In this moving and insightful episode of Martial Attitude Voice, we sit down with Andrew Jones, a blind runner who completed the London Marathon on April 27th. What began as a one-off challenge turned into a personal mission marked by resilience, adaptation, and a deep love for the sport. Andrew shares the mental and logistical hurdles of running blind, the delicate balance between performance and injury, and how family, community, and mindset keep him going through the miles.

From caffeine mishaps to smart training decisions, Andrew opens up about what it takes to pursue an “arbitrary” sub-4-hour goal—years after his personal best—and why the act of running itself remains so meaningful. A powerful conversation about challenge, perspective, and doing what you "shouldn't be able to do."

His reflection on being a source of inspiration for his son brings the narrative full circle. Faced with the very real prospect of losing his sight, he could have easily surrendered to fear, pity, or despair. Instead, he chose to continue forward—not in denial of the risk, but in defiance of the limitations it threatened to impose. In doing so, he reframed vulnerability as strength, turning a moment of potential collapse into one of quiet resilience. It’s this act—not of bravado, but of deliberate courage—that speaks most powerfully to his character. For his son, and perhaps for himself, he became living proof that adversity doesn’t have to define you; it can refine you.

If you are visually impaired or blind, or if you know someone who is, and would like to take part to the series of Martial Attitude Voice podcast interviews exploring touch, confidence and blindness or if you would like to join in the Martial Attitude Training workshops now running in London every Sunday, please do keep in touch via Instagram or according to your communication preferences, all available  HERE.  

Sincerely,

Mathias Alberton

Founder CEO at Martial Attitude C.I.C.

BPS trainee Sport Psychologist 

MSc in Applied Sport Psychology at St. Mary's University, Twickenham, London, UK.

In this powerful and emotionally candid episode of Martial Attitude Voice, Kijuan Amey joins Mathias Alberton to share his extraordinary story of survival and adaptation following a life-altering motorbike accident that left him blind and coping with a traumatic brain injury. Kijuan opens up about the deep and ongoing impact the accident had—not only on his physical abilities but also on his memory, emotional regulation, and interpersonal relationships.

Through a conversation marked by honesty and vulnerability, Kijuan describes the daily challenges of navigating life with unfiltered emotional responses and short-term memory loss, and how these affect his sense of identity and connection with others. He offers listeners a raw insight into what it's like to feel misunderstood, to live with invisible impairments, and to work tirelessly at regaining control, one day at a time. This is a conversation about resilience, self-awareness, and the importance of empathy and, crucially, of the will to take actions to regain one's independence.

Follow Kijuan on LINKEDIN and INSTAGRAM

Order Kijuan's book "Don't focus on why me" on AMAZON 

If you are visually impaired or blind, or if you know someone who is, and would like to take part to the series of Martial Attitude Voice podcast interviews exploring touch, confidence and blindness or if you would like to join in the Martial Attitude Training workshops now running in London every Sunday, please do keep in touch via Instagram or according to your communication preferences, all available  HERE.  

Sincerely,

Mathias Alberton

Founder CEO at Martial Attitude C.I.C.

BPS trainee Sport Psychologist 

MSc in Applied Sport Psychology at St. Mary's University, Twickenham, London, UK.

In this thought-provoking episode, Dr. Petah Gibbs offers a critical perspective on the use of psychological testing and mental skills training in youth sport. Drawing from his clinical and sport psychology experience, he warns against the growing trend of treating children’s sport like professional sport, particularly through premature psychometric assessments like the Athlete Apperception Test (AAT). While these tools can be powerful in the hands of trained clinicians, Gibbs argues they should never be used to fast-track children into performance optimization pipelines driven by commercial or parental pressures. Instead, sport in childhood should remain a space for play, social development, and emotional learning—without the weight of adult expectations.

Dr. Gibbs also reflects on the sensitive application of projective tools like the AAT with younger populations. He emphasizes their true value lies not in diagnosis or performance enhancement, but in creating space for meaningful conversation—especially with children who struggle to engage verbally. The discussion touches on ethical practice, the risks of amateur misuse, and the importance of clinical supervision when working with emotionally vulnerable young athletes. Most poignantly, he underlines the deep integration between sport and life: challenges on the field are rarely isolated, and any responsible psychological intervention must take into account the full human experience of the child—not just their performance.

