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Lorna Devine | Psychology & Performance for Founders & Leaders

@lorna_devine

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🧠 UK-trained Psychologist & CBT Therapist, BSc, MSc, PgDip | The Devine Method®
📍 London | Dubai
👩🏻‍💻 High-functioning anxiety • burnout • performance

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You can be capable, successful and respected, yet still feel constantly switched on, carrying more than anyone sees, even when everything looks fine on the outside.

The founders, entrepreneurs, leaders, and high performers I work with don’t lack motivation or ambition.

They lack space. To make decisions with clarity and confidence again. To stop the overthinking that won’t switch off. To feel like themselves again outside of what they’re building. To have someone in their corner who actually gets their world and isn’t going to tell them to slow down or be less ambitious.

If this resonates, you’re not the only one.

I work with founders, entrepreneurs, leaders, and high performers to get to the root of what’s actually going on so they can lead and perform with clarity, composure, and conviction, without losing their ambition or drive.

Delivered through The Devine Method®, my proprietary framework that combines evidence-based psychological principles and tools with high-performance coaching. Grounded in over 13 years of psychology training, coaching experience, and my own experience of building two companies.

There are different ways to work with me depending on where you are right now:

• Private Consultation - 60 minutes to get into what’s really going on

• Private Coaching Partnerships - ongoing 1:1 work tailored to your world

• Concierge Coaching - exclusive, long-term private partnership

• Corporate, Venture Firms and Family Offices - 1:1 coaching and bespoke programmes for organisations

• Startups and Accelerators - supporting founders at every stage of building

• Speaking and Press - keynotes, panels, and expert commentary

• Wellness Partnerships - hotels and private members clubs across London, Europe, Dubai, the GCC, and the US

Swipe through to find what fits.

DM the relevant keyword or if you’re not sure what the right support looks like right now, just reach out and we can talk it through.

London | Dubai | Global online

#founder #venturecapital #startupecosystem #highfunctioninganxiety #dubaistartup taken in Dubai, UAE by @lorna_devine

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6 months ago

Therapy is valuable. For founders and high level leaders though, it often only gets them so far.

Here’s the real reason why ↓

After years of working as a psychologist and CBT therapist across the NHS and private practice in London, I kept seeing the same pattern.

Founders, leaders, and high performers who were highly self-aware, had tried everything, and still couldn’t switch off, still second-guessing, and still running on empty.

They were coping but they weren’t changing.

They felt like nobody around them actually got it, and every time they sought help they were told to slow down and work less.

The problem isn’t therapy itself.

It’s that traditional approaches alone aren’t always equipped for the specific world founders and leaders operate in… The isolation. The financial pressure. Cashflow problems. The identity so wrapped up in what you’re building that you’ve lost sight of who you are outside of it. The co-founder tension. The conversations that keep getting avoided.

Traditional therapy has its limits when it comes to this world. The pace, the pressure, the stakes. As a psychologist who built my own practice in London and a founder who has built two companies in two countries, I had to figure that out for myself.

That’s what led me to create The Devine Method®. A framework that blends evidence-based psychological tools, mindfulness, and high-performance coaching, specifically designed for founders, entrepreneurs, and leaders who need something that goes deeper than traditional therapy or generic coaching alone.

If this resonates, DM me BLOG or comment BLOG below and I’ll share the link to a full blog post I just published on this.

#performancepsychology #dubaifounder #uaefounder #gccfounder #uaestartup taken in Dubai, UAE by @lorna_devine

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6 months ago

If you’re new here, welcome 👋🏼

I’m Lorna. A UK-trained psychologist, CBT therapist, and high-performance coach based between London and Dubai.

I work with individuals who are performing at a high level but running on empty. The ones who look completely fine from the outside. The ones who are still delivering, still building, and still showing up. They just haven’t told anyone how much it’s actually costing them.

Most founders and high performers have learned to manage the pressure, push through it, or hide it entirely.

What they haven’t always had is someone who actually gets them. Who understands the pressure, the pace, and the world they’re operating in. Someone who isn’t going to tell them to slow down or be less ambitious.

After working as a psychologist and CBT therapist across the NHS and private practice in London, I began to see how traditional approaches like CBT alone aren’t enough to create deep or lasting change in high performers.

So I created The Devine Method®, a bespoke holistic framework that blends psychological principles and tools from evidence-based therapies including CBT, compassion-focused therapy, and mindfulness, combined with high-performance coaching.

It’s designed to help you move beyond high-functioning anxiety, overthinking, and self-doubt so you can lead, perform, and build without it costing you everything.

Over the years I’ve worked with founders at every stage of building, public figures, members of global Royal Families, CEOs of multi-million-dollar companies, athletes, and global tech leaders across London, the GCC, the US and beyond.

If this sounds like you, drop me a DM with the word NOTE and I’ll send you something useful to start with.

#highfunctioninganxiety #dubaifounder #londonfounder #highperformancecoaching #performancepsychology taken in Dubai, UAE by @lorna_devine

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6 months ago

Telling a founder to just slow down doesn’t work. Your ambition was never the problem.

Almost every founder I work with has heard it. They’re told to work less and find some balance.

