The Consulting Rooms.......because it makes sense

Email Link: sue@theconsultingrooms.co.uk

Private Practice of Susan B McIntyre
Qualifications: Adv.Dip.Hip., Dip.Pers.Dev., Cert.Couns. M.N.C.H, M.I.S.M.A., M.A.P.H.P.

Telephone Burnham-on-Sea 01278 784490

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Site last updated July 2007

World Cup Show Jumping - Bordeaux February 2005

Following my seminar with the International Showjump Judges Club at the World Cup in February, Ruth Loney who writes for the equestrian section of 'Farming Life' interviewed me. Here is a transcript of the interview.

Ruth: "Tell me a bit about yourself speaking in Bordeaux etc"

Sue: "Well, I gather the ISJC 'googled' me! As you probably know, they usually have seminars for their members about things like course building, veterinary issues and rule updates around their annual General Assembly. This year they decided to do something a bit different. They wanted someone who could help them with stress and conflict management but didn't think it would work unless the speaker also had a foot in the world of horses. I've been in practice since 1989 helping people to realise their personal, business and sporting potential (specialising in helping Equestrians) and up I popped.

I had some very positive feedback and a great time. They really are a super lot!"

Ruth: "And of course on 'A Mind to Ride' and anything else….."

Sue: "I started riding horses something like 18 years ago at about the same time that I started training in psychotherapy. I thought that it would be a good idea to have a hobby that got me exercising outside since I rather planned to spend my working life sitting still inside. I expected that the learning processes would run parallel. I didn't expect that I would end up using my training in hypnotherapy, counselling, stress management and personal development to help riders deal with the challenges of riding - but that's exactly what has happened! 'A Mind to Ride' is the result.

I'd had a fair bit of success in helping riders using hypnotherapy and had been thinking for some time that it would be a good idea to produce an hypnotherapy CD especially for equestrians. Some types of hypnotic suggestion work best by repetition and as the majority of riders don't have a lot of spare time (or spare cash!), it seemed like a time/cost effective solution. The drawback is that sometimes more work is needed than can be achieved simply by listening to a CD however good it is, so I felt that there would be limitations in only having one string to the bow.

Then I trained as a Life Coach with LifeMapper™. Life coaching is about helping people to get from where they are to where they want to be and at first I just saw it as another tool with which to help my clients. However, to the best of my knowledge, LifeMapper™ is unique in that it uses an interactive CD-ROM so that people can work independently. The auto profiling system of the LifeMapper™ Motivator allows clients to email their data file to me if they wish, so that I immediately have all the information I need to effectively help, advise and support them. And this can also be done at a distance, in the UK and abroad, by telephone or email. Hey! Here is the second string to the bow I thought! This complements an hypnotherapy CD perfectly. And what a fantastic thing for horse-riders who don't want to spend good riding time working on something they could do instead when it's icy, chucking it down with rain or dark! So I produced the 'Equinimity' self-hypnosis CD, put the two together and called it 'A Mind to Ride'. 'Equinimity' and 'LifeMapper™' are also available separately - you can buy them via my website at www.theconsultingrooms.co.uk"

Ruth: "What is the main benefit to riders using your expertise?"

Sue: "You should probably ask them that! Here's some of the feedback I've received about 'Equinimity'"

"I was just thinking I must get back in touch with you and thank you for the CD. I have already listened to it a few times and find it is very, very good. Every time I listen to it I awake feeling much more positive. Thank you."
Steve (UK)

" I used the Cd on quite a regular basis during the first few months and felt I have made real progress especially in my approach to dressage........... I had a super cross-country schooling a couple of weeks ago and will use my CD before this weekend and the next cross-country. "
Margaret (UK)

"I've stopped worrying about jumping while I'm at work now as well. I just go home and get on with it. Definitely an improvement. Thank you."
Jo (UK)