If you are visually impaired or blind, or if you know someone who is, and would like to take part to the series of Martial Attitude Voice podcast interviews exploring touch, confidence and blindness or if you would like to join in the Martial Attitude Training workshops now running in London every Sunday, please do keep in touch via Instagram or according to your communication preferences, all available  HERE.  

Sincerely,

Mathias Alberton

Founder CEO at Martial Attitude C.I.C.

BPS trainee Sport Psychologist 

MSc in Applied Sport Psychology at St. Mary's University, Twickenham, London, UK.

In this episode, Dr. Petah M. Gibbs returns to unpack the thinking behind the supplementary set of images in the Athletic Apperception Technique (AAT). We explore why selecting specific cards can risk shaping the narrative, the importance of using the full set, and how grief, arousal, and self-diagnosis often surface in unexpected ways. Petah also shares insights on balancing emotional intensity across cards and what happens when elite athletes mislabel performance arousal as anxiety.

Also, an evocative story from Paul’s early career involving a response to a projective image helped us delve into how such techniques allow access to unconscious material, often unfiltered and deeply personal. Dr. Gibbs highlights the significance of silence in therapeutic work—how it invites genuine reflection and unprompted free association, echoing the principles of classic psychoanalysis. We also touch on the nuanced themes that may emerge in such assessments, including identity, sexuality, and interpersonal dynamics, illustrating that responses often transcend any fixed domain, including sport.

A thoughtful, rich continuation for anyone using or curious about the AAT.

Also, If you are interested in Dr. Gibbs original research study, you can find it here: Gibbs, P. M., Marchant, D. B., & Andersen, M. B. (2016). Development of a clinical sport projective assessment method: The Athlete Apperception Technique (AAT). Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 9(1), 33–48. https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676x.2016.1180637

Abstract

Within the field of applied sport psychology, there is an increasing appreciation for diversity of training models, research methodologies, and therapeutic approaches. For example, psychodynamic formulations and interpretations have begun to appear more frequently in the sport psychology literature. In keeping with emerging psychodynamic viewpoints, we believe the time is right to introduce a qualitative sport-specific projective instrument: the Athlete Apperception Technique (AAT). The AAT represents a new technique based on psychodynamic theory and established projective test construction principles. It was designed primarily as a clinical tool for practitioners and not as an instrument for quantitative research into personality. It does, however, have potential research applications, especially in clinical sport case study research and narrative analysis investigations. The AAT produces an idiographic understanding of athletes’ characteristics, anxieties, and motivations (both conscious and unconscious). We briefly review the literature on the development of projective techniques, explain the rationale underlying the development of the AAT, and present three sequential studies to explain the AAT image selection procedures that led to the final product.

---

Discover all Dr. Petah M. Gibbs research here:

• Gibbs, P. M., Andersen, M. A., & Marchant, D. B. (2023). Projective techniques: In Tod, D., & Eubank, M.

(Eds.) Applied Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology: Current Approaches to Helping

Clients (pp. 101-110). London, England: Routledge.

• Marchant, D. B., & Gibbs, P. M. (2023). Psychological Assessment: In Tod, D., & Eubank, M. (Eds.) Applied

Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology: Current Approaches to Helping Clients (pp. 101-

110). London, England: Routledge.

• Gibbs, P. M., Andersen, M. A., & Marchant, D. B., (2017). The Athlete Apperception Technique: Manual and

Materials for Sport and Clinical Psychologists. London, Routledge.

• Gibbs, P. M., Marchant, D. B., & Andersen, M. A. (2016). Development of a clinical sport projective

assessment method: the Athlete Apperception Technique (AAT). Qualitative Research in Sport,

Exercise and Health, 1-16. doi: 10.1080/2159676X.2016.1180637

• Davidson, K., McLaren, S., Jenkins, Corby, D., M., Gibbs, P. M, & Malloy, M. (2016). Internalized

homonegativity, sense of belonging, and depressive symptoms among Australian gay men. Journal

of Homosexuality. doi: 10.1080/00918369.2016.1190215

• McLaren, S., Gibbs, P. M., & Watts, E. (2013). The inter-relationships between age, sense of belonging, and

depressive symptoms among Australian gay men and lesbians. Journal of Homosexuality. 60(1), 1-

15. doi: 10.1080/00918369.2013.735933

• McLaren, S., Turner, J., Gomez, R., McLachlan, A. J., & Gibbs, P.M. (2013). Housing type and depressive

symptoms among older adults: a test of sense of belonging as a mediating and moderating variable.

