Eighty Percent Mental

4.06 - Bad Science

The commercialisation of wellness and wellbeing has led us to the point where everyone has basically gone fucking nuts. With so much crap on the internet, how can ordinary folk spot the snake oil? How can we be more skeptical about the information we’re presented with, and how can we be better scientists? In this episode, Dr Pete Olusoga and Dr Leah Washington talk to Dr Nick Tiller, exercise scientist at Harbor-UCLA, about Bad Science!

Dr Tiller is the author of The Skeptic’s Guide to Sports Science, a columnist at Skeptical Inquirer magazine, and a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.

• Follow Nick on Twitter: @NBTiller
• Check out Nick’s website: nbtiller.com, where you can buy his genuinely excellent book. And no, we’re not on commission!

4.05 - EPM Special: Paralympic Review, Paris 2024

In this episode of EightyPercentMental, hosts Pete and Leah are joined by Paralympic gold medalist Danielle Brown to talk about the Paris 2024 Paralympics. We discuss standout moments from the Games, the significance of the opening ceremony, and the psychological strategies athletes use to cope with pressure. In this conversation, Danielle Brown, double Paralympic gold medalist, shares her experiences and insights on the pressures of performance in sports, the identity and recognition of the Paralympics, and the importance of language in discussing disability. She emphasizes the need for a more scientific approach to athlete classification and advocates for the empowerment of female athletes through storytelling.

• Follow Danielle on Twitter (X): @danibrownmbe
• Follow Danielle on Instagram: @daniellebrownmbe
• Check out Danielle’s website: daniellebrown.co.uk
• Find Danielle’s book here: https://www.daniellebrown.co.uk/books.html

4.04 - Why is my immune system so important for my mental health?

4.04 – What about my immune system?

What is my immune system and why is it so important? In this episode, Dr Pete Olusoga and Dr Leah Washington are joined by immunologist, Senior Lecturer and author, Dr Jenna Macciochi, to explore how the immune system is linked to psychological health. We discuss what our immune systems actually are, what they do (and what they don’t do), as well as unpacking some of the barriers to maintaining a health immune system, and discussing the importance of movement. There’s so much to learn here!

• Check out Dr Macciochi’s website here: drjennamacciochi.com
• Follow Jenna on Instagram: @dr_jenna_macciochi
• Follow Jenna on Twitter: @drjmacc
• Jenna’s book – Immunity: The Science of Staying Well: https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/immunity-the-science-of-staying-well-dr-jenna-macciochi?variant=32560620863566
• Jenna’s book – Your Blueprint for Strong Immunity: https://www.yellowkitebooks.co.uk/titles/dr-jenna-macciochi/your-blueprint-for-strong-immunity/9781529363623/

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4.03 - EPM Special: Olympic Review, Paris 2024.

The Olympic Games wouldn’t be complete without an EightyPercentMental Olympic Review and that’s exactly what Dr Pete Olusoga and Dr Leah Washington are doing in this episode with the help of their guest, Dr Quincy Davis. We talk about highs, the lows, our favourite moments, and of course we dive into the psychology underpinning some of the most memorable performances – and yes that includes the breakdancing.

Dr Quincy Davis is an Assistant Director of Counseling and Sport Psychology at Mississippi State University and owns a private practice “Resolute Performance Consulting”. Passionate about all things athlete mental health, mental performance, and overall well-being.

• Follow Quincy on Instagram: @dr_quincydavis
• Follow Quincy on Twitter/X: @DrQuincyDavis
• Connect with Quincy on LinkedIn: Quincy Davis
• Quincy’s Private Practice Website: resoluteperformanceconsulting.com

4.02 - Is exercise really good for my mental health?

There’s a well-established link between exercise and mental health. In this episode of Eighty Percent Mental, Dr Pete Olusoga and new co-host, Dr Leah Washington 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! Our guest this episode is Dr Hillary Cauthen, a clinical sport psychologist based in Austin TX, and Co-Founder of Texas Optimal Performance & Psychological Services. Her work in high performance environments is breaking down stigma across communities which is highlighted in her book, “Hello Trauma, Our Invisible Teammate.”

• Follow Dr Cauthen on Twitter: @TOPPSTIP
• Check out Hilary’s website here: hillarycauthen.com
• Get Hilary’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Hello-Trauma-Our-Invisible-Teammate/dp/B0CPN9KRVT/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp&qid=1702231223&amp&sr=8-1

4.01 - How do I start doing difficult things... and keep going!?

