Ski Confidence Coaching for Women: How to Rebuild Your Skiing Confidence After Injury, Menopause, or Time Off
- Sarah Gilbertson
- Jun 2
- 6 min read
Ski confidence coaching for women goes beyond generic mindset advice. It’s a science-backed, permission-led approach to overcoming fear and rebuilding trust on the slopes
Lost your skiing confidence after injury? You're not imagining it - and you're definitely not alone. After an injury, a break from skiing, or the hormonal changes of menopause, your nervous system is doing exactly what it's designed to do: keeping you safe. The problem is, it's keeping you a bit too safe.
Here's what most skiing confidence advice gets wrong - and what actually works to get you back to enjoying the slopes again.
Why Most Skiing Confidence Advice Falls Short
Most women I work with have already tried the standard approaches; ski confidence clinics, mindset-based coaching, visualisation, even group sessions focused on building self-belief and relaxation techniques. And for a while, those strategies help. You learn to manage nerves, use positive self-talk, maybe even tackle a few tougher runs.
But here’s the piece most confidence coaching misses:
Even after all this, many women still find themselves battling fear or anxiety on the slopes—tense at the top of a run, holding back, or questioning their confidence. Ultimately, not really enjoying skiing, when you know deep down it should feel fun.
When you feel anxious or tense on the slopes - especially after an injury, a tough fall, or even years of quiet self-doubt, it’s not just about mindset or ability. Our bodies remember what we’ve been through, big or small. Sometimes that’s an old injury; other times, it’s the worry you’ve carried or the stories you’ve heard about what you “should” be able to do or what you're capable of.
You don’t need to have experienced trauma for your body to hold onto these moments. As the saying goes, the body keeps the score. The real shift happens when you learn to listen to your body’s signals, understand what they’re telling you, and gently support your nervous system, so you can start enjoying skiing again, on your own terms.
If that sounds familiar, it’s rarely about your skill or technique. Most approaches focus on thoughts and abilities, but the real change happens when you learn to work with your nervous system.
The Missing Piece: Nervous System Literacy for Skiers
As a qualified ski instructor, I know that traditional instruction focuses on technique and posture - how to pressure the ski, steer, and when to plant your poles. And let’s be clear: good ski instructors do far more than this, bringing encouragement, inclusivity, and (hopefully) genuine enjoyment to every lesson.
But even with the best technical advice in the world, if your nervous system is stuck in protection mode, no amount of instruction will help you truly feel confident.
Nervous system literacy means understanding how your body responds to perceived threat and learning to work with those responses, instead of fighting them. For skiers dealing with confidence issues, this is game-changing—and as a bonus, the benefits ripple out into every area of your life.
Here's my 3-pillar approach that helps women rebuild skiing confidence from the inside out:
Pillar 1: Whole Body Listening on the Slopes
Most of us are brilliant at ignoring what our bodies are telling us. We push through discomfort, override fatigue, and dismiss those early warning signals that something doesn’t feel right.
On the slopes, this can backfire. Your body gives you valuable information about your energy, your stress levels, and whether you’re pushing beyond your real capacity—what some call your “battery” or “window of tolerance.” Learning to listen—really listen—to these signals builds trust between you and your body and helps you ski in a way that feels genuinely good.
Whole Body Listening isn’t just about physical cues. Notice what feels enjoyable for you—who you ski with, how you pace yourself, and where you might need a boundary. Permission to choose your own way matters as much as any technical skill.
Try this: Before you ski down a slope, pause at the top and check in with yourself - not to judge or fix anything, but to gather information with kindness and curiosity:
How is your breathing? Shallow or deep?
Where do you feel tension or sensation in your body?
What’s running through your mind - are you encouraging yourself, doubting, or second-guessing?
What emotions are here—nervous, steady, frustrated, or excited?
Then gently ask yourself:
What do I need right now? Do I need a moment to pause and breathe, or to let the group go ahead? Would it help to check in with your instructor or someone in your group? Would a quick “you can do this” help - or do you just need a quiet moment to reflect?
