Paula Reid

Paula Reid is an adventure psychologist and motivational speaker who is only the third British woman to successfully complete the challenging 1000km trek across the Antarctic continent to the Geographic South Pole. A truly admirable and determined person Paula is one of few people to ever successfully ski full distance to The South Pole. Beginning her challenge at the Ronne-Filchner Ice Shelf on the edge of the frozen Antarctic continent at 82⁰20 South Paula Reid successfully reached the Geographic South Pole at 90⁰ South in less than fifty days. Now working as a motivational speaker Paula Reid travels the UK discussing her experience as a sportswoman and using her insights into the human psyche, perseverance and determination to offer advice to those looking to reach life goals and attain business success.

With a love for adventure coupled with her passion for psychology, having completed a master's in Positive Psychology & Coaching, Paula created a new niche, Adventure Psychology. Her aim is to provide people with the tools necessary to maintain peak performance over a sustained period of time by building endurance and resilience. She has over 30 years of experience working with business leaders to help them improve performance and overcome adversity. Some of her clients include Barclays, PaloAlto, the M.O.D., and GSK. Pauls is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and had the honour of presenting the Gold Duke Edinburgh Award at St James Palace. In 2018 Paula Founded Adventure Psychology and is also the owner of Paula Reid.

Paula’s experience as a mountaineer and adventurer required a great deal of personal strength and much determination. Ensuring she found the energy and willpower to climb for 12 hours every day (eventually completing an awe-inspiring 11,000 feet) in temperatures below –40°C; battling against severe wind chill and storms there were many moments when Paula feared she would fail in her life-long dream, however, her moving and engaging motivational speaker presentations, alongside her numerous awards, demonstrate that, thanks to her own personal strength she successfully achieved this death-defying challenge.

An adventurer at heart, Paula's work as a motivational speaker seeks to inspire people from all walks of life; she encourages others to take risks, work hard and aim high; write a list of things to do before you die, suggests Paula, and live your life to the full, pushing yourself to the limits and enjoying every moment on offer! As well as working as a motivational speaker and polar explorer Paula Reid has completed a number of other successful expeditions including a ground-breaking canoe expedition where she paddled 600 miles down the Mekong River and kayaked The Thames from source to sea. She also sailed as part of a core crew around the world in the ten-month Global Challenge Yacht Race. Paula has been to 64 countries and achieved 118 of her ‘things to do before she dies’ including: fire walking; glacier trekking; Hadrian’s Wall; The London Marathon; walking from coast-to-coast; trekking in West Papua; bog-snorkelling and even great white shark diving. She is also the world’s first Adventure Psychologist – helping people and businesses to thrive as they go knowingly into the unknown. If you are looking to improve your mental resilience to face any challenges of the future, do not miss your chance to hire Paula Reid today.