ABOUT SARAH GILBERTSON
Nervous System Literacy
in Real Life
Therapeutic Coach, BASI qualified ski instructor, and founder of FlourishWell Coaching.
Writing and working at the meeting point of nervous system science, midlife physiology, and movement — with a particular interest in how confidence, perception, and the capacity to move change across midlife.
THE STORY
There's a moment when everything you've relied on stops working the way it used to.
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At 40, back surgery and perimenopause collided. Fearful on slopes I used to love, uncertain in recovery, questioning how midlife changes would affect everything I'd built. I had the technique, the experience, the qualifications; but not an understanding of what my nervous system was telling me.
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That's why I work with nervous system literacy. Not as a wellness trend. Not as another coping tool. As a practical, sport- and trauma-informed way of understanding what's actually happening: so the body stops being the obstacle and starts being the information.
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My formal training opened a door. What followed was deeper: researching how to apply the science specifically to midlife women in movement environments. Nervous System Literacy™ grew from that.
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Much of my writing explores the gap between physical capability and felt confidence, particularly for women returning to demanding environments after injury, illness, or midlife transition.
Sarah Gilbertson - FlourishWell Coaching
I had the technique, the experience, the qualifications — but not an understanding of what my nervous system was telling me.
I'VE BEEN IN ALL THREE PLACES
The moment everything shifts
For women, skiers, and the professionals who work with them.
01
For Women
Midlife — when your body holds memories and stories that keep you feeling stuck, and the confidence you once had feels like it belongs to someone else.
02
For Skiers
Standing at the top of a familiar run, knowing you're physically capable — but finding your body won't co-operate. Not a skill problem. A nervous system response.
03
For Ski Professionals
When technique alone won't carry the client through — and you know something else is happening, but don't have the tools to meet it.
QUALIFICATIONS & TRAINING
THERAPEUTIC COACHING
Accredited Diploma in Therapeutic Coaching for Women — covering polyvagal theory, Internal Family Systems, somatic narrative, attachment theory, ACEs, and trauma-aware practice (ThinkTree / CIMSPA / CPD)
SKIING & OUTDOORS
BASI Alpine Ski Instructor - Level 2
BASI Adaptive Ski Instructor - Level 2
SSE Moguls Coach - Level 2
Race Coach - Level 1
Eight years in European Ski Resorts
Outdoor First Aid
MOVEMENT
Pilates Instructor, Neuro Pilates - Level 2
Therapeutic Yoga Instructor - Mindful Movement (Breathwoks)
Nordic Walking Instructor (Inc Neuro Conditions)
Sports Massage, Trigger Point, RockTape Rock Doc
MEMBERSHIP & INSURANCE
ThinkTree Member
BASI Member
Insured - Therapeutic Coaching (Balens)
Insured - Pilates (Fitpro)
DBS checked
THE OFFICIAL LINE
Qualifications, credentials, and the published trail.
Sarah has been quoted in UK media on menopause care and midlife transitions, and spoke at the Northern Snow Show in October 2025.
PRESS & COMMENTARY
'When women are given space to understand what's happening and choose what genuinely helps them, this stage of life can become less about coping and more about moving forward with confidence.'
Featured in Psychreg, October 2025 · Wellbeing News, March 2026
THE BOTTOM LINE
What matters most is that I've lived these challenges — a body that stopped responding the way it used to, confidence that didn't return when it was supposed to, and the gap between knowing what to do and actually feeling able to do it.
In midlife, on snow, and in the consulting room.
She lives in the Peak District with her husband Richard and their two rescue German Shepherds. Eight dog beds between them. She has skied since she was four and still prefers snow to rain — which, living in the Peak District, requires a certain commitment.
WHO I WORK WITH
Three doors. One body of work
Women navigating midlife
Recovery, menopause, or feeling like life doesn't fit the way it used to.
Skiers reconnecting with confidence
Who want to reclaim their love of the mountain by finally trusting the body's signals instead of overriding them.
Ski instructors & coaches
Who need practical tools to support clients who are technically capable but whose body is in protection mode.
This work isn't about quick fixes or motivational pep talks. It's about practical, nervous system-informed tools you can use immediately.
Because you're not broken. You're ready.
For Women → For Skiers → For Ski Pros →