Remember: Sometimes, your nervous system is simply doing its job - keeping you within your “window of tolerance,” that sweet spot where you feel alert but not overwhelmed. If you notice you’re edging into overwhelm or shutting down, it’s not a failure; it’s your body’s way of asking for support, a pause, or a bit more kindness. With practice, your capacity grows—and so does your confidence.
Curious about expanding your window of tolerance or learning more about these tools? That’s a big part of my coaching, and I’ll be sharing more in future posts.
Pillar 2: Self-Regulation Techniques for Skiing Confidence
Self-regulation is your ability to influence your own nervous system state. Instead of being at the mercy of anxiety or fear, you learn to shift your state in real time.
The key insight: You can’t think your way out of a dysregulated nervous system, but you can breathe your way out.
Box breathing for the chairlift: Breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. This simple technique signals safety to your nervous system and can be done anywhere—on the chairlift, at the top of a run, or in the lodge.
Grounding through your feet: When you feel anxious about a slope, really feel your feet in your boots. Notice the pressure, the warmth, the connection to your skis. This grounds you in your body and the present moment instead of future catastrophes.
The magic of the pause: Instead of rushing down a slope because you feel anxious, give yourself permission to wait. Sometimes the most confident thing you can do is take your time.
Pillar 3: Emotional Ease on the Mountain
Emotional ease doesn’t mean feeling fearless—it means having a different relationship with fear. Instead of fear being the enemy that ruins your ski day, it becomes information you can work with.
Here’s what this looks like practically:
Normalise the wobbles: Some days you’ll feel steady, others you won’t. Both are normal. Your confidence doesn’t have to be consistent to be real.
Reframe "bad" ski days: A day where you ski easier terrain and feel comfortable is not a failure—it’s actually building the foundation for future confidence.
Celebrate small wins: Made it down a slope that felt challenging? Celebrated feeling steady on an easy run? These matter more than conquering black diamonds.
Kindness and permission: Emotional ease means allowing yourself to step back when needed, honour your feelings, and show yourself compassion. You’re allowed to ski your way—at your pace, with your people, and on your terms.
Why This Approach Works Better for Women
Research shows that women tend to be more attuned to bodily sensations and more responsive to nervous system regulation techniques than traditional “push through” approaches.We're also more likely to benefit from strategies that work with our natural tendencies rather than against them.
The nervous system literacy approach honours how women actually learn and build confidence—gradually, through felt safety, with attention to internal experience.
Your Next Steps
Try one or two of these simple tips this week.. Each one is designed to help you build confidence and find more emotional ease on the slopes (and beyond):
Practise box breathing once a day (Why?) Box breathing helps calm your nervous system and gives you a reliable tool for staying steady, whether you’re at home or on the mountain. (Breathe in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4, hold for 4—repeat 7-10 times. Watch a quick NHS video guide here).
Pause for a quick body check-in (Why?) Noticing your breath, tension, or energy helps you reconnect with your body and notice early signs of stress—so you can respond kindly, not just react.
Reflect on your “why” for skiing (Why?) Clarifying your motivation (whether it’s more fun, more ease, or simply less fear) helps you focus on what matters to you - not just what you “should” be doing.
Remember: fear isn’t a flaw - it’s a part of your body’s design to keep you safe. Sometimes it’s loud, sometimes it’s quiet, and sometimes it just needs a little help to settle. When you learn to notice, listen and support your nervous system, you give yourself the space to think clearly, move with more ease, and enjoy skiing again.
About Sarah Gilbertson
Therapeutic Coach | Ski Instructor | Founder of FlourishWell
I help women in midlife rebuild confidence - on the slopes, in movement, and in life. Drawing on my background in skiing, Pilates, and recovery coaching, I blend practical strategies with nervous system wisdom, so you can enjoy skiing and the mountains on your own terms.
Want support or have a question? Book a free call or explore more here
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