Age and Mental Health, 17(8), 1023-1029. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2013.805402

• Gibbs, P. M. (2010). Psychological assessment: Projective techniques. In S. J. Hanrahan & M. B. Andersen

(Eds.), Routledge handbook of applied sport psychology: A comprehensive guide for students and

professionals (pp. 101-110). London, England: Routledge.

---

If you are visually impaired or blind, or if you know someone who is, and would like to take part to the series of Martial Attitude Voice podcast interviews exploring touch, confidence and blindness or if you would like to join in the Martial Attitude Training workshops now running in London every Sunday, please do keep in touch via Instagram or according to your communication preferences, all available  HERE.  

Sincerely,

Mathias Alberton

Founder CEO at Martial Attitude C.I.C.

BPS trainee Sport Psychologist 

MSc in Applied Sport Psychology at St. Mary's University, Twickenham, London, UK.

In this third episode with the Athlete Apperception Technique's author Dr. Petah M. Gibbs, we unpack the art of crafting projective images for the AAT, exploring how ambiguity opens a door to the athlete’s internal world. From latent stimulus meaning to the powerful pull of interpersonal relationships, we unpack what makes a picture more than just a picture. Why focus on relationships before performance themes? What does it mean when an athlete doesn’t mention anyone else at all? Tune in as we discuss the psychology between the lines—on the track, the course, or the court.

Also, If you are interested in Dr. Gibbs original research study, you can find it here: Gibbs, P. M., Marchant, D. B., & Andersen, M. B. (2016). Development of a clinical sport projective assessment method: The Athlete Apperception Technique (AAT). Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 9(1), 33–48. https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676x.2016.1180637

Abstract

Within the field of applied sport psychology, there is an increasing appreciation for diversity of training models, research methodologies, and therapeutic approaches. For example, psychodynamic formulations and interpretations have begun to appear more frequently in the sport psychology literature. In keeping with emerging psychodynamic viewpoints, we believe the time is right to introduce a qualitative sport-specific projective instrument: the Athlete Apperception Technique (AAT). The AAT represents a new technique based on psychodynamic theory and established projective test construction principles. It was designed primarily as a clinical tool for practitioners and not as an instrument for quantitative research into personality. It does, however, have potential research applications, especially in clinical sport case study research and narrative analysis investigations. The AAT produces an idiographic understanding of athletes’ characteristics, anxieties, and motivations (both conscious and unconscious). We briefly review the literature on the development of projective techniques, explain the rationale underlying the development of the AAT, and present three sequential studies to explain the AAT image selection procedures that led to the final product.

---

Discover all Dr. Petah M. Gibbs research here:

• Gibbs, P. M., Andersen, M. A., & Marchant, D. B. (2023). Projective techniques: In Tod, D., & Eubank, M.

(Eds.) Applied Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology: Current Approaches to Helping

Clients (pp. 101-110). London, England: Routledge.

• Marchant, D. B., & Gibbs, P. M. (2023). Psychological Assessment: In Tod, D., & Eubank, M. (Eds.) Applied

Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology: Current Approaches to Helping Clients (pp. 101-

110). London, England: Routledge.

• Gibbs, P. M., Andersen, M. A., & Marchant, D. B., (2017). The Athlete Apperception Technique: Manual and

Materials for Sport and Clinical Psychologists. London, Routledge.

• Gibbs, P. M., Marchant, D. B., & Andersen, M. A. (2016). Development of a clinical sport projective

assessment method: the Athlete Apperception Technique (AAT). Qualitative Research in Sport,

Exercise and Health, 1-16. doi: 10.1080/2159676X.2016.1180637

• Davidson, K., McLaren, S., Jenkins, Corby, D., M., Gibbs, P. M, & Malloy, M. (2016). Internalized

homonegativity, sense of belonging, and depressive symptoms among Australian gay men. Journal

of Homosexuality. doi: 10.1080/00918369.2016.1190215

• McLaren, S., Gibbs, P. M., & Watts, E. (2013). The inter-relationships between age, sense of belonging, and

depressive symptoms among Australian gay men and lesbians. Journal of Homosexuality. 60(1), 1-

15. doi: 10.1080/00918369.2013.735933

• McLaren, S., Turner, J., Gomez, R., McLachlan, A. J., & Gibbs, P.M. (2013). Housing type and depressive

symptoms among older adults: a test of sense of belonging as a mediating and moderating variable.

