We’ve designed this page to help educators and students in psychology and sport science. Here you can find a quick link to a podcast episode, along with a brief description of the theme so that you can easily link it to your lesson plan.
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Did you know that the Eighty Percent Mental Podcast is listed as an approved resource by the Chartered Association of Sport & Exercise Science for their SEPAR accreditation route?
EPM Podcast Season 1
1.01 – What is sport Psychology anyway? (feat Dr Jonathan Fader). Exploring sport psychology from an applied perspective, understanding what it is and what it is not.
1.02 – Is there such a thing as a winning mindset? (feat. Prof Dave Collins). Exploring mindset and PCDEs in the role of developing athletes. Find bonus content from this episode here!
1.03 – Who is the mental GOAT? (feat. Dr Chelsi Day, Todd Cauthorn, and Dr Leah Washington). An entertaining debate about who, mentally speaking, is the Greatest Athlete of All Time 🐐
1.04 – Who is the mental GOAT? Part II (feat. Dr Chelsi Day, Todd Cauthorn, and Dr Leah Washington). We discuss the mental skills and qualities needed for elite performance. What do you actually value in an athlete?
1.05 – Why do we get nervous and what do we do about it? (feat. Jo Davies and Dr Josephine Perry). We explore anxiety and different approaches to helping people manage it. Find extra bonus content from this episode, here!
1.06 – Is confidence overrated? (feat. Ali Jawad and Sophie McKinna). An exploration of self-efficacy and self-confidence from the perspective of two elite athletes performing on the international stage.
1.07 – How do we set goals that really stick? (feat. Charlotte Hinchcliffe and Hannah Brooks). How and when to set goals, why we set them, and the difference between goals and values.
1.08 – Where’s your head at? (feat. Ross Shand and Dr Andrew Wood). Applied psychologists in the hot seat answering applied problems!
1.09 – Is what you see really what you get? (feat. Dr Eoghan McNeill). Imagery, visualisation and mental practice. What does the research say, and how do we do it?
1.10 – What’s the deal with Mindfulness? (feat. Dr Joe Mannion). What is mindfulness? How do we do it? Is it for everyone? All these questions and more answered right here in this episode.
1.11 – Holiday special. A short shoutout from Pete and Hugh to say thanks!
1.12 – Coaching burnout. Dr Pete and Hugh were interviewed by Danny Lennon of Sigma Nutrition about the theory and applied aspects of burnout in coaches.
1.13 – Athlete burnout and dropout. Dr Pete and Hugh were interviewed by Dr Arthur Lynch of the NoLift Podcast about the theory and applied implications of athlete burnout
EPM Podcast Season 2
2.01 – How to think straight about psychology (and the problem of toxic positivity) (feat. Dr Darren Britton and Matt Cunliffe). We try to separate pseudoscience from evidence-based practice, and discuss the problem of relentless positivity.
2.02 – How do we get team culture right? (feat. Dr Pippa Grange and Rebecca Symes). If you’re part of a team, you do not want to miss this episode as we find out how to get team culture right.
2.03 – How to work with/be a good sports parent? (feat. Dr Camilla Knight and Andy Bradshaw). We discuss the influence that parents can have on their children’s sport experiences, and to engage parents in positive ways.
2.04 – How can psychology help with injuries? (feat. Dr Monna Arvinen-Barrow and Dr Damien Clement). From stress and injury, to working with injured athletes, this episode explores the role of the mind in managing the injury experience.
2.05 – The Event vs. The Grind (feat. Dr Karen MacNeill). We discuss the differences and similarities of the EVENT and the GRIND from the perspectives of player, coach, and psychologist.
2.06 – A&Q with Pete and Hugh… and Elliott too! (feat. Elliott Newell). “Ask us anything,” we said… and you did. From tips on imposter syndrome to getting in ‘The Zone’ to the greatest crisps, we answer all of your listener questions.
2.07 – What’s all this fuss over Resilience? (feat. Wendy Searle and Dr Mustafa Sarkar). What is resilience and what is it not? How do we demonstrate and build resilience, and how do you make a tube of pringles last for several weeks?
2.08 – EPM Special: Pete & Hugh’s Olympic Review! (feat. Dr Chelsi Day and Dr Leah Washington). We talk about everything that happened at the Games – our favourite moments, the twisties, new sports, and the need for more sparkles!
2.09 – Diversity and cultural awareness in sport – The Director’s Cut (feat. Shameema Yousuf and Dr Ale Quartiroli). We talk about the need for Cultural Awareness, and the benefit of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in sport.
