SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST (PHD) & PERFORMANCE EXPERT | MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER

Courtney Humphreys is a PhD in sport psychology and behavioural science at Southern Cross University, specialising in psychological safety, belonging, and wellbeing in elite high-performance sport.

Her work focuses on one of the most important and least understood challenges in modern performance environments: how psychologically safe systems are designed, disrupted, and sustained in settings where pressure is constant, consequences are real, and identity is always on the line — such as professional sport, elite pathways, and high-stakes organisational cultures.

Courtney’s research is embedded in the National Rugby League (NRL and NRLW) and examines psychological safety across the whole performance system, including players, coaches, wellbeing staff, executives, and organisational leaders. She is known for translating complex psychological concepts into practical language and system-level frameworks that high-performance environments can actually implement.

A key focus of Courtney’s work is that psychological safety is not “being nice” or avoiding discomfort — it requires high standards, clear boundaries, honest feedback, and the capability to have tough conversations well. She speaks on how organisations can build cultures where feedback is consistent, conflict is handled constructively, accountability is fair, and people can learn and perform under pressure.

Courtney speaks to sporting organisations, leadership groups, and high-performance teams on how to design environments that protect wellbeing while sustaining excellence — and how to build systems where people can thrive, not just survive.