Eighty Percent Mental

In this episode of the Eighty Percent Mental Podcast, hosts Pete and Leah and guest Dr Luke Olsson delve into the complex topic of burnout. They explore the differences between stress and burnout, the symptoms associated with burnout, and how it manifests in various professions. The conversation also touches on the individual and environmental factors that contribute to burnout, and the cultural influences that exacerbate the issue. Luke shares insights from his research, emphasising the importance of understanding burnout as a psychological response rather than merely a physical condition.

Dr Luke Olsson is a senior lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University in the UK. His research primarily focusses on ascertaining the key reasons that make an athlete vulnerable to experience burnout as well as quantifying how burnout can influence an athlete including health and performance consequences.

In this episode of Eighty Percent Mental, hosts Pete and Leah, along with guest Dr Marina Harris, delve into the complex world of eating disorders. They discuss the definitions of eating disorders versus disordered eating, the impact of diet culture, and the role of social media in shaping body image. The conversation highlights the importance of recognizing red flags in eating behaviours, the stigma surrounding eating disorders, the responsibility of coaches and support staff in supporting athletes, fostering healthy relationships with food and how to approach conversations about eating disorders.

Dr Marina Harris is a licensed psychologist, performance consultant, and speaker. As a former Division I gymnast, she understands the unique stressors affecting athletes and performers. Her psychology practice, Bloom Psychology Group, offers individual therapy and sport psychology services for perfectionistic high-achievers who want to feel more calm.

Explore the book mentioned by Marina, Intuitive Eating, by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/intuitive-eating-4th-edition-a-revolutionary-anti-diet-approach-hillary-huber/16191829?ean=9781250255198&next=t&aid=8537&listref=intuitive-eating&next=t

If you feel like you’ve been impacted by anything in this episode or would like to reach out for help, here are some useful resources:

In this episode, Dr Pete Olusoga and Dr Leah Washington are joined by Director of Culturgen and self-confessed behavioural science nerd, Chris Garrison to explore the Science of Bias. What is cognitive bias? How does it work? What is the impact of our biases on those around us and how can we begin to challenge the biases that we all hold? We discuss all of this and much more in this episode of Eighty Percent Mental.

In this episode, Dr Pete Olusoga and Dr Leah Washington welcome the President of the International Society of Sport Psychology, Dr Rob Schinke, to the podcast to talk about mental health and about finding ways to harness our gifts and truly live up to our human potential. We discuss Rob’s work with with Olympic and professional athletes, his thoughts on Cultural Sport Psychology and his book, “Gifted:8 Steps to Succeeding in Sport, Work, and Life.”

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

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

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

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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

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

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 242nd most popular sports podcast in Costa Rica!

• Follow Clara on Instagram: @clara_theexerpsych