Empowering you to master your inner game

Hi! I’m Dr. Alan McKay, a HCPC-registered Sport and Exercise Psychologist with a PhD in Sport Psychology and the founder of McKay's Mental Edge (MME) Performance. I have over eight years’ experience supporting performers in high-pressure environments, working across team and individual sports, supporting athletes, coaches, and teams within football, rugby, athletics, BMX, rowing and endurance sport among others. My experience spans from development pathways, such as creating a performance psychology programme within a National Football Association, through to the highest levels of international competition, including working with athletes at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham Games and 2024 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

My approach is grounded in two simple beliefs:

• Performance is human and nerves are inevitable. High-performance environments are uncertain, emotional, and demanding. Rather than trying to eliminate nerves, doubt, or discomfort, I support performers to learn how to work with their inner experience - developing awareness, acceptance, and adaptability so they can perform with clarity, confidence, and authenticity when it matters most.
• Improving your mentality is a team game. Every individual is the expert on themselves. So, I work collaboratively with performers, taking time to understand every individual’s story and what they want to achieve. We work together to create practical, evidence-based support plans that translate directly into training and competition.

I aim to create psychologically safe spaces where honest conversations happen, difficult moments become opportunities for growth, and short-term discomfort leads to long-term development.

If you want to perform consistently under pressure, learn to trust yourself in uncertain moments, and compete in a way that reflects who you are - I’d love to work with you!