I am a Chartered Psychologist and a Sport and Exercise Psychologist in Training.
As a sport psychologist in training, I draw on established psychological principles and my personal experiences of elite sport performance to provide tailored psychological support to individuals, teams, and organisations. I work with my clients to improve their understanding of how their own psychological functioning may be influencing their sporting performance and wellbeing. Together, we collaboratively implement tools and techniques that prepare them for success and support them to thrive.
My passion for sport psychology began during my career as a professional rugby player which began in South Africa where I represented the University of Cape Town, Western Province Rugby, Eastern Province, and Griquas. Following a serious injury, I took up an opportunity to rebuild my career in France, where I played for several seasons until a repeat injury forced my eventual retirement. Throughout my career, I was fortunate to represent Zimbabwe at senior international level.
During my 12-year rugby career I experienced firsthand the mental challenges of elite sport, and this journey ignited my desire to help others more effectively navigate the demands of high-performance environments. The unique blend of personal experience and professional interest laid the groundwork for my transition from athlete to sport psychologist.
Driven by this passion, I began my academic journey by undertaking my BSc (Honours) in Psychology alongside my professional rugby career. Following retirement, I pursued my MSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology and subsequently earned a PhD in Sport and Performance Psychology. My doctoral research was in collaboration with the UK Sports Institute and involved researching several Olympic Sport Organisations to create environments that promoted holistic talent development. The outputs from this work have informed the formation of optimal talent development environments that promote sustained performance excellence alongside athlete well-being. My research has been recognised by the International Olympic Committee and nominated for the British Psychological Society PhD Thesis Award.
I now maintain an active consultancy supporting clients and teams across a range of elite sports, including rugby, golf, and athletics.
Alongside my applied work I currently serve as a Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology at the University of Sussex, where I lead on the teaching of sport psychology modules that explore and explain the psychological principles underpinning elite performance in individuals and teams. In this role, I supervise undergraduate and postgraduate research students and continue to pursue my own research agenda on thriving in elite sport organisations, contributing peer reviewed publications to the growing body of knowledge in our field.
Publications and Media
Guest appearance on the Sport Psych Show podcast
Featured in an article on culture change in Elite Football
See my publications and research profile here.