It usually comes from people who have never run a business, made payroll or answered to investors, and don’t see the outgoings you’re covering every single month.

Rest matters. The problem with being told to just slow down is that it assumes the answer is doing less, when what usually needs to change is how you’re doing it.

Your ambition built the business. It got you through the hard years, and it’s part of who you are.

Asking you to turn it down is like asking an athlete to stop wanting to win.

In my experience, it’s everything around your ambition that needs work: how you switch off at the end of the day, how early you notice the pressure building, how much of it follows you home, and whether you’re carrying it all on your own.

It’s also worth looking at what’s underneath it all. For many founders I work with, it’s a feeling of not being good enough. You hit one goal and you’re straight on to the next, never quite feeling satisfied or stopping to enjoy what you’ve achieved.

The founders I work with stay just as driven. They learn to perform at a high level without it costing them their sleep, their health or their family.

That’s what The Devine Method® was built for: high-performance coaching, grounded in psychology, for people who want to stay ambitious and driven while feeling calm, present and in control.

If you’re tired of being told to want less, DM me the word PERFORMER and let’s talk about what sustainable high performance looks like for you.

#founderlife #entrepreneurlondon #ceolife #dubaileader #highperformance taken in Dubai, UAE by @lorna_devine

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12 days ago

I’m now taking in-person bookings in Dubai, with availability through the rest of this year and into 2027.

I work with founders, senior leaders and executives across the city.

The people I work with look like they have it all together. The business is growing, the team is strong, and from the outside everything looks under control.

What most people don’t see, is the overthinking that keeps them up at night, the 2am inbox check and the decision fatigue.

There’s the exhaustion of wearing a mask all day, the weekends when they can never fully switch off or be present with their family, and the fact that most of them are carrying it alone.

For many, this isn’t the first time they’ve felt this way. They pushed through a hard year, got back on their feet, and can now feel the pressure building again. This time, they want a plan in place before it becomes a problem.

Elite athletes train their minds as seriously as their bodies. The leaders I work with see it the same way, as part of how they perform at their best.

That’s what The Devine Method® was built for: high-performance coaching, grounded in psychology, for people who want to stay ambitious and driven while feeling calm, present and in control.

Sessions are 1:1, completely confidential, and available in person in Dubai, in London, or online wherever you are.

DM me DUBAI for more info, or email lorna@lornadevine.com.

#dubaifounders #dubaileadership #dubaibusiness #dubaileader #highperformance taken in Dubai, UAE by @lorna_devine

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18 days ago

Most CEO’s and founders don’t reach out when things are at their worst.

They reach out at a very specific moment. It’s when they realise they can’t keep operating like this indefinitely.

It’s not because they’ve failed.

It’s because they can feel the cost it’s starting to have on their clarity, energy, health, relationships, and their ability to lead at the level they expect from themselves.

They’re still functioning, leading, delivering, and still showing up for everyone who relies on them.

But internally?
→ Everything feels heavier than it should
→ Their clarity isn’t what it used to be - decisions take a lot longer
→ They’re experiencing constant brain fog
→ They feel irritable and find themselves isolating from those around them
→ They’re carrying constant pressure, whilst making sure no one around them sees it

Although things look ok from the outside, internally, they know something has changed.

This is the moment where things can go in two directions.

They ignore it, push harder, and end up burning out later…

Or they address it early and change how they operate, protecting their performance, their wellbeing, relationships, and their long-term capacity to lead.

If this hits home, you aren’t alone and you don’t have to wait until you crash to start changing this.

If you’re ready to take the next step, DM me the word READY and I’ll share how I support CEOs and founders using The Devine Method® - a blend of psychology, evidence-based therapy tools, life coaching, high-performance coaching, and mindfulness, designed to help you perform at a high level without burning yourself out in the process.

#founderburnout #highperformer #entrepreneur #ceolondon #ceopsychologist taken in London, United Kingdom by @lorna_devine

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a month ago

As a psychologist and high-performance psychology specialist, I’ve sat with enough CEOs to tell you, it’s not the ones who push hardest who last. It’s the ones who handle the pressure differently.

Two leaders - same pressure and same hours. One is still standing in five years.

Here’s the difference I keep seeing:

1. They have somewhere to think out loud that isn’t their board or their team

2. They separate their identity from the company, so a bad quarter doesn’t feel like a personal failure

3. They know the difference between urgent and important, and don’t treat everything as a fire

4. They’ve built a team they trust and can delegate to easily

5. They protect specific non-negotiables like sleep/gym, even in the busiest weeks

6. They ask for help before they reach breaking point and not after

7. They have people around them who ask how they’re doing, not just what the numbers are

8. They let themselves celebrate wins instead of moving straight to the next target

9. They’ve made peace with not being liked by everyone

10. They deal with conflict directly, with business partners, colleagues, or their team, instead of letting it build

11. They act on what they already know, instead of overthinking it for another six months

Which one hit closest to home? Tell me the number below 👇🏼

#founderlife #executivecoaching #leadershipdevelopment #CEOmindset #highperformance taken in Dubai, UAE by @lorna_devine

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2 months ago

Things to let go of this September if you’re a CEO, founder or high performer ↓

• The need to hold it all together 24/7

• The need to be perfect

• The need to control every single thing, personally and professionally

• Poor boundaries

• Overthinking

• Feeling responsible for everyone

• Self-sabotage

• The belief that you’re not good enough

• Worrying about everything

• Doing it all yourself because you don’t trust others to do it right or how you would do it

• The belief that rest has to be earned

What are you letting go of this month? Share in the comments below👇🏼

#ceo #londonpsychologist #ceopsychologist #highperformers #entrepreneurtherapy by @lorna_devine

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2 months ago

Are you a founder, senior leader or CEO who looks like you’ve got it all together?