Welcome to the brand-new series of EightyPercentMental, the podcast all about the psychology of sport and performance. Only… it isn’t just about sport and performance anymore, because in this series, we’re going to explore how psychology is important in exercise, health, and wellbeing, and how we can apply this to our everyday lives! Is exercise really good for my mental health? What’s the link between my immune system and psychological wellbeing? How can I start doing difficult things and keep going?

In this first episode, Dr Pete Olusoga and new co-host, Dr Leah Washington, speak to their expert guest, sport and exercise psychologist in training, and fitness coach, Clara Swedlund about all things motivation. What gets in the way when we try to change our habits? Why are values important to setting goals? Which way up should our cups go in the cupboard?

This was such a valuable conversation and a great way to kick off Series 4 of the 242^nd most popular sports podcast in Costa Rica!

• Follow Clara on Instagram: @clara_theexerpsych
• Follow Clara on Twitter: @ceswedlund
• Check out Clara’s website: theexerpsych.com

3.22 - The Psychology of... THE END!

Sometimes the transition out of sport can be easy, a natural progression to the next stage of an athlete’s life. Sometimes it can be an intensely difficult and painful experience.  Sometimes, ending an athletic career can be a deliberate choice, other times it’s forced upon an athlete through injury, or changing circumstances. In the final episode of this series, Dr Pete Olusoga explores The Psychology of The End with two very special guests, Psychologist and Director of NBA Mind Health, Dr Kensa Gunter, and Senior VP and Head of NBA Player Development, Jamila Wideman. We discuss Jamila’s own playing career (drafted 3^rd overall in the inaugural WNBA draft) and her own transitions in and out of sport, and Dr Gunter offers her insights from a psychological perspective on overcoming the challenges of bringing an athletic career to a close. It’s such an honest and truthful conversation and a wonderful way to bring this series to an end. Enjoy!

• Follow Dr Kensa Gunter on Twitter: @DrKensa
• Check out Kensa’s website here: drkensagunter.com
• Connect with Jamila Wideman on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamila-wideman-503849133/

3.21 - The Psychology of... The Clash

There’s no denying the strategy, the undeniable levels of skill, and the precision involved in American Football, but it’s also a sport, a little like rugby, where a good part of your time is spent picking yourself up off the floor after being knocked on your ass. In this episode of Eighty Percent Mental, Dr Pete Olusoga explores the psychology involved in collision sports. What are the unique mental challenges of taking (or dishing out) massive hit after massive hit? Joining Pete on this episode are special guests, Senior Associate Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Health and Well-Being at the University of North Carolina, Dwight Hollier, and Performance Consultant and Therapist, Dr Adrian Ferrera.

• Follow Dwight Hollier on Twitter: @Dfin50
• Check out Dr Ferrera’s website:dradrianferrera.com
• Follow Dr Adrian Ferrera on Twitter: @dradrianferrera
• Follow Dr Adrian Ferrera on Instagram: @dradrianferrera
• Follow Dr Ferrera on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-ferrera-phd-lpc-8a01724a/

3.20 - EPM Special: Return of Team Ace of Blades

Earlier this series (Episode 3.13), Dr Pete Olusoga spoke to  Laura Langton and Kit Windsor, from Team Ace of Blades, just before they set off on their quest to row across the Atlantic. Along with the other two members of the crew, Lizz Watson and Beth Motley, they set off from La Gomera in the Canary Islands on 13th December, 2023. Forty-seven days later, they rowed their 25ft boat into English Harbour in Antigua having successfully navigated all 3000 miles of the World’s Toughest Row.

In this extra-special episode of EightyPercentMental, Laura, Kit, Lizz, and Beth are all here to talk about their incredible achievement, their magnificent voyage, and of course, about the role that psychology played on their adventure.

• Visit Team Ace of Blades: teamaceofblades.com
• Donate to the Team’s incredible charities: teamaceofblades.com/charities
• Follow Team Ace of Blades on Instagram: @teamaceofblades
• Follow the team on Twitter: @TeamAceOfBlades
• Finish Line Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmWOcfUsQss

3.19 - The Psychology of... The Slopes

Ever fancied strapping yourself to a plank and throwing yourself down a snowy mountain? In this episode of Eighty Percent Mental, Dr Pete Olusoga explores The Psychology of The Slopes with snowboarding legend, Stevie Bell, and the Founder of the Mental Performance Center for Action Sports, Alēc Herbert. Such a great conversation around the mental aspects of action sports, preparation, professionalism, and doing things you immediately regret!

