Professor Patricia Riddell
Professor of Applied Neuroscience, University of Reading
Patricia Riddell is Professor of Applied Neuroscience and a chartered psychologist and an ICF accredited coach (ACC). She has an active research and teaching interest in both theoretical neuroscience and the applications of neuroscience to real-world challenges.
She studied Physiological Sciences at the University of Glasgow, obtained a master’s degree in Quantitative Methods Applied to Physiology from Imperial College before going to the University of Oxford to complete her doctorate studies.
Patricia contributes aspects of applied neuroscience to many qualification and custom courses at Henley Business School. She has worked on programmes with business schools nationally, including Roffey Park, Edinburgh, Ashridge, Oxford Said, and internationally, with Henley Finland and South Africa and Massey, New Zealand.
Patricia also designs custom neuroscience training for organisations, with past clients including Lloyds, HSBC, The Oxford Group, Gaia Insights, Elephants Don’t Forget, First Group, Dynamic Leaning, UAE, Cartier, the British Psychological Society, International Coaching Federation, Paris and the Royal Navy.
Patricia has co-authored two books: The Neuroscience of Leadership Coaching (Bossons, Riddell & Sartain, 2015) and NeuroEffective Leadership (Riddell & McDermott, 2025), which use neuroscience case studies and principles to provide insight, tips and techniques for coach and leadership development. She has also contributed chapters on the neuroscience of coaching to The Handbook of Coaching Psychology (2018); The Complete Practitioner Guide for Professional Coaches (2021) and Third Wave Cognitive Behavioural Coaching: Contextual, Behavioural and Neuroscience Approaches for Evidence Based Coaches (2021). She also publishes thought pieces and research articles on coaching and leadership.
Patricia is passionate about bringing the expanding knowledge about the brain and how it drives behaviour to people both within and beyond universities and has seen the benefits to leaders, coaches and trainers of having an understanding of the brain.
MSc CBC Stage 1: Neuroscience & Psychology for Behavioural Change (6 months)
In this module you will: Explore evidence-based tools and techniques including cognitive behavioural coaching, motivational interviewing, and acceptance and commitment based coachingConsider relevant psychological theories and the latest research into...