In this episode I spoke with James Maurice about his development as a Sport and Exercise Psychologist. James is currently a chartered Sport and Exercise Psychologist with the BPS, and has recently began completing a PhD at the University of Wolverhampton looking at parent engagement in elite academy football. We discussed early career development, James' experiences within football and what makes an effective sport psychologist (among many other things!). James' experiences to date, coupled with the story of his development as a person make this interview one of my most engaging and informative to date.  You can find James on Twitter (@JamesmauriceSP), and as always your comments and feedback are greatly appreciated! James has also kindly provided a key reading list, compiled of books/research specifically referenced within the interview.   KEY READING: Books:- Being a Sport Psychologist - Richard Keegan- Sport Psychology for Young Athletes - Camilla Knight, Chris Harwood, & Daniel Gould- Man’s Search for Meaning - Viktor FranklJournals - Keegan, R. J. (2010). Teaching consulting philosophies to neophyte sport psychologists: Does it help, and how can we do it?. Journal of Sport Psychology in Action, 1(1), 42-52. - Visek, A. J., Harris, B. S., & Blom, L. C. (2013). Mental training with youth sport teams: Developmental considerations and best-practice recommendations. Journal of sport psychology in action, 4(1), 45-55.- Lubker, J. R., Visek, A. J., Watson, J. C., & Singpurwalla, D. (2012). Athletes’ preferred characteristics and qualifications of sport psychology practitioners: A consumer market analysis. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 24(4), 465-480.

In this episode I spoke with Shameema Yousuf, founder of her private practice Empower2Perform (www.empower2perform.com)  We discussed starting a private practice, how to make the most of the CPD resources available and why it may be beneficial to avoid 'cold-calling' potential clients! Another really insightful conversation for the Sport Psych Network. Shameema also discusses some significant barriers she has faced during her career to date, which I talk about in a bit more detail during the introduction.   As always comments and feedback are appreciated! I'm considering a survey soon so keep your eyes peeled for that potentially appearing in your social media feeds....

In this episode of the Sport Psych Network podcast, I spoke with Dr Philip Clarke about a multitude of sport psychology topics! We covered the different training routes available as a practitioner, knowing which role you want to develop a career in and why you should look after yourself just as much (if not more than) any clients you work with!  Dr Clarke also offers some great insight into the world of online teaching, something which his current role at University of Derby is primarily based on. Given the current climate of the World, a lot of people in a variety of areas are having to find a way to transition from face-to-face delivery to online.  As always a massive thanks to Dr Clarke for offering his time to speak with us, this interview has plenty of noteworthy contributions for practitioners at any stage of their development. You can find Dr Clarke on Twitter @Dr_PhilClarke .

In this episode I chat with Louise Byrne, a trainee Sport and Exercise Psychologist (QSEP) based in London. We discussed QSEP, the differences between university studies and practising in the real world, and how to be creative when planning! Louise shared a lot of really relevant information for practitioners at any stage of their career. This even includes a very personal story from her life which had a profound effect on her philosophy of practice. Massive thanks to Louise for giving her time to provide such a great insight into her development as both a practitioner and a person. If you want to chat more with Louise, you can contact her via any of the means below! As always any comments, feedback or sharing of the podcast is welcomed.    Contact Louise via: Twitter: @LBPerformPsych Instagram: @LBPerformancePsych E-mail: [email protected]

We are back! After some time away, I've managed to catch up with Mike Clark regarding all things Sport Psychology. He discusses practising in the US, what sparked his interest in this career and how he went about setting up his own consultancy.  Tried to get this interview done a while ago and this was plenty worth the wait! Mike offers plenty of insight for those practising in Sport Psychology, either early career or fully fledged professionals.  Big thanks to Mike for giving up his time. Be sure to follow @Mathios_9 on Twitter and use the hashtag #SportPsychNetwork when sharing any comments! Let me know who you would like to hear from.

Happy to share my latest interview as I speak with Matthew Cunliffe. Matt has experience as a Sport & Exercise Psychologist with the EIS, holds a position with the University of Greenwich whilst also assessing and supervising candidates on the Qualification in Sport and Exercise Psychology (QSEP) with the BPS.  With a growing profile like that, it's only natural that Matt gave a really insightful interview. We discussed working for the EIS, starting up as a solo practitioner, and how core personal values can inform (and be present within) practice as a sport psychologist.  Thank you to Matt for offering to take time out from his busy schedule and be interviewed, and I hope everyone listening takes as much from this episode as I did!

After a bit of a break we're back!! For this interview I spoke with Courtney Walton, a provisional Sport Psychologist based in Brisbane! After completing a PhD (in something a little different to Sport Psychology!), Courtney has decided to pursue the route of applied practice. In this interview he gives a really honest, open and pretty raw account of the first placement experiences he has had (in both sport and general settings).  I feel as though this interview will resonate a lot with early years/trainee practitioners from all walks of life! We discuss the barriers to athlete engagement, CPD and how I un-knowingly stole his idea for a podcast! Thanks again to Courtney for providing this interview, and apologies again for the delay in publishing. As always any comments/shares on social media are welcomed! Also a quick reminder that I'm always looking to complete more interviews, so let's continue the growth of the Sport Psych Network! My e-mail address is [email protected]. Or you can follow me on Twitter - @Mathios_9

In this episode I chat with Pete Jackson, yet another individual who has decided to switch careers and train in Sport & Exercise Psychology! Pete has over 10 years experience working in advertising, and we discuss the benefits of this as he embarks on the BPS Stage 2 process.  Pete provided some really pertinent links between his career in advertisement and developing as a sport psychologist, with particular focus on the sharing of information between professionals! We also discussed how philosophy of practice can develop, the benefits of networking & attending conferences, and the importance of developing a robust process of ethics.  Big thanks to Pete for giving up his time and contributing to the Sport Psych Network! Find out more information on the work he is doing by visiting his website https://www.petejackson.co.uk/

With a varied background of experiences, it was a great pleasure speaking to Stuart Holliday for the Sport Psych Network podcast. Stuart is a BPS Stage 2 Trainee, with experiences including a Premier League academy, Chip Management, Olympic & Paralympic athletes and Asics.  He gives a really good insight into practising as a Sport & Exercise Psychologist in different environments, and offers some great advise for his fellow trainees! I think this interview is a great eye-opener for anyone thinking of a career in Sport Psychology (or just starting out on their journey).

Delighted to have interviewed Professor Damian Hughes, who brings his knowledge of organisational psychology and change to the Sport Psych Network podcast.  We talk about his background, his latest publication (The Barcelona Way), and pretty much all about how culture can inform practices within elite sport! How can it be created? How can it be maintained? What effect can it have? Damian was very insightful, and all I can suggest is that you give this a listen as there are plenty of lessons for anyone working in elite sport (but particularly those within Sport & Exercise Psychology!).