Time: 12:05 – 12:30
Session: Working in Sport

Performance Psychology: How Can We Promote Wellbeing Through Managing Performance Anxiety & Building & Nurturing Resilience

Speaker Profile

Dr Irina Roncaglia is a Chartered Sport and Exercise Psychologist registered with the HCPC, with over two decades of experience working across performance and wellbeing contexts. She has held senior roles within education and children’s services and has extensive experience supporting elite dancers and performing artists, including work with English National Ballet.

Her work focuses on promoting wellbeing, resilience, and self-development in high-performance environments. She is an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society and has contributed to research and applied practice in areas including transitions, coping, and lifespan development.

Overview

This session explores how performance psychology can be used to support both wellbeing and optimal functioning in high-pressure environments. Focusing on the complex nature of performance anxiety, the talk highlights how emotional regulation and resilience-building strategies can enable individuals to maintain clarity, confidence, and balance under pressure.

Drawing on applied experience and psychological theory, the session examines practical approaches such as cognitive reframing, attentional control, and physiological regulation. It also explores how resilience can be developed through adaptive coping, flexible thinking, and supportive environments.

Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of performance anxiety and leave with practical strategies to support both their own wellbeing and that of the individuals they work with.