About me
Never turn your hobby into a job...
I obeyed that rule for about 30 years…. I am a Consultant Chartered Clinical Psychologist and I recognised that skills that I was teaching others in therapy were hugely helping my riding and other sports.
My core focus throughout my career has been building resilience, confidence, positivity, focus and effective behaviours back into people’s lives so that they can live, work and play with freedom, confidence and courage. I was also teaching skills to overcome fear, rediscover enthusiasm and drive: coaching people in how to set and achieve personally meaningful goals and live life to the full.
All these strategies readily transferred across to horse riding and general wellbeing. They work! I later trained as a Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist to add the powerful benefits of hypnosis to all the other positive mindset, rider confidence and peak performance approaches, giving people the best possible chance to overcome fear, pull out peak performances when they matter most and rediscover the love.
I was a fearless younger rider, but developed a phobic fear of jumping following a rotational fall when jumping cross-country. I did not jump for 5 years, kidding myself that I was ‘too old’ for that, and much happier staying on the ground. However this just wasn’t true – deep down I was desperate to jump again. I eventually decided to address it and used my skills and knowledge to deal with it effectively. I realised how quickly even paralysing fear can be overcome with the right support.
Psychologists, like any other human beings, can be prone to self-doubt, anxiety, stress, negativity and depression. I am no exception. I had developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) following a life-threatening accident, which was undiagnosed or treated for years, during which I also became anxious and depressed as a result of living with PTSD.
Dr. Krissie Ivings
Krissie & Lottie
I eventually got the specialist treatment I needed. That support, along with self help strategies, self hypnosis and a focus on living well has transformed not just my mental health but my life and my riding: Since then I have returned to eventing getting to BE100 level (from feeling sick at the thought of a stick on the ground), and showjumping at Discovery. With plenty more dreams to come. At 55 I feel I am just getting started!
Since then I have worked tirelessly to stay healthy myself and help others to overcome whatever challenges that get in the way of them having the life and riding experiences that they want.
My Qualifications
I am a Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Cognitive-Behavioural Hypnotherapist, and author of: Tame the Chimp, Shoot the Parrot and Silence the Mouse: How fear, negativity and doubt get in the way of our riding and our life, and Smoke-Free, Vape-Free, Nicotine-Free EASILY! Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Hypnosis for permanent quitting (originally published in 2007 as Free Yourself From Smoking). I gained my Hypnotherapy Diploma from the prestigious UK College of Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy.
I am regulated by the HCPC and BPS. All my work is evidence based, and adheres to strict ethical codes.
Hypnotherapy
I am also an amateur event rider/ show-jumper, and owner of Aspire Equestrian – the culmination of a life-long obsession with horses.
I work with athletes of ages and all levels up to elite. My passion lies in helping riders rediscover their love of this amazing sport by regaining confidence and positivity, helping people access their skills in competition so they can fulfil their potential, and encouraging participation at grassroots levels of all sports.
I also offer hypnotherapy services for any issues where mindset gets in the way of accessing abilities or improving, such as such exams or public speaking, as well as for weight management, lifestyle change, stress reduction, anxiety management, and enhancing commitment, motivation and positivity.
30 years after deciding that working with horses was a hopelessly impractical dream for a novice adult who had never owned a horse before, I set up my initial rider confidence camps and started operating commercially. Aspire Equestrian was born.
Riding Camps
Aspire Equestrian Riding Camps deliver a holistic approach to riding, combining a focus on mindset and sports psychology with fantastic coaches, insightful demos and a fun, friendly and supportive learning environment.
1:1 Hypnotherapy Sessions
If you’re struggling with riding anxiety, would like to address those self-limiting beliefs that are holding you back, or would like to unlock your peak level of performance at competitions, hypnotherapy could be the solution.
Buy the Book
Dr Krissie Ivings latest book, Tame the Chimp, Shoot the Parrot & Silence the Mouse, is now available to buy. The mind management book that every rider will wish they read years ago!