About Ian Baker

MSc Occupational Psychology (Distinction) · MBPsS · BPS Registered Test User · Former Royal Navy Physical Training Instructor

I provide private one-to-one wellbeing and personal development support for capable adults under pressure — people who are functioning, but quietly carrying too much. My work draws on psychology, health, human performance, and practical life experience, and it is deliberately not therapy or counselling: it is calm, structured space to think clearly, regain steadiness, and move forward with direction.

Background & credentials

I hold an MSc in Occupational Psychology (Distinction) and am a graduate member of the British Psychological Society (MBPsS) and a BPS Registered Test User. My professional background includes work-psychology roles in government, applying psychological evidence to how people work, cope, and perform under pressure.

That grounding matters because it keeps sessions practical and evidence-informed. Where assessments are useful — psychometric tools, wellbeing questionnaires, health and fitness measures — I am qualified to use them properly, and they support the conversation rather than replace it.

The Royal Navy years

Before psychology, I served as a Physical Training Instructor in the Royal Navy. PTIs are responsible for the physical readiness and morale of a ship's company — a role that teaches you how people actually hold up under sustained pressure, far from home and comfort.

It also teaches you that steadiness is trainable. The habits that keep people functional in demanding environments — routine, recovery, honest conversation, small consistent actions — are the same ones that help anyone regain their footing. That experience still shapes how I work.

How I work

Sessions are calm, unhurried, and private. There is no pressure to perform, impress, or arrive with the right words — we begin wherever you are. I listen carefully, ask useful questions, and help you slow things down enough to see what is actually happening beneath the busyness.

The approach is practical and evidence-informed. You will not be given hype, scripts, or a rigid programme. You will get honest, structured thinking space and, where it helps, practical tools you can actually use — with everything handled discreetly and in line with British Psychological Society ethical standards.

Who this is (and is not) for

This work suits capable, high-functioning adults dealing with pressure, transitions, big decisions, or a sense of having drifted from themselves — people who want a thinking partner, not a rescuer.

It is not a substitute for clinical care. If you are experiencing significant mental health difficulties, or need psychological therapy, psychiatric treatment, or counselling, I would encourage you to seek appropriate clinical support — and I will always say so honestly if I believe that would serve you better. You can read more about what sessions involve and cost.