Hello
My name is Pete Barry. I am a Sport and Exercise Psychologist (In Training) with CASES, working towards HCPC accreditation.
My Story
From the Rugby Pitch to Performance Psychology
Since I was a kid, sport (particularly rugby) has been at the centre of my life. Like most, I started in grassroots rugby, falling in love with the game early on. I wasn’t the most naturally gifted player (no blistering pace, no outrageous step, no bouldering strength), but what I did have in my favour, was that I could work hard, and I had a genuine love for what I was doing. Whether it was training in the cold, pushing through exhaustion, or just refusing to quit, my persistence became my biggest strength.
That persistence led to an opportunity that changed my life. A coach from my secondary school informed my parents that following a friendly match with a private school nearby, I had been offered the opportunity to trial to go to college at a private school on a sport scholarship. One scholarship later, I found myself at Seaford College, a place I never expected to be, and this helped me to develop myself to the point where university became a possibility for the first time. Coming from a background where private school and university were extremely far from the norm, this was a game-changer for me. I was the first in my family to have the opportunity to attend such an institute. This is to say, sport didn’t just shape my performance, it shaped my future.
The Turning Point: Discovering Sport Psychology
I studied at Hartpury University with dreams of playing professional rugby. That was the goal at that point more than anything else if I am honest, as I was never very skilled in academics. But while there, I discovered sport and exercise psychology, a field that would completely shift my focus. I earned my BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Psychology with first class honours, followed by a Master’s in the Psychology of Sport and Exercise at Leeds Beckett University while competing at BUCS Super Rugby and National 1 levels. Following this I went on to play National 2 level rugby before starting the Sport and Exercise Psychology Accreditation Route (SEPAR) with the Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (CASES). It was at this point I met my incredible supervisor Elliott Newell and joined his supervision group via the ASPIRE Programme.
Looking back, my first real experience with sport psychology wasn’t in a lecture hall. It was on the pitch. As a hooker in rugby, my job included throwing in at the lineout. I took it very seriously. I would spend hours practicing, throwing ball after ball at a basketball hoop in the park, determined to hit the perfect spot.
I had a… sort of… exiting ritual for these practice sessions: I would tell myself, I was not allowed to leave until I hit 10, 15, 20 perfect throws in a row. Sometimes, I’d be 80% through, miss slightly, and start all over again, staying out for another 45 minutes or more until exhaustion, hunger or the fear of mum telling me off for being out too late forced me home.
All that practice should have made me elite… right? And yet, in a match situation, under pressure, my accuracy would drop significantly. I didn’t understand why. Now, with a tad more knowledge and experience, I recognise this as performance anxiety and overtraining in isolation without any realistic pressure causing me to crumble when real pressure set in.
My Approach: Performance, Resilience, and Growth
Now, as a Sport and Exercise Psychologist (in Training), I take an integrative approach, drawing from multiple frameworks to tailor support to each athlete’s unique needs. My practice philosophy is strongly aligned with humanistic and holistic principles, prioritising the growth of the whole individual, recognising that performance, well-being, and personal development are deeply interconnected. While I look to incorporate various evidence-based methods, I currently favour Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as a guiding framework, alongside approaches that support psychological skills, resilience, self-determination, and psychological flexibility.
I aim to help athletes, coaches, teams, and organisations perform under pressure, build mental resilience, and optimise their environment for sustained success.
What I Bring to the Table
✔ Experienced in Both Sport and Occupational/Business Settings – I have performed in sport to a high level, I have worked in sport at levels varying from U18s to Semi Professional, and I have extensive experience working in occupational health and wellbeing where I supported client companies in manage employee health and subsequent performance. This, as well as being a Spotlight Accredited Practitioner positions me very well to support a wide range of clients.
✔ Lived High Performance Experience – Experience competing in BUCS Super Rugby, National 1 & 2 leagues gives me first-hand understanding of high-performance sport. I have also engaged in athletics, boxing, and ultra-endurance running, and have worked with the likes of North Wales Rugby (RGC).
✔ Evidence-Based Practice – Combining sport psychology, performance psychology, human performance research, and real-world applications.
✔ Systemic Perspective – I don’t just focus on the individual, but also focus on the the performance environment, team culture, and external pressures that influence performance.
✔ Workshops, Groups, & One-to-One Support – Whether through psychoeducational workshops, working with a team or group, or individual consulting, I help athletes, coaches, and high performance populations improve performance such as developing mental resilience and performance strategies.
Why Fortis?
The name Fortis means strength, bravery, and resilience.
Strength and resilience have been core values of mine throughout my life, but behind the curtain, they weren’t always qualities I had in abundance. Like most, I had to learn that strength isn’t something you either have or don’t, it’s something that can be developed, trained, and supported. I was fortunate to have people in my life who helped me understand that.
My father, a strong, no-nonsense ex-military man from the South East, embodied resilience in its most traditional sense. Physically tough, mentally disciplined, and unshakable in his principles. He taught me what it means to stand tall in the face of challenges, and what it means to be a man. My mother, a kind and caring woman from the North West. She faced hardship more times than she will ever share, with grace, patience, and unwavering perseverance. She is the strongest person I know, and continues to fight on to this day.
But Fortis has an even deeper meaning to me. The name was originally an old nickname given to my girlfriend, a fellow rugby player who I found out earned it after deadlifting 100kg at just 15 years old. We met at a difficult and uncertain time in my life, and I’ll be the first to admit, I didn’t always handle it well. I wasn’t as strong or resilient as I wanted to be. In those moments, she was my Fortis. Not through grand gestures or lectures, but by standing beside me, without judgment, without pity, and without ever letting me believe I was anything less than capable. She gave me the space to grow, to rebuild, and to become stronger. Not just for myself, but for those around me.
Fortis is more than a word, it’s a mindset, a process, a commitment to growth and resilience. My experiences shaped it. My values embody it. Through my work, I aim to help others develop their own version of Fortis, whatever that may look like for them.
Education & Qualifications
2023-Present
Sport and Exercise Psychology Accreditation Route (SEPAR)
CASES
I am currently training towards becoming HCPC accredited, as a Sport and Exercise Psychologist. As a Sport and Exercise Psychologist in Training (SEPiT) I spend countless hours developing my knowledge, skill, experiential, and developmental competencies while supporting and working with athletes, team, organisations, and institutions.
2021-2023
MSc Psychology of Sport and Exercise
Leeds Beckett University
While playing BUCs Super Rugby and working part time as a Rugby Data Analyst and Assistant Teacher, I was earning my Masters degree in Psychology of Sport and Exercise.
2018-2021
BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science
Hartpury University
At Hartpury University, my ambition and vision towards a career in sport psychology and performance in general became clear. By the end of my time here, I earned 1st class honours for my degree in Sport and Exercise Science.