• Follow Stevie on Intagram: @steviebell801
• Check out Stevie’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwGRWqUsePRplN3jh2gFRVw
• Follow Alēc on Twitter: @MPCActionSports

• Check out these incredible organisations:
• https://www.hoodstowoodsfoundation.org/
• https://www.shredfoundation.org/
• https://stoked.org/
• https://sharewinterfoundation.org/
• https://yeskids.org/
• https://www.snowdaysfoundation.org/
• This the National Brotherhood of Skiers, it is a community-based organization for adult or already avid riders.  https://www.nbs.org/

3.18 - The Psychology of... Pressure

Experiencing pressure is something we can all identify with. In this episode of the EightyPercentMental podcast Dr Pete Olusoga talks with Sport Psychologist and UK Sport Institute Technical Lead, Dr Mike Stoker about what exactly pressure is, the impacts that it can have on how we think, feel, and perform, and how Pressure Training can help us manage pressure more effectively.

• Follow Dr Mike Stoker on Twitter: @DrMikeStoker
• Find Mike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-mike-stoker-01795330/?originalSubdomain=uk
• Read Mike’s research here on Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mike-Stoker

3.17 - The Psychology of... The Kids

In this episode of Eighty Percent Mental, Dr Pete Olusoga is joined by Dr Mark O’Sullivan for a deeply insightful conversation on youth sport. We talk about the nature and evolution of coach education and the impact on coaching practice in youth sport, and we discuss the very purpose of youth sport itself. Who is it for? What is it for? And how does that impact on the kids who want to play!

• Follow Mark on Twitter: @markstkhlm
• Read Mark’s latest research article here: There is no copy and paste, but there is resonation and inhabitation: Integrating a contemporary player development framework in football from a complexity sciences perspective https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02640414.2023.2288979
• Salisbury Rovers FC website:
  salisburyroversfc.co.uk

3.16 - The Psychology of... The Team

After taking a few weeks off Dr Pete Olusoga is back with another episode exploring the psychology of performance. We’ve had actors, singers, dancers, strength athletes, coaches, speed demons, and endurance masters on the podcast this series, but one thing we haven’t really considered yet this series is the psychology of The Team. How do we get a group of individuals to start performing as a high functioning team? Do we need to get along to survive? Is it all about the job at hand? What are the factors that bring people together to work as an efficient unit? Dr Pete explores all this and more with Performance Psychologist, Dr Alex Auerbach, and Coach to the coaches, Cody Royle.

• Follow Alex Auerbach on Twitter: @AlexAuerbachPHD
• Follow Cody Royle on Twitter: @codyroyle
• Buy Cody’s book - Second set of Eyes: codyroyle.com
• Visit Alex’s blog… perform.substack.com
• Cody’s album recommendation: Wolf Mother by Wolf Mother
• Alex’s album recommendation: DAMN. by Kendrick Lamar

3.15 - The Psychology of... The Fight

It’s brutal. It’s violent. It’s two people trying to hit each other until one of them can’t hit back any more… but it's a sport that has always had, and still has, huge appeal.  What is it that makes athletes want to take up boxing in the first place? What kind of mindset does it take to get in the ring? What are the mental skills and strategies that might help prepare an athlete to compete in a sport like this? Which is the best Rocky film? Dr Pete Olusoga explores all of that and more in this episode of the Eighty Percent Mental podcast, alongside pro boxer, Jordan “The Thrill” Gill, and Strength & Conditioning Coach and Co-founder of Boxing Science, Danny Wilson. Two guests who, between them have an absolute ton of experience in the fight game, although in slightly different roles, which made for a fascinating insight into the Psychology of The Fight. 

• Follow Jordan Gill on Instagram: @itsjordangill 
• Jordan Gill: Next Generation: @jgnxtgen 
• Follow Danny Wilson on Instagram: @wilson_boxingscience 
• Follow Boxing Science on Instagram: @boxingscience 
• Check out Boxing Science here: boxingscience.co.uk 

3.14 - The Psychology of... The Skies

If you’re nervous about flying, imagine the nerve required to fly a 25ft plane through a 30ft window at 250mph. In this episode of EightyPercentMental Dr Pete Olusoga speaks with veteran Red Bull Air Race competitor and champion aerobatics pilot, Mike Goulian, and gets the perspective of veteran Mental Performance Coach, Dr Adam Naylor, on the psychology underpinning some of Mike’s most memorable performances. This really is theory to practice at its best as we discuss precision, focus, acceptance, team culture, golf, and screaming in cars, and how Mike and Adam formed an incredible partnership to achieve excellence in the skies.

• Follow Mike Goulian on Instagram: @mike_goulian
• Mike's website: mikegoulian.com
• Mike Goulian Aviation: mikegoulianaviation.com
• Follow Dr Adam Naylor on Twitter: @ahnaylor