Age and Mental Health, 17(8), 1023-1029. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2013.805402

• Gibbs, P. M. (2010). Psychological assessment: Projective techniques. In S. J. Hanrahan & M. B. Andersen

(Eds.), Routledge handbook of applied sport psychology: A comprehensive guide for students and

professionals (pp. 101-110). London, England: Routledge.

---

If you are visually impaired or blind, or if you know someone who is, and would like to take part to the series of Martial Attitude Voice podcast interviews exploring touch, confidence and blindness or if you would like to join in the Martial Attitude Training workshops now running in London every Sunday, please do keep in touch via Instagram or according to your communication preferences, all available  HERE.  

Sincerely,

Mathias Alberton

Founder CEO at Martial Attitude C.I.C.

BPS trainee Sport Psychologist 

MSc in Applied Sport Psychology at St. Mary's University, Twickenham, London, UK.

In this episode, I reunite with Australian psychologist Dr. Petah Gibbs to delve deeper into the Athlete Apperception Technique (AAT) — a powerful projective tool developed to foster meaningful dialogue with athletes beyond performance. Together, we explore the importance of the person-first perspective, the value of context and narrative, and how AAT can help practitioners work more effectively by uncovering the lived experiences athletes project onto storytelling.

We reflect on the origins of the technique, the meaning of apperception, and the influence of past psychological research. Whether you're a sport psychologist, therapist, or simply curious about innovative methods in mental health and sport, this episode invites you to rethink how we understand, connect, and work with those who play sport for a living — as people first.

Importantly, Petah emphasized the flexible nature of the test’s administration. There are no rigid rules: it can be used in one-on-one settings, in written form, over Zoom, or asynchronously by having clients take home the images and respond at their own pace. Some practitioners prefer using only a subset of the 10 standard images, depending on client needs. Observational data such as body language, spontaneous utterances, or emotional reactions during story generation can also add interpretative depth. While some may argue for strict procedural controls, Petah maintains a client-centered stance: “You do you. Use it how you want to use it and get the best information you can possibly get.” This philosophy aligns with his belief that the complexity of working with human beings doesn’t always lend itself to rigid administration protocols.

Ultimately, the AAT is proposed not as a standalone diagnostic instrument, but as a complement to other tools—questionnaires, interviews, and behavioral observations—offering nuanced, context-rich insights into athletes’ emotional worlds. It invites practitioners to listen, to reflect, and to integrate, supporting a more holistic understanding of the person behind the performance.

Also, If you are interested in Dr. Gibbs original research study, you can find it here: Gibbs, P. M., Marchant, D. B., & Andersen, M. B. (2016). Development of a clinical sport projective assessment method: The Athlete Apperception Technique (AAT). Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 9(1), 33–48. https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676x.2016.1180637

Abstract

Within the field of applied sport psychology, there is an increasing appreciation for diversity of training models, research methodologies, and therapeutic approaches. For example, psychodynamic formulations and interpretations have begun to appear more frequently in the sport psychology literature. In keeping with emerging psychodynamic viewpoints, we believe the time is right to introduce a qualitative sport-specific projective instrument: the Athlete Apperception Technique (AAT). The AAT represents a new technique based on psychodynamic theory and established projective test construction principles. It was designed primarily as a clinical tool for practitioners and not as an instrument for quantitative research into personality. It does, however, have potential research applications, especially in clinical sport case study research and narrative analysis investigations. The AAT produces an idiographic understanding of athletes’ characteristics, anxieties, and motivations (both conscious and unconscious). We briefly review the literature on the development of projective techniques, explain the rationale underlying the development of the AAT, and present three sequential studies to explain the AAT image selection procedures that led to the final product.

---

Discover all Dr. Petah M. Gibbs research here:

• Gibbs, P. M., Andersen, M. A., & Marchant, D. B. (2023). Projective techniques: In Tod, D., & Eubank, M.

