About Dr Victor Thompson - background, experience

Here you'll find information on:

• my sports background
• my Ironman survival story
• my qualifications and professional membership
• why you should choose a psychologist who is chartered, and
• on how people become a sports psychologist

My sports background & experience

I compete in triathlons (swim, cycle, run races). Since starting in 1996 I have managed to steadily improve my performance. I compete annually in the national triathlon race series and the national championships.

In 2001, I won a silver medal in my age-group at the British Triathlon Association National Sprint Championships. In 2002, I qualified to represent Great Britain in the ITU Age Group Triathlon World Championships in Mexico. It was great to be part of the national team at the World Championships, to compete with the world's best and to exceed my goals. 

After a couple of years of doing different races (e.g., Half-Ironman triathlons), in 2005, I qualified to represent Ireland at to the Triathlon World Championships in Hawaii in October. This was a great race and a great place to have a holiday afterwards! After watching the Ironman Triathlon World Championships in Hawaii I set my sights on competing in my first Ironman.

2006 Ironman survival story

On the 2nd July 2006 I crossed the start line at Ironman Switzerland. I knew the day would be tough with a 3.8 K (2.4 mile) swim, 180 K (112 mile) bike, and 42 K (26 mile) marathon run. The day was hot, reported to have reached 36 degrees C. I finished in 11 hours 41 minutes which I was happy with. I reached 5 out of my 7 goals for the day. The only ones I missed were a sub-4 hour marathon and my dream goal of finishing the race in less than 11 hours.

But the day's test didn't end on crossing the finish line. The stomach cramps I experienced for the last 3.5 hours of the bike affected what nutrients I could absorb. Despite pouring water on my head at every opportunity on the marathon I developed heat stroke. On finishing the race, I threw-up 9 times and was escorted to the medical tent. There I received 3 i/v drips which appear to have combined with my poor absorption of nutrients in the race to cause dangerously low levels of salts and electrolytes in my body. The next thing I knew, I was being told by a nurse that I'm in hospital, in the intensive care unit, it is 36 hours after the race finished, and I'm on a ventilator which they will take me off in a few hours. My finishing medal was hanging up on one of the drip stands and the nurse is saying: "You're an Ironman." 

I have published my Ironman survival story in the Sports Injury Bulletin and it has appeared on Channel Five's Diet Doctors TV series.

Before I took up triathlon I enjoyed a number of other sports, including football, rugby, judo, squash and tennis. I first participated in sport at the age of seven and appreciate what sport has given me over the years.

Qualifications and professional membership

I have a:

• Doctorate in Clinical Psychology
• Diploma in Sports Psychology
• Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• BSc (Hons) in Psychology

In addition:

• I'm Chartered & listed in the Register of Chartered Psychologists*
• I'm a member of the British Psychological Society (BPS)
• I'm a member of the BPS Division of Sport & Exercise Psychology
• I subscribe to the BPS Code of Conduct
• I began working in sports psychology in 1998 
• I have worked as a psychologist in the NHS since 1995
• I endeavour to keep up-to-date with sports psychology developments

Why you should choose a Chartered Psychologist

According to the British Psychological Society*:

'Chartered status is an insurance policy that the psychologist you employ or consult is properly qualified. 

Anyone can call themselves a psychologist. As psychology and psychological services expanded, concern grew that there were people practising psychological techniques and calling themselves psychologists who had no proper qualifications.'

A Chartered Psychologist is listed on the BPS Register of Chartered Psychologists.

'It means that the individual:

• Has successfully completed a first qualification in psychology (i.e., university degree)
• Has undergone a further course or period of supervised training in psychology
• Has agreed to abide by a code of conduct and is subject to a disciplinary procedure
• Has been judged fit to practice psychology without supervision'

*From: Information on the Register of Chartered Psychologists, British Psychological Society, August 2001.

How do people become sports psychologists?

There are many routes into sports psychology. If you want to learn about how to become one then please visit the following websites for advice:

• British Psychological Society
• UK careers website Prospect.co.uk
• English Institute of Sport

Effective · Tailor-made · Professional

Dr Victor Thompson

Help@SportsPsychologist.co.uk