Phil Johnson is a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, and certified by the Health Care Professions Council as a Clinical Mental Health, Sport – Exercise, and Coaching Psychologist.
In essence however, he is a ‘trauma therapist’, and internationally recognised performance consultant whose work centres on removing psychological barriers to enhance human potential, and indeed equines, and their riders in competition. Based in Bristol, UK, Phil brings together decades of study and practice in psychology, mental health, sport, and performance to help individuals and teams achieve excellence under pressure.
Phil practiced as a social worker specialising in mental health and child protection until 1997, when he became the first Mental Health Law and Practice trainer for London Boroughs of Camden & Islington CMHT. He developed a deep understanding of human resilience and the family dynamics that underpin performance and wellbeing. His early experience working with vulnerable individuals laid the foundations for his later focus on the psychology of high performance and recovery from widespread trauma.
Phil went on to train extensively across multiple disciplines, earning qualifications from the University of Liverpool (Social Work), University of Leicester (Sociology and Social Psychology) and The Open University (Psychology). In 2006 he became a Chartered Psychologist and was a founding member of the Sport & Exercise, and Coaching Psychology divisions of the British Psychological Society. His academic background spans Clinical Mental Health Psychology, Sport Psychology (Diploma, Newcastle College, 2002), and Performance Psychology (2006). He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and UEFA Qualified Football Coach, and ski teacher.
His expertise has also been formally recognised by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), which awarded him registration in Clinical Psychology.
Throughout his career, Phil has consistently expanded his professional practice, becoming a Master Practitioner and Teacher in Image Work (2000) and a Systemic Family Therapist (Founder Member). He trained as an EMDR Practitioner in 2012, and by 2016 had advanced to Brainspotting Master Practitioner and Trainer with creator David Grand in New York. These approaches underpin much of his trauma therapy work today. These complementary modalities allow Phil to work at depth with clients, integrating psychological science with body-based and neurological methods to unlock performance potential and recovery.
Phil’s multidisciplinary expertise has also led to a successful academic career. He has lectured at numerous UK universities and colleges, teaching subjects such as Applied Sports Psychology, Mental Health Law and Practice, Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, and Equestrian Psychology. His teaching appointments have included Bridgewater College, University College London, University of Hertfordshire, University of Gloucestershire, Hartpury University, University of Bath, University of Plymouth, Roehampton University, and Wrexham-Glyndwr University. He also holds the European Certificate for Psychology in Practice (British Psychological Society / European Psychological Association).
Phil’s hands-on experience in performance psychology is extensive and international. Over his career, he has worked in 25 different sports and across 16 countries, helping elite athletes, coaches, and performers overcome mental blocks and achieve sustainable peak performance. His reputation has led him to work with some of the world’s most accomplished teams and organisations. Phil has served as a World Class Performance Psychologist to the British Ski and Snowboard Olympic Team, British Modern Pentathlon Team, British Swimming Team GB, and England Women’s Football, contributing to Olympic and World Championship campaigns.
His expertise has also been sought by Monaco Football Club and 16 professional football clubs across the UK, including Everton, Liverpool, Bristol City and Rovers, Plymouth Argyle, Barnet, Forest Green Rovers, Charlton, and Manchester City Women. Beyond football, Phil has worked with the Great Britain Carriage Driving Team at the World Championships, Formula F1 / F2 Motor Racing, German Freestyle Ski Teams, and members of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra—bringing performance psychology principles to both sport and the performing arts at the highest level.
In addition to his elite sport work, Phil is a practitioner for BAPAM (British Association for Performing Arts Medicine), supporting performers’ mental health and wellbeing. He also serves as a mental health consultant and practitioner for an English university college, continuing his mission to embed psychological insight into educational and performance settings.
Drawing from his broad clinical, educational, and performance experience, in creating Winning Ways, Phil has developed a comprehensive guide for parents, coaches, teachers, and talented young people to support them in sport and the performing arts. This work reflects his holistic philosophy—that achieving excellence is as much about nurturing our mental health and our relationships as it is about training and talent. His methods and “winning ways” are designed not only for parents, but also for teachers, sport coaches, and the athletes and performers themselves.
After 6 years based in Monaco, Phil returned to Bristol, where he now runs a private practice working with clients all over the world. Across his diverse career Phil has dedicated his professional life to one consistent goal – helping people overcome psychological barriers to perform at their very best.
Phil Johnson
Clinical Sport and Performance Psychologist
Buy Phil’s book Winning Ways