(Eds.) Applied Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology: Current Approaches to Helping

Clients (pp. 101-110). London, England: Routledge.

• Marchant, D. B., & Gibbs, P. M. (2023). Psychological Assessment: In Tod, D., & Eubank, M. (Eds.) Applied

Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology: Current Approaches to Helping Clients (pp. 101-

110). London, England: Routledge.

• Gibbs, P. M., Andersen, M. A., & Marchant, D. B., (2017). The Athlete Apperception Technique: Manual and

Materials for Sport and Clinical Psychologists. London, Routledge.

• Gibbs, P. M., Marchant, D. B., & Andersen, M. A. (2016). Development of a clinical sport projective

assessment method: the Athlete Apperception Technique (AAT). Qualitative Research in Sport,

Exercise and Health, 1-16. doi: 10.1080/2159676X.2016.1180637

• Davidson, K., McLaren, S., Jenkins, Corby, D., M., Gibbs, P. M, & Malloy, M. (2016). Internalized

homonegativity, sense of belonging, and depressive symptoms among Australian gay men. Journal

of Homosexuality. doi: 10.1080/00918369.2016.1190215

• McLaren, S., Gibbs, P. M., & Watts, E. (2013). The inter-relationships between age, sense of belonging, and

depressive symptoms among Australian gay men and lesbians. Journal of Homosexuality. 60(1), 1-

15. doi: 10.1080/00918369.2013.735933

• McLaren, S., Turner, J., Gomez, R., McLachlan, A. J., & Gibbs, P.M. (2013). Housing type and depressive

symptoms among older adults: a test of sense of belonging as a mediating and moderating variable.

Age and Mental Health, 17(8), 1023-1029. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2013.805402

• Gibbs, P. M. (2010). Psychological assessment: Projective techniques. In S. J. Hanrahan & M. B. Andersen

(Eds.), Routledge handbook of applied sport psychology: A comprehensive guide for students and

professionals (pp. 101-110). London, England: Routledge.

---

If you are visually impaired or blind, or if you know someone who is, and would like to take part to the series of Martial Attitude Voice podcast interviews exploring touch, confidence and blindness or if you would like to join in the Martial Attitude Training workshops now running in London every Sunday, please do keep in touch via Instagram or according to your communication preferences, all available  HERE.  

Sincerely,

Mathias Alberton

Founder CEO at Martial Attitude C.I.C.

BPS trainee Sport Psychologist 

MSc in Applied Sport Psychology at St. Mary's University, Twickenham, London, UK.

Welcome back to Martial Attitude Voice, the podcast where we explore the intersections of discipline, psychology, and performance across a variety of domains. I’m Mathias Alberton, and today we’re diving deep into the origins, development, and implications of a fascinating tool in applied sport psychology—the Athlete Apperception Technique, or AAT.

This is a special episode, not just because of the subject matter, but because of our guest: Dr. Petah Gibbs.

Dr. Gibbs is a sport psychologist based in Australia, with an impressive career that spans collaborations with top-tier athletes and organisations in both hemispheres—from the AFL in Australia to the NBA in the United States. But what brings us together today is not just his applied experience, but his deep academic and psychoanalytic insight. Dr. Gibbs is the author and developer of the Athlete Apperception Technique—a projective test designed specifically for athletes, rooted in psychodynamic theory and inspired by tools like the TAT and the Rorschach.

We first heard about the AAT through his PhD supervisor, Professor Mark B. Andersen, who called it a bold and much-needed addition to the field. But as Petah reminds us in this conversation—behind every supervisor’s suggestion, there’s an author willing to take the leap.

In this episode, we talk about how chance meetings, lucky mentorship, and a lifelong love for psychodynamic theory led Petah to take on a PhD that would require him to bridge the gap between century-old ideas and modern elite sport. We explore how projective techniques—so often dismissed for being "too old" or "not empirical enough"—can actually give us access to the deeper layers of athletes' inner lives. Petah speaks candidly about referencing 19th-century sources in his thesis, drawing comparisons between Freud and Newton, and reminding us that while our environments evolve rapidly, human nature doesn’t change all that fast.

This is a rich, thoughtful conversation about theory, practice, and the humanity of sport—and I can’t wait for you to hear it.

Let’s jump in.

