Russell and Colin Standish, twin sons and eldest in a family of four children, were born in Newcastle, Australia, in 1933. They obtained their teacher training diplomas from Avondale College before completing Bachelor of Arts degrees with honors in psychology at the University of Sidney.
Russell then completed medicine, choosing to specialize in internal medicine, and achieved membership in the Royal College of Physicians,
United Kingdom and later was elected a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians. Colin completed his Master of Arts degree and Doctor of Philosophy, both in psychology, and then a second Masters in education.
