FOR SKI INSTRUCTORS & COACHES
Nervous System Literacy for the Slopes
Because when a technically capable skier stands at the top of a run, unable to move, it's not about their skills – it's about their nervous system.
Be First to Access Free Instructor Resources
I'm developing nervous system training specifically for ski professionals.
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When you join, you'll get:
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✓ The Frozen Moment – a free guide to understanding nervous system states on snow
✓ Early updates on Beyond Technique workshops and courses
✓ One practical tool you can use on snow tomorrow
Who This Is For
Ski instructors and coaches who've seen:
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Clients plateau even though the technique is there
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Skiers who are hesitant and bracing after injury, menopause, or time away
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Fear or overwhelm surfacing mid-lesson that technique alone won't fix
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The gap between physically capable and actually confident
Your qualifications didn't cover this. Nervous system literacy does.
What You're Really Seeing
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You've seen these moments before, but no one ever explained what's really happening underneath.
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The hesitation at the top
Your client's technically capable. They've skied this run before. But halfway down, they stop – legs locked, breathing shallow, saying "I'm fine" when everything says they're not.
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That hesitation? It's a nervous system handbrake.
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When fear shows up out of nowhere
Sometimes the shift is subtler. A skier who felt relaxed and energised a few days ago starts second-guessing turns or tensing up on terrain that used to feel easy. Nothing obvious has changed - yet their sense of safety has.
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That creeping fear isn't overthinking or loss of confidence. It's the nervous system responding to a change in internal conditions - hormones, recovery, fatigue - before the mind has even caught up.
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The hormonal shift
Some days progress is on an upward curve. Other days – same slope, same conditions – everything feels harder. Confidence seems to vanish for no clear reason.
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That inconsistency isn't random - and it's rarely about effort or attitude. Physiology plays a role too; changes in regulation, recovery, and risk perception that quietly influence how stable, balanced, or confident a skier feels.
These aren't mindset dips or commitment issues. They're physiological states – changes in regulation, recovery, and risk perception that show up in movement first.
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Be First to Access Free Instructor Resources
I'm developing nervous system training specifically for ski professionals.
​
When you join, you'll get:
​​
✓ The Frozen Moment – a free guide to understanding nervous system states on snow
✓ Early updates on Beyond Technique workshops and courses
✓ One practical tool you can use on snow tomorrow
What Changes When You Understand This
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You can spot the real block – when "I can't" is the nervous system talking, not lack of skill
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You can respond with clarity – knowing what helps (co-regulation, creating choice, giving time to settle) vs what doesn't ("just commit", "you've got this")
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You can work with their nervous system – not just their technique
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You keep clients engaged – because they feel seen, understood, not pushed
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You protect your own energy – clear boundaries, effective tools, sustainable teaching, nervous system self-regulation
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What This Training Covers
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Recognising nervous system states – what fight, flight, freeze or fawn actually looks like on snow, and how to spot the early signs before it escalates
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Co-regulation in teaching – how your calm helps theirs settle, and how to bring a group back into connection after fear or overwhelm
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Understanding your own nervous system – self-regulation tools for staying grounded, clear, and effective even when emotions or group pressure run high
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Working with hormonal cycles – understanding how physiology influences confidence, perception of risk, and recovery after stress or injury
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When a client can't move – practical, body-led tools to help them reset and move again safely, even when technique isn't the issue
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Supporting post-injury clients – bridging the gap between "cleared to ski" and genuinely confident, with language that rebuilds trust rather than pressure
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Communicating through nervous system regulation – how tone, pace, and choice shape safety and learning on snow
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REAL MOMENTS ON THE MOUNTAIN
Teaching someone who knows they can, but can't
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You're at the top of a run with a client who's skied this terrain before. Technically, nothing's changed. But today their legs brace and hesitate to make that first turn. They're saying "I'm fine" while every signal in their body says otherwise.
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You've tried encouragement. You've simplified the task. But the usual tools aren't working – because this isn't about technique.
Being the one who can't move
​After back surgery at 40, I found myself frozen on slopes I used to ski with ease. My technique was still there. My fitness was returning. But my body had other ideas.
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Every patch of ice felt like imminent danger. My chest would tighten before I'd even pushed off. I was protecting myself from re-injury – but I didn't have the language or tools to work with that response.
That's when I learnt: rebuilding confidence isn't about pushing through. It's about understanding what your nervous system is trying to tell you.
About Sarah
Certified Therapeutic Coach (Diploma Therapeutic Coaching), BASI qualified Ski Instructor, and Snowsport England coach with a background in Pilates, Nordic walking, and Therapeutic yoga.
I’m both trauma-informed and sport-informed, which means I can translate nervous system literacy into practical, scope-safe tools for instructors, physios, and coaches when technique alone isn’t enough.
Be First to Access Free Instructor Resources
I’m developing nervous system training specifically for ski professionals.
​
When you join, you’ll get:
✓ The Frozen Moment – a free guide to understanding nervous system states on snow
✓ Early updates on Beyond Technique workshops and courses
✓ One practical tool you can use on snow tomorrow