Therapy for Athletes, Fitness Professionals & Sporty People
Sport and fitness can bring enormous meaning, discipline and joy — but they can also create intense pressure around performance, body image and control.
Many athletes, fitness professionals & sporty people struggle silently with their mental health and with their relationship with food, their body or training. In fact, eating disorders and disordered eating are significantly more common in sport and fitness environments. Yet, finding a therapist who understands them can feel difficult.
My background was in sport and fitness, and many of the clients who first came to work with me therapeutically were athletes and fitness professionals. There can be a perception from others that you have everything under control, maybe even that things come easy, but the story internally may feel very different. It can be difficult to admit that you struggle, or that things are feeling out of control. And in a society where we’re told that sport or exercise is good for our mental health, what do you do when ‘getting regular exercise’ isn’t the answer.
I understand the culture of training, performance and competing and the language that can be used around nutrition, size and shape. I recognise that there can be a fine balance between dedication and disorder, and discipline and distress. And I also understand how difficult it can be when sport or fitness is a big part of your identity (and maybe also your pay check) and yet it also causes distress in some way.
Common things that I deal with are:
Disordered eating or eating disorders within sport or fitness environments
Navigating recovery from eating difficulties while remaining involved in sport or fitness
Pressure around weight or body image expectations
Feeling caught between performance goals and caring for your physical and mental health
Compulsive or difficult relationships with exercise or training
Perfectionism and harsh self-criticism linked to performance
Burnout, overtraining, or loss of enjoyment in movement
Identity challenges when sport, training, or fitness has been a central part of your life
Anxiety around competition, performance, or returning after injury
Feeling disconnected from your body despite being highly physically activ
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I work with adults (18+) across the sporting and fitness world whose relationship with food, body, training, or performance has become complicated or distressing.
Some of the people I support include:
• Athletes at any level — from recreational and amateur through to competitive or elite sport
• Personal trainers, coaches, and fitness professionals navigating pressures around body image, appearance, and performance
• People whose sport or training has become closely tied to their identity or self-worth
• Individuals recovering from eating disorders or disordered eating while remaining involved in sport or fitness
• Those who feel caught between performance goals and caring for their mental and physical wellbeing
• People who feel conflicted about exercise, training, or rest
• Athletes navigating injury, burnout, or a changing relationship with sport
Some clients come specifically because of challenges within sport or fitness. For others, these themes emerge as part of wider therapeutic work around identity, self-worth, perfectionism, or the relationship they have with their body.
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Our approach together is tailored to you, your experiences, and what makes sense in your life. I work within a person-centred framework, drawing on evidence-based approaches such as Compassion-Focused Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness, body awareness, and elements of CBT — integrating these in ways that are helpful and meaningful for you.
My role is to provide a safe, supportive, and encouraging space where recovery feels possible, achievable, and sustainable.
I also integrate relational therapy and embodied awareness, which means I pay close attention to how your thoughts, emotions, and body experiences interact — and how these show up in your relationships with yourself and others. This helps us notice patterns, understand what’s driving them, and work on practical ways to support lasting change, all within a safe and structured space.
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We usually begin with a 60-minute initial consultation, where we’ll explore what’s bringing you to therapy, how you are managing at the moment and what support you may already have in place. We’ll also talk about your goals, day-to-day context, and any past experiences with therapy, so I can get a full picture of what support might work best for you.
There’s no pressure to continue beyond this session — it can stand alone and be helpful in its own right. Afterward, I’ll send you a brief written summary of what we discussed.
If you’d like to continue, sessions usually take place weekly or fortnightly. This consistency is essential for building momentum, trust, and meaningful progress. I work on an open-ended basis, but I ask for a minimum commitment of 6 sessions, as fewer tends to limit the depth of the work and slow progress.
This structure creates a steady foundation for lasting change, while allowing us to adjust pace and focus as your needs evolve.
Before booking the 60-minute consultation, you’re also welcome to have a free 15-minute phone or Zoom chat. This is simply an opportunity to ask questions, get a sense of how I work, and see if it feels like a good fit — with no pressure to book a full session.
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Initial session (60 mins): £70
Ongoing sessions (60 mins): £70 each
I offer counselling both online and in-person from my practice in Gorebridge, just outside Edinburgh (EH23 4LD). Online sessions are available UK-wide.
My usual working hours are:
Monday: 9:30am – 6:30pm
Tuesday: 10am – 6:30pm
Wednesday: 9:30am – 6:30pm
Every other Thursday: 9am - 5pm
I offer a free 20 minute telephone call if you want to ask me anything before arranging an initial consultation. Please get in touch if you’d like us to arrange this.
If you’re thinking about starting therapy, you’re very welcome to get in touch. You can email me with any questions or to arrange your first session.
If you’d like to chat before booking, we can arrange a free 15-minute phone or Zoom call.