder and trainee dramatherapist at Brunel University London, is looking for approximately five participants to join two practical workshops as part of her MA dissertation.

The research explores whether fairy tales and dramatherapy can help former boarders recognise and understand the survival strategies they developed in childhood, and find new ways of relating to themselves and others in adult life.

Interested in taking part?

Email Sarah to find out more or visit her website, Hadithi Arts Therapies.

About the research

Sarah’s dissertation explores the question:

In what ways can using fairy tales within group-based dramatherapy support ex-boarders to navigate Nick Duffell’s RAC model of change?

The RAC model describes three stages that may be important in recovering from the emotional impact of boarding school:

• Recognition: Understanding that, as children, we developed ways of coping and surviving in the boarding school environment.
• Acceptance: Recognising that some of those survival strategies, although necessary at the time, may now be affecting our relationships, emotional wellbeing and everyday lives.
• Change: Beginning to move beyond those survival patterns and develop a healthier, more authentic sense of self.

This can be a challenging process. The very feelings of vulnerability that healing brings to the surface may be the ones we learned to protect ourselves from as children.

Sarah hopes to explore whether dramatherapy offers a gentler, more indirect way of working through these stages.

Why fairy tales and dramatherapy?

For some former boarders, speaking openly about difficult feelings can be particularly challenging. Early experiences of separation, emotional suppression, ridicule or shame may have taught us that vulnerability is unsafe.

Dramatherapy offers a different approach.

Rather than relying entirely on talking about personal experiences, it uses storytelling, imagination, symbolic play and creative exploration to engage with emotions and relationships.

Fairy tales can provide a safe fictional space in which to explore difficult themes before considering how those stories might connect with our own lives.

You do not need acting experience, and you do not have to share more of your personal story than you feel comfortable with.

You can learn more about dramatherapy and Sarah’s approach.

Why work in a group?

For people who experienced boarding school, groups can sometimes bring up difficult memories or feelings.

However, supportive therapeutic groups may also offer opportunities to experience connection, trust and belonging in a different way.

Sarah is particularly interested in exploring whether group dramatherapy can help former boarders develop more positive experiences of being alongside others.

What would taking part involve?

Sarah is inviting approximately five former boarders to participate in two workshops, each exploring a different fairy tale.

Workshop 1: Hansel and Gretel

Exploring recognition, including childhood experiences of separation, abandonment, survival and finding a way through challenging circumstances.

Workshop 2: The Ugly Duckling

Exploring change, identity, belonging and the possibility of discovering a different relationship with ourselves.

The workshops are provisionally planned for February 2027, likely on Saturday mornings.

Sarah is flexible about location and hopes to arrange the sessions wherever a suitable group of participants can be brought together.

Further details about dates, venues and participation arrangements will be confirmed directly with those interested.

Looking beyond the research

Sarah hopes this dissertation will contribute to the development of a longer-term dramatherapy programme specifically for former boarders.

Following her MA training, she plans to undertake Nick Duffell’s Un-making of Them postgraduate diploma, with the longer-term ambition of offering a 60-hour group dramatherapy programme based on the RAC model.

Her proposed programme could eventually run as weekly evening sessions in London or as a series of residential-style weekend workshops.

How to get involved

If you attended boarding school and are interested in exploring this research opportunity, Sarah would welcome hearing from you.

Contact Sarah Penny directly:

Email: sarahhadithi@outlook.com

Website: Hadithi Arts Therapies

You can also find out more about the Dramatherapy MA at Brunel University London.

A note from Seen & Heard

At Seen & Heard, we recognise that healing from difficult school experiences is not a one-size-fits-all journey. Different people find different approaches helpful, and creative therapies may offer valuable opportunities for exploration and connection.

We are pleased to share opportunities for research that seek to improve understanding of the long-term impact of boarding school experiences and explore new ways of supporting former pupils.

This is an independent research opportunity led by Sarah Penny, rather than a programme delivered by Seen & Heard. Please contact Sarah directly for further information about participation, suitability, safeguarding and the research process.

For information about our own services, including free sharing groups, emotional support and resources, visit Seen & Heard.