Also, If you are interested in Dr. Gibbs original research study, you can find it here: Gibbs, P. M., Marchant, D. B., & Andersen, M. B. (2016). Development of a clinical sport projective assessment method: The Athlete Apperception Technique (AAT). Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 9(1), 33–48. https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676x.2016.1180637

Abstract

Within the field of applied sport psychology, there is an increasing appreciation for diversity of training models, research methodologies, and therapeutic approaches. For example, psychodynamic formulations and interpretations have begun to appear more frequently in the sport psychology literature. In keeping with emerging psychodynamic viewpoints, we believe the time is right to introduce a qualitative sport-specific projective instrument: the Athlete Apperception Technique (AAT). The AAT represents a new technique based on psychodynamic theory and established projective test construction principles. It was designed primarily as a clinical tool for practitioners and not as an instrument for quantitative research into personality. It does, however, have potential research applications, especially in clinical sport case study research and narrative analysis investigations. The AAT produces an idiographic understanding of athletes’ characteristics, anxieties, and motivations (both conscious and unconscious). We briefly review the literature on the development of projective techniques, explain the rationale underlying the development of the AAT, and present three sequential studies to explain the AAT image selection procedures that led to the final product.

---

Discover all Dr. Petah M. Gibbs research here:

• Gibbs, P. M., Andersen, M. A., & Marchant, D. B. (2023). Projective techniques: In Tod, D., & Eubank, M.

(Eds.) Applied Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology: Current Approaches to Helping

Clients (pp. 101-110). London, England: Routledge.

• Marchant, D. B., & Gibbs, P. M. (2023). Psychological Assessment: In Tod, D., & Eubank, M. (Eds.) Applied

Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology: Current Approaches to Helping Clients (pp. 101-

110). London, England: Routledge.

• Gibbs, P. M., Andersen, M. A., & Marchant, D. B., (2017). The Athlete Apperception Technique: Manual and

Materials for Sport and Clinical Psychologists. London, Routledge.

• Gibbs, P. M., Marchant, D. B., & Andersen, M. A. (2016). Development of a clinical sport projective

assessment method: the Athlete Apperception Technique (AAT). Qualitative Research in Sport,

Exercise and Health, 1-16. doi: 10.1080/2159676X.2016.1180637

• Davidson, K., McLaren, S., Jenkins, Corby, D., M., Gibbs, P. M, & Malloy, M. (2016). Internalized

homonegativity, sense of belonging, and depressive symptoms among Australian gay men. Journal

of Homosexuality. doi: 10.1080/00918369.2016.1190215

• McLaren, S., Gibbs, P. M., & Watts, E. (2013). The inter-relationships between age, sense of belonging, and

depressive symptoms among Australian gay men and lesbians. Journal of Homosexuality. 60(1), 1-

15. doi: 10.1080/00918369.2013.735933

• McLaren, S., Turner, J., Gomez, R., McLachlan, A. J., & Gibbs, P.M. (2013). Housing type and depressive

symptoms among older adults: a test of sense of belonging as a mediating and moderating variable.

Age and Mental Health, 17(8), 1023-1029. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2013.805402

• Gibbs, P. M. (2010). Psychological assessment: Projective techniques. In S. J. Hanrahan & M. B. Andersen

(Eds.), Routledge handbook of applied sport psychology: A comprehensive guide for students and

professionals (pp. 101-110). London, England: Routledge.

---

If you are visually impaired or blind, or if you know someone who is, and would like to take part to the series of Martial Attitude Voice podcast interviews exploring touch, confidence and blindness or if you would like to join in the Martial Attitude Training workshops now running in London every Sunday, please do keep in touch via Instagram or according to your communication preferences, all available  HERE.  

Sincerely,

Mathias Alberton

Founder CEO at Martial Attitude C.I.C.

BPS trainee Sport Psychologist 

MSc in Applied Sport Psychology at St. Mary's University, Twickenham, London, UK.

Sport psychology meets psychoanalysis in this deep dive into the Athlete Apperception Technique (AAT) — a powerful, yet underused projective tool developed from the legacy of the Rorschach and TAT. With the birth of the AAT, we open up the conversation on what truly lies beneath performance. Discover what happens when athletes narrate ambiguous images, and how this "Blade Runner" test for the soul might reveal more than expected. 

