An Evolving Man Podcast

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Why Former Boarders Become Perfectionists — And Burn Out | Piers Cross

2026-09-1616:14

Why do so many former boarders struggle with perfectionism, overworking and the feeling that they are never quite good enough? In this episode of An Evolving Man Podcast, Piers Cross explores the link between boarding school syndrome, perfectionism, the inner critic and burnout. At boarding school, mistakes can carry a social cost. Vulnerability may be hidden, everyone else can appear to have it “sorted”, and achievement becomes a way of proving our worth. Underneath can sit a much deeper bel...

Prince George Starts at Eton: Boarding School, Separation & Emotional Survival | Piers Cross

2026-09-0914:06

What can the first day at boarding school feel like for a child? Following Prince George’s arrival at Eton College, Piers Cross reflects on his own first days at boarding school and the psychology of leaving home for a large residential institution. Drawing on the work of Nick Duffell and Joy Schaverien, Piers explores the “threshold moment” when a child begins to understand emotionally—not merely intellectually—that their parents have gone and they must now adapt to a new environment. ...

From Broadway’s Hamilton to a Heart Attack: Burnout & Transformation | Julian Reeve | AEM #171

2026-09-0401:04:05

What happens when reaching the top still isn’t enough? In Episode 171 of An Evolving Man Podcast, Piers Cross speaks with Julian Reeve, international keynote speaker, author and creator of the Perfect Equilibrium methodology. Julian worked across the West End and Broadway before joining the team behind Hamilton. In 2017, while Music Director of the show’s first US national tour, he suffered a stress-related heart attack at 43. A subsequent repetitive strain injury eventually ended his perform...

Boarding School Syndrome & the Inner Critic: Why We’re So Hard on Ourselves

2026-09-0215:06

Why are so many former boarders relentlessly hard on themselves? In this short episode of An Evolving Man Podcast, Piers Cross explores the brutal inner critic that can develop through boarding school and childhood trauma. Piers reflects on how being humiliated for showing emotion led him to begin attacking himself internally before other people could do it. What originally helped create protection and control eventually became an inner bully. Drawing on his own experience and the work ...

Why Your Child’s Behaviour Isn’t the Problem | Geoff Owen | AEM #170

2026-08-2856:24

What if difficult behaviour is not something to control—but something to understand? In Episode 170 of An Evolving Man Podcast, Piers Cross speaks with Geoff Owen, founder of Biologically Aligned Parenting and author of The Parenting Assumption. Geoff argues that children are born with innate needs for safety, certainty, connection and regulation. When those needs are not sufficiently met, behaviours we label as defiant, aggressive, withdrawn or difficult may emerge as adaptations. Rather tha...

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