You’re externally successful. You’re still delivering, still building, and still showing up.

But inside…

Are you constantly overthinking, unable to switch off, even when the day is done?

Do you feel like a fraud despite everything you’ve achieved?

Do feel like your identity has become your work, like you don’t know where one ends and the other begins?

Do you feel completely alone at the top, like nobody around you actually gets it?

You’ve tried therapy. You understood yourself better, but still didn’t know what to actually do differently.

Or you’ve tried life or executive coaching. Helpful, but you still found yourself stuck because it didn’t go deep enough, so you didn’t take any real action.

If so, you’re not alone.

What you’re lacking isn’t motivation or drive. It’s someone who can get to the root of what’s going on for you, so you can actually move forward, and not just understand why you’re stuck.

That’s why I created The Devine Method®. It brings together psychology with high-performance coaching, built for founders and leaders who want more than insight - they want to take action.

If this is resonating, DM me the word CONSULT and I’ll send you the link to book your Private Consultation.

#foundermentalhealth #ceolife #highperformancecoaching #corporatepsychology #londonpsychologist taken in London, United Kingdom by @lorna_devine

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2 months ago

You don’t have to be finding things really challenging to want support.

At the top, it’s lonely. Most people don’t get what you’re dealing with on a daily basis, the pressure and responsibility, how everything falls on you, the constant decisions you have to make, and most people around you want something from you.

This is why it’s valuable to have a space where you can be honest about what’s on your mind, what you’re dealing with, to gain clarity, make decisions, and take the mask off, even if it’s just for an hour.

If you’re a CEO, senior leader, or founder and you want a space to gain clarity and think out loud, DM me CONSULT and I’ll share how I can support you using The Devine Method® (a combination of psychology, evidence-based therapy principles and tools, life coaching, and high performance coaching).

#leadership #ceolife #executivecoaching #highperformance #founders taken in London, United Kingdom by @lorna_devine

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2 months ago

Nobody taught you to ask for help. You learned early that handling it yourself was safer.

Maybe there was a parent who wasn’t really there. Maybe you were the oldest, the responsible one, the one who took care of everyone and kept things together while everything around you was uncertain. Maybe needing people just never felt like an option, so you stopped needing anyone.

You adapted. You became capable, reliable, the one everyone else leaned on. It worked. You built a life, a career, a reputation on the back of it.

Somewhere along the way relying on yourself stopped being a choice and became the only thing that felt safe. It just became part of who you are, or so you think.

It is not who you are. It is what you learned.

A lot of the people I work with are worried that if this changes, they will lose what makes them good at what they do. They never do. The drive, the ambition, the capability, all of that stays. What goes is the exhaustion, the not being able to switch off, the weight of doing it all alone. What changes is how much it costs them.

If this is resonating, DM me the word YES and I will send you more information on how we can work together.

#highfunctioninganxiety #highperformancepsychology #performancepsychologist #londonfounder #dubaileader taken in London, United Kingdom by @lorna_devine

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2 months ago

Where you are now looks nothing like where you started.

You grew up in an environment where things were uncertain.

Where there was not always enough.

Where you learned early that you had to hold yourself together because nobody else was going to do it for you.

Where you became the responsible one, the capable one, the one who figured it out, long before you should have had to.

You adapted.

You worked harder than most people around you.

You built something real from a place most of the people around you now have never been.

You sit in certain rooms and something shifts. You look around at the people next to you and you wonder whether you actually belong there.

Whether they can tell where you came from.

Whether you measure up to the people around you whose path to this room looked very different to yours.

Everything you have built says you belong there. You are just not always sure you do.

This is one of the most consistent things I see in the founders and leaders I work with who did not have an easy start.

Everything changed. That feeling never did. The imposter feeling did not go away when the circumstances changed because it was never really about the circumstances.

The imposter feeling was formed long before you built any of this. In the moments where you felt different, where you felt like you did not quite fit, where you learned that your place in rooms like this one was something that had to be earned and proved and constantly maintained.

Through The Devine Method®, we work on exactly this. You walk into those rooms and you actually believe you deserve to be there. You stop waiting to be found out. You stop looking around the room and doing the maths. The version of you that built all of this starts to feel like someone who deserves to be in that room.

If this is resonating, DM me the word SUCCESS and I will send you more information on how we can work together.

#impostersyndrome #performancepsychology #imposter #londonpsychologist #corporatehighperformer by @lorna_devine

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2 months ago