About Me
My Journey in Psychology
I'm a chartered psychologist specialising in the psychology of high performance - how capable people get stuck, and what it takes to change the patterns underneath. For over two decades I've worked across elite sport, policing, business, and performance, in the UK, Southeast Asia, and Switzerland.
The fascination started early. When I was sixteen, my best friend Liz gave me "The Road Less Travelled" by M. Scott Peck - a book I treasure to this day. That spark carried me through an undergraduate degree, master's, and PhD in psychology, and four years of supervised training to become a Chartered member of the British Psychological Society and a member of the European Federation of Sport Psychology.
My Approach
The method
My core approach is Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) - a rigorous, evidence-based method with a strong track record in elite performance - in sport, on stage, and in high-stakes professional life. Where many approaches teach people to manage pressure, REBT works at the level of the beliefs that create it: the demands, harsh self-judgements, and fear of failure that quietly drive even the most capable performers. Change those, and resilience isn't something you have to maintain - it's built in.
I trained at the Albert Ellis Institute in New York, the home of REBT. Dr Martin Turner, a leading authority on REBT in performance psychology, supervised my doctoral research.
When the roots go deeper
Sometimes the patterns that limit performance have deeper roots. Not everything responds to mental skills work alone - often the harsh inner critic, the inability to switch off, or the sense of never being enough was learned much earlier, in experiences that taught you to stay on guard. Trauma isn't always a single catastrophic event; more often it's an accumulation of experiences that shaped how you protect yourself. Where that's the case, I draw on trauma-focused approaches alongside REBT - working with the origins of the pattern, not just its effects.
How change actually happens
One thing to know before we start: the real change happens between sessions. Our time together is where we identify what's driving the pattern and build the tools to change it - but it's the practice in your daily life, under real pressure, that makes it stick. I'll ask you to work between sessions, because that's how insight becomes lasting change. If you've spent years understanding your patterns without them shifting, this is usually the missing piece.
Research
I've contributed to the field through published research in peer-reviewed journals, which you can explore [here]. My full qualifications and training are listed at the end of this page.
Where I Work
My practice is based at Northwood House in Cowes, on the Isle of Wight - a private, discreet setting away from the visibility of a city clinic. There's no reception desk and no waiting room; I meet you on arrival and bring you through myself.
Confidentiality is the foundation of this work. Beyond the professional and legal standards I'm bound to as an HCPC-registered psychologist, I understand that for people in the public eye - on stage, on the field, or leading organisations - privacy isn't a preference; it's a professional necessity. Nothing about our work together is visible to anyone unless you choose it to be.
I also work with clients worldwide through secure online sessions. Where the work genuinely benefits from me being there - a production, a training environment, a team setting - I'm open to discussing occasional on-site visits.
Alongside my one-to-one work, I design bespoke workshops, webinars, and e-learning for organisations that want evidence-based psychological skills embedded across their teams - from elite sport environments to policing and corporate leadership. This work runs through my consultancy, The Human Performance Studio, where e-learning extends what we build in the room, making the skills stick well beyond the training day.
If you're exploring what this could look like for your organisation, get in touch - every programme starts with a conversation about your context.
Other things that I’m passionate about
"Note to Self" Blog
I write to make psychology more accessible and share insights from my practice.
Writing helps me connect authentically with clients and anyone curious about the field. Through my free blog, "Note to Self," I regularly publish articles offering practical insights from research and client work to help people navigate life's challenges. You can subscribe here.
My Love for Exploration
I've always been drawn to the wider world - so much so that I had a map on my bedroom wall throughout my entire childhood. When I moved to my first grown-up house, I missed it terribly and immediately bought another one, framed it, and hung it proudly in my living room.
That wanderlust wasn't just decoration. In my early twenties, I moved to Southeast Asia, making it my home for the better part of two decades while exploring that fascinating corner of the planet. Then, I spent six years in Switzerland, where I discovered the beauty of the Alps and neighbouring countries. I have recently returned to the Isle of Wight in the UK, where I'm enjoying sea swimming and community connection.
I'm a natural adventurer at heart. Whether I'm hiking, trail running, or ski touring in the backcountry, there's something incredible about being up high in the mountains or near the sea that feeds my soul.
This love for exploration and nature - whether across continents or up mountain faces - shapes how I work. I bring genuine curiosity about different perspectives and experiences to every session, and I understand the mental resilience that comes from pushing boundaries, embracing challenges and navigating the unknown.
Education and Training
Qualifications
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BSc in Psychology from the University of Derby, UK
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MSc in Sport Psychology from Staffordshire University, UK
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PhD in Psychology from Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
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Postgraduate Diploma in Traumatology and PTSD Counselling, Trauma Training Ltd, UK
Registrations and Memberships
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CPsychol., Chartered Psychologist, British Psychological Society
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Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council, HCPC, UK
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Member of the European Federation of Sport Psychology
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Member of the National Council for Integrative Psychotherapists
Additional Training
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Advanced Certificate in Traumatology and PTSD Counselling, Trauma Training Ltd, UK, In Progress.
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Advanced Certificate in Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy, Albert Ellis Institute, New York, USA
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Relational Life Therapy Level 1. Relational Life Institute, USA
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Compassionate Inquiry Short Course, Gabor Maté, CAN