2.10 – How do I bring psychology into the weight room? (feat. Dave Hembrough and Nick Ward). We discuss the mental challenges for S&C coaches, and what our guests wish they’d known about the mental side of performance.
2.11 – EPM Special: Conversations on Racism in Sport (feat. John Amaechi OBE). In this EPM Special, Dr Pete Olusoga is joined by organisational psychologist and best-selling New York Times author, John Amaechi OBE, for an honest and inspiring conversation about racism, anti-racism, and what we all could or should be doing to make our communities fairer for everybody.
2.12 – Do we deserve better from our sporting heroes? (feat. Dr Megan Byrd and Dr Mitch Abrams). We talk about whether or not sport is inherently “good”, whether athletes should be role models, organisational deviance, and a whole lot more.
2.13 – The greatest sports movie of all time? (feat. Dr Tammy Sheehy, Dr Meghan Halbrook, and Todd Cauthorn). What we can learn from some of the great sports movies out there? More importantly, which is the Movie GOAT!
2.14 – Mental health and wellbeing in sport (feat. Shakiba Moghadam and Dr Paul Gorczynski). Expert guests, Shakiba Moghadam and Dr Paul Gorczynski, have an open and honest conversation around mental health and well-being in sport.
2.15 – Super Special Bonus Winter Olympic Review! (feat. Dr Chelsi Day and Dr Leah Washington). Drug scandals, ‘minor’ broken necks, and the post-Olympic comedown. Stay til the very end to hear how Leah’s going to save the Olympics!
EPM Podcast Season 3
3.01 – The Psychology of… Endurance (feat. Greg Hewitt and Dr Amy Whitehead). Why do people put themselves through ultra-marathons and adventure races? What psychological skills, strategies, and attributes help get athletes through?
3.02 – The Psychology of… The Coach (feat. Coach Marc Steutel and Dr Kristen Dieffenbach). How do coaches incorporate psychology into their coaching, be vulnerable and authentic, and work with performance psychologists?
3.03 – The Psychology of… Dance (feat. Kit Holder and Dr Sanna Nordin-Bates). What are the mental challenges involved in such a creative art form? Find out in this inspiring episode of EightyPercentMental.
3.04 – The Psychology of… Speed (feat. James Toseland and Shameema Yousuf). With 2 x World Superbikes Champion, James Toseland, we explore the motivation, the risk, and the psychological skills involved in going really, really fast!
3.05 – EPM Special: Live from AASP in Fort Worth, Texas. Dr Pete spent time talking with conference attendees, including Professor Bob Weinberg, about the latest research, techniques, and approaches in sport & performance psychology.
3.06 – The Psychology of… Stage & Screen (feat. Shobna Gulati and Dr David Tod). What are the mental processes involved in preparing for and taking on an acting role? How can performers manage the intense scrutiny that goes with their jobs?
3.07 – The Psychology of… The Singer (feat. Beverley Knight and Dr Kaori Araki). Award winning recording artist and musical theatre actress, Beverley Knight offers her intriguing insights into the world of performance.
3.08 – The Psychology of… Success (feat. Cath Bishop, Side Sampla, and Paul Greaves).We explore what success really means and how we can start to think about success differently in a world where results really do matter.
3.09 – EPM Special: Sport & Social Justice (feat. Anna Abdullatif, Shaista Aziz, and Dr John Fernandes). Sport and politics do mix. So the conversation about sport and social justice is an important one.
3.10 – The Psychology of… Strength (feat. Jenny Tong). Just a great conversation about identity, motivation, confidence in the world of strength and beyond.
3.11 – The Psychology of… The Student Athlete (feat. Duncan Simpson, Weylu Chang, and Atakhan Karahan). How do student-athletes find balance during an intense period of personal growth and self-discovery?
3.12 – EPM Special: Physical 100 with Miracle Nelson. An interview with the one and only Miracle Nelson, about his mental approach to competition, and his journey form Nigerian dance competitions to Korean Netflix shows!
3.13 – The Psychology of… The Sea (feat. Laura Langton and Kit Windsor from Team Ace of Blades). Laura and Kit talk about the mental preparation that goes into rowing 3000 miles across the Atlantic in a 25ft boat!
3.14 – The Psychology of… The Skies (feat. Mike Goulian and Dr Adam Naylor). This really is theory to practice at its best as we discuss precision, focus, acceptance, team culture, golf, and screaming in cars.
3.15 – The Psychology of… The Fight (feat. Jordan Gill and Danny Wilson). What kind of mindset does it take to get in the ring? What mental skills and strategies prepare an athlete to compete in a sport like this? Which is the best Rocky film?
