Student Sport Psychology Talks

Blake Westwood

  • MSc Graduate from Stirling University, future PhD student at Newcastle University from Sept 2024
  • Talk Title: Self-compassion and compassion: Through a coach's everyday interactions
Blake completed his master's in sport psychology at Stirling University in 2023. His research looked at how perfectionism impacted recreational runners' restrictive eating practices. In September 2024, he will begin his doctorate at Newcastle University, looking at how self-compassion is potentially developed through our daily social interactions and acts of compassion towards one another and whether these facets reduce body image concerns and disordered eating behaviors in running coaches.

In terms of his own sporting experiences, sport saved his life. Back in 2019, Blake was morbidly obese, out of work for three years, seemingly going nowhere when he was months away from 25. Running and setting goals gave him purpose. Without this, perhaps he would have given up with the degree he had started the previous year and not be where he is now. Running marathons and 100-kilometer events and being able to run faster and for longer distances gave him confidence. However, as his own performance slowed down and injuries started occurring, Blake felt nothing he ever did in an activity he once loved was ever good enough. This caused him to become fascinated about how perfectionism impacts the mental well-being of athletes and, later, how self-compassion could be used to negate and overcome the detrimental impacts of perfectionism.