Speaking Events
ReBuild delivers talks and workshops designed to open honest conversations about injury, identity, and wellbeing in sport.
Drawing on lived experience, podcast conversations with elite athletes, and ongoing engagement with a growing community of injured athletes, these sessions explore why injury is often far more challenging psychologically than it appears physically. Rather than focusing on rehabilitation advice or performance outcomes, the talks examine the emotional reality of being side-lined - loss of identity, pressure to return, and the difficulty of slowing down in performance-driven environments.
A key focus is the role social media now plays during recovery. Athletes are constantly exposed to messages suggesting they should be progressing faster, training harder, or “coming back stronger,” which can create unrealistic expectations and quiet feelings of failure. ReBuild sessions unpack this pressure, contrasting online narratives with the honest experiences shared by elite athletes through The Long Road Back podcast - many of whom describe recovery as uncertain, slower, and emotionally complex.
The aim is simple: to create a space where young athletes feel able to talk openly about injury, understand that their experiences are normal, and develop a healthier perspective on recovery, rest, and identity beyond sport.
Talk Formats
ReBuild sessions can be adapted to suit different environments, typically delivered in two complementary formats:
1. Performance & Elite Sport (ADP/PSP Focus)
Delivered through a performance lens, these sessions are designed for students involved in high-level sport or performance pathways. The focus is on preparing athletes for the psychological realities of injury - particularly when performance and identity become closely intertwined.
Through honest discussion and real athlete experiences, these talks explore how to navigate setbacks, manage the pressure to return, and build a more sustainable relationship with sport. The aim is not just to support athletes through injury, but to better equip them for the demands of elite environments where injury is often an inevitable part of the journey.
2. Wellbeing & Pastoral (Whole School Focus)
This format takes a broader, more pastoral approach, using injury as a lens to explore wider themes around wellbeing, identity, and the influence of social media.
Sessions place particular emphasis on how platforms shape expectations around recovery, body image, and performance - from the pressure to always be progressing to wider trends within the online fitness space. These discussions encourage students to think more critically about the content they consume, while creating space for more open, honest conversations around mental and physical wellbeing.
Testimonials
External website links:
“A powerful and thought-provoking session that went far beyond the typical sports talk"…
"…we would highly recommend his talk to any school or sports academy”
Emma Pollard - Head of Physical Education at RGS Worcester
“Thomas gave an outstanding talk to all of our pupils in Years 7 - 11 on his personal experiences with injuries, the difficulties he experienced in the rehab process, and the impact of social media on his recovery and his mental health during that process”
Richard Thomson - Deputy Head (Pastoral) at Warwick School
“The MSc Physiotherapy students learnt a lot from the description of his journey and the pressurised involvement of social media during recovery…
… we would love to have him back in a year for our next cohort”
Clare Gibson - Assistant Professor in Physiotherapy at St. Mary’s University
Student Reviews
- Sixth Form Students at RGS Worcester
“What part of the presentation resonated with you the most?”
“The part where he spoke about how social media doesn’t show the real reality of recovery”
“That rest is more important than what social media says about pushing through" pain”
“I really liked the bit about the “lock in” culture and social media. As someone who is playing high level sport , learning that I do not need to constantly be thinking about doing more and pushing myself too far past my body's limits was really interesting”
Has this session changed how you think about injury, identity, or recovery? If so, how?
“Yes, it made me realise how much social media does affect how young people are influenced during their recovery and how important it is to recognise that in physio practice.”
“Yes, it helped me gain a different perspective and insight into the journey of injury, helped open my mind to my own journey of injury as well as what to look out for with future patients journey of injury”
- MSc Physiotherapy students
- Student at Warwick School