3.16 – The Psychology of… The Team (feat. Cody Royle and Alex Auerbach).How does a group of individuals start performing as a high functioning team? Do we need to get along to survive?
3.17 – The Psychology of… The Kids (feat. Dr Mark O’Sullivan). We talk about the nature and evolution of coach education and discuss the very purpose of youth sport itself.
3.18 – The Psychology of… Pressure (feat. Dr Mike Stoker). What is pressure? How does it affect us? Can Pressure Training help us manage pressure more effectively?
3.19 – The Psychology of… The Slopes. Snowboarding legend, Stevie Bell, and the Founder of the Mental Performance Center for Action Sports, Alēc Herbert talk about the mental aspects of action sports.
3.20 – EPM Special: Return of Team Ace of Blades. In this extra-special episode, Laura, Kit, Lizz, and Beth are all here to talk about their incredible forty-seven day, 3000 mile adventure, completing the World’s Toughest Row.
3.21 – The Psychology of… The Clash. What are the unique mental challenges of taking (or dishing out) massive hit after massive hit? Dwight Hollier, and Dr Adrian Ferrera, join Pete to discuss the mental load of collision sports.
3.22 – The Psychology of… The End. Psychologist and Director of NBA Mind Health, Dr Kensa Gunter, and Senior VP and Head of NBA Player Development, Jamila Wideman discuss the challenges of bringing an athletic career to a close.
EPM Podcast Season 4
4.01 – How do I start doing difficult things… and keep going!? We speak to sport and exercise psychologist and fitness coach, Clara Swedlund about motivation, barriers to changing our habits, and why values are so important to setting goals.
4.02 – Is exercise really good for my mental health? With our guest, Dr Hilary Cauthen, we explore how and why moving our bodies can be beneficial for our psychological health, but also why it might not be as simple as just moving more!
4.03 – EPM Special: Olympic Review, Paris, 2024. With the help of guest, Dr Quincy Davis, we talk about highs, the lows, favourite moments, and we dive into the psychology underpinning some of the most memorable performances.
4.04 – Why is my immune system so important for my mental health? We are joined by immunologist, Senior Lecturer and author, Dr Jenna Macciochi, to explore how the immune system is linked to psychological health.
4.05 – EPM Special: Paralympic Review, Paris 2024. Paralympic gold medalist Danielle Brown talks to us about the standout moments, the significance of the opening ceremony, and psychological strategies athletes use to manage pressure.
4.06 – Bad Science. How can we be more skeptical about the information we’re presented with, and how can we be better scientists? We talk to exercise scientist at Harbor-UCLA, Dr Nick Tiller, about Bad Science!
4.07 – Gifted: Unlocking potential with lessons from elite sport. We’re joined by Dr Rob Schinke, who talks about mental health and about finding ways to harness our gifts and truly live up to our human potential.
4.08 – The Science of Bias. Director of Culturgen and self-confessed behavioural science nerd, Chris Garrison, joined the podcast to explore the Science of Bias.
4.09 – Eating disorders and disordered eating. Guest, Dr Marina Harris, joins us to unpack the complex world of eating disorders, the impact of diet culture, and the role of social media in shaping body image.
4.10 – What can we do about burnout? Pete, Leah, and guest Dr Luke Olsson delve into the complex topic of burnout, the individual and environmental factors that contribute to burnout, and the cultural influences that exacerbate the issue.
4.11 – How to deal with… all this shit! David Smith joins the pod to explore the intersection of psychology, exercise, and societal issues, the transformative power of sport, and how psychology can help us navigate current societal challenges.
4.12 – How to win! Dr Pete Olusoga is joined by Head of Women’s Performance Psychology at the Football Association, Dr. Kate Hays, to discuss success, defining purpose, and creating a conducive environment for performance.
4.13 – Who are you? The complexity of athletic identity. We’re joined by Certified Mental Performance Consultant, Aren Ulmer, to explore the significance of identity, and how our sense of identity impacts both performance and well-being.
4.14 – EPM Special: EPM x But Why? Mental health in the online age. Pete speaks to Dr. Laura Swettenham and Dr. Kristin McGinty Minister from the ‘But Why?’ podcast to explore the psychological implications of our online lives.
4.15 – What is Leadership Identity – and why is it important for you? Pete and Leah are joined by Dr. Angel Brutus to explore the multifaceted nature of leadership, the qualities of great leaders, and the importance of understanding leadership identity.
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