Anna Waters

Dr Anna Waters is a Chartered Performance Psychologist, keynote speaker and performance specialist who helps people deliver at their best when the stakes are highest. With more than two decades of experience across elite sport, the performing arts and high-pressure professional environments, Anna has built a reputation for turning complex psychological ideas into practical tools that people can use straight away. Her biggest achievement is the breadth and depth of her work across Olympic and Paralympic sport, professional performance and corporate leadership, giving her unusual credibility with audiences who need results under pressure. As Director of Anna Waters Performance Psychology, she now works with performers, leaders and organisations who want to strengthen confidence, sharpen focus and create sustainable high performance.

Anna’s path into performance psychology was shaped by lived experience as much as academic study. Growing up, she loved music, acting and riding, and originally pursued a career in racing, progressing from stable girl to apprentice jockey and competing herself. That experience gave Anna an early understanding of the realities of pressure, preparation and performance, and sparked a lasting fascination with why some talented people thrive when it matters most while others struggle to access their ability. Determined to understand the psychology behind performance, she studied for a BSc in Psychology with Sport Science at the University of Surrey, graduating with first class honours, before completing an MSc in Applied Sport Psychology with distinction at Bangor University. She then went on to earn a PhD in Applied Sport Psychology, with doctoral research examining confidence in injury and rehabilitation, a theme that remains a distinctive part of her expertise today.

Across her career, Anna has held senior leadership positions including Director of Chrianna Consultants Ltd and Director of Anna Waters Performance Psychology, while also becoming an HCPC Registered and BPS Chartered Performance Psychologist and an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. Her academic excellence was recognised when her PhD thesis won the British Psychological Society Sport and Exercise Division Award for the Most Outstanding PhD Thesis of 2006. Professionally, Anna has worked with leading performers, national organisations and elite teams, including clients from the British Olympic Association, UK Athletics, the British Equestrian Federation, the GB Canoe Team, national ballet companies, television companies and global financial institutions. She also collaborates with BAPAM, providing one-to-one support for performing artists and delivering workshops and webinars across the UK. These achievements show the scale of Anna’s influence and the trust placed in her by people operating in some of the world’s most demanding performance environments.

Anna is a compelling keynote speaker because she combines academic rigour, real-world credibility and a clear, relatable speaking style. Her topics include performance psychology, resilience, confidence, communication, leadership, focus under pressure, psychological safety, injury recovery and sustainable success. These subjects matter because modern organisations and individuals are expected to perform consistently in environments shaped by scrutiny, uncertainty and constant change. Anna gives audiences practical strategies they can apply immediately, whether that means preparing for a major presentation, leading a team through pressure or managing nerves before a high-stakes performance.