In this episode, I had the opportunity to speak with Professor Mark B. Andersen about the AAT and to explore its implication for sport psychology and how it could help athletes beyond their performance issues.

Mark B. Andersen, PhD, is an adjunct professor at Halmstad University in Sweden. He lives in Australia and collaborates intercontinentally with his Swedish colleagues in the areas of research, training, and supervision in applied sport and exercise psychology. Andersen is a registered psychologist in Australia and is licensed to practice psychology in the United States. He is the former editor of the Professional Practice section of the international journal The Sport Psychologist. He has published 9 books, and more than 190 refereed journal articles and book chapters. He has made more than 100 national and international conference presentations, including 17 invited keynote addresses on four continents.

As a Supervisor, he contributed to Dr. Petah Gibbs' PhD research study: Gibbs, P. M., Marchant, D. B., & Andersen, M. B. (2016). Development of a clinical sport projective assessment method: The Athlete Apperception Technique (AAT). Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 9(1), 33–48. https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676x.2016.1180637

Abstract

Within the field of applied sport psychology, there is an increasing appreciation for diversity of training models, research methodologies, and therapeutic approaches. For example, psychodynamic formulations and interpretations have begun to appear more frequently in the sport psychology literature. In keeping with emerging psychodynamic viewpoints, we believe the time is right to introduce a qualitative sport-specific projective instrument: the Athlete Apperception Technique (AAT). The AAT represents a new technique based on psychodynamic theory and established projective test construction principles. It was designed primarily as a clinical tool for practitioners and not as an instrument for quantitative research into personality. It does, however, have potential research applications, especially in clinical sport case study research and narrative analysis investigations. The AAT produces an idiographic understanding of athletes’ characteristics, anxieties, and motivations (both conscious and unconscious). We briefly review the literature on the development of projective techniques, explain the rationale underlying the development of the AAT, and present three sequential studies to explain the AAT image selection procedures that led to the final product.

-----

If you are visually impaired or blind, or if you know someone who is, and would like to take part to the series of Martial Attitude Voice podcast interviews exploring touch, confidence and blindness or if you would like to join in the Martial Attitude Training workshops now running in London every Sunday, please do keep in touch via Instagram or according to your communication preferences, all available  HERE.  

Sincerely,

Mathias Alberton

Founder CEO at Martial Attitude C.I.C.

BPS trainee Sport Psychologist 

MSc in Applied Sport Psychology at St. Mary's University, Twickenham, London, UK.

Follow Darren on LINKEDIN.

If you are visually impaired or blind, or if you know someone who is, and would like to take part to the series of Martial Attitude Voice podcast interviews exploring touch, confidence and blindness or if you would like to join in the Martial Attitude Training workshops now running in London every Sunday, please do keep in touch via Instagram or according to your communication preferences, all available  HERE.  

Sincerely,

Mathias Alberton

Founder CEO at Martial Attitude C.I.C.

BPS trainee Sport Psychologist 

MSc in Applied Sport Psychology at St. Mary's University, Twickenham, London, UK.

Today, we dive deep into the world of sport psychology with a truly inspiring guest—Marta Tutić. Marta is a sport psychologist and a Master Gestalt psychotherapist from Belgrade, Serbia, bringing a unique blend of psychology and therapy to both athletes and non-athletes alike. She believes that success isn’t just about results—it’s about enjoying the process.

In this episode, we explore how Gestalt therapy helps athletes stay present, navigate performance pressures, and redefine success beyond medals and achievements. We also tackle the challenges of transitioning out of sport, the mental barriers athletes face, and the true meaning of greatness.

Get ready for a thought-provoking conversation that might just change the way you view performance, success, and yourself. Let’s dive in!

Follow Marta on INSTAGRAM and LINKEDIN.

If you are visually impaired or blind, or if you know someone who is, and would like to take part to the series of Martial Attitude Voice podcast interviews exploring touch, confidence and blindness or if you would like to join in the Martial Attitude Training workshops now running in London every Sunday, please do keep in touch via Instagram or according to your communication preferences, all available  HERE.  

Sincerely,

Mathias Alberton

Founder CEO at Martial Attitude C.I.C.

BPS trainee Sport Psychologist 

MSc in Applied Sport Psychology at St. Mary's University, Twickenham, London, UK.