"YOUR CD IS WONDERFUL!, I know the confidence and new subconscious habits I gained from your CD made all the difference in the world. I AM riding every step (like my instructors always told me too), I am maintaining balance and impulsion, and I AM reminding myself that it's mostly mind over matter, and it all shows in my proud, confident posture."
Cathy (USA)

"I personally think the main benefit has to come from the confidence, congruity and focus that working with 'A Mind to Ride' can bring. Both the 'Equinimity' audio CD and the 'LifeMapper™' CD-ROM are aimed at enabling us to recognise and resolve our conflicts so that we can move forward with integrity and self-belief towards our goals, whatever they may be. When both parts of the mind work together, the potential is enormous (some would say unlimited!) but if there are conflicts where part wants to do one thing and another part wants to do something else entirely, each takes energy from the other. The result is a loss of focus, performance, motivation and commitment. In equestrian terms, its a bit like comparing the experience of those magical moments when horse and rider are in absolute harmony (i.e. 'getting it together') with the times where one has a completely different agenda to the other - and we all know how horrible that feels!"

Ruth: "Why do organisers use you for conflict management?"

Sue: "I think organisers, stewards and judges can find themselves confronted with conflictual situations which they may be ill-equipped to deal with. Working as they often do in a high-voltage environment where tensions and excitement are never that far from the surface, it's hardly surprising that sparks can fly from time to time. It would be unrealistic to expect otherwise but equally, it can be unrealistic to expect that everyone has the knowledge and skills to manage these situations effectively without some extra help. I see my job as that of enabling organisers to explore, discover and clarify ways of creating a mutually positive focus so that they can be confident, flexible and resourceful in resolving conflicts by generating win/win solutions.

I think they use me because I enjoy it and I'm good at it! It probably also helps that I'm well qualified to do the work. I'm a trained trainer and in addition to specific skills in personal development and coaching, I have extensive experience as a practitioner and an integrative skills base incorporating hypnotherapy, NLP, advice and guidance, counselling and stress management techniques. I also currently provide staff support services to two large local employers. So just about all of my training and all of my working life is about working with conflict. Come to think of it, maybe my horse 'Sid' has taught me more about conflict than anyone else so there must be a fair bit of it around in my leisure time too!"

Ruth: "Do you think riders who have dope tested positive can avail of you for help with their stressful situations?"

Sue: "Of course - although the perception of 'control' is a huge factor in determining the level of stress experienced in any situation and I assume that the riders would have had no control in this scenario. Several studies (which I can't quote off the top of my head) have shown evidence that in employment for example, those trapped in work over which they have no control are likelier to have heart attacks than top managers.

When working with people to help manage stress, I always prefer to encourage them to be proactive in preventing situations from becoming too challenging in the first place! You know, the old premise of 'prevention being better than cure'. Of course, this isn't always possible and sometimes the best you can do is deal with the stress that has been generated. Because stress is such an individual thing, there is no one-size-fits-all solution and my work in this case would depend to some extent on the situation and personality of the rider concerned."

Ruth: "Why should international riders have a therapist like you on board?"

Sue: "Well, Pippa Funnel has made no secret of the difference that it made for her so the evidence speaks for itself here I think! There is also evidence to be found in other sports - I was fascinated to watch Jonny Wilkinson's 'anchoring' technique during the Rugby World Cup for example.

I don't think anyone doubts that its tough at the top - hard to get there and hard to stay there too. Why not make the most of all the help that's available? I can for example, help riders to explore their personal resources for success and teach them how to utilise these to keep the competitive 'edge'. This might involve managing stress, re-defining goals, working to resolve conflicts (everyone has them!) or learning how to re-create the positive cycle when things go wrong (as they do!). Very simply, I can enable them to maintain a focused positive mental attitude so increasing motivation, self-belief and confidence and enhancing performance. What I really wouldn't want to do is ride their horses - when I saw that course at the World Cup, I was seriously impressed!

Links:
Back to the Articles page - click here
Article 1 - A Mind to Ride - Resourceful Riding by Sue McIntyre Published in The Hypnotherapy Journal - click here
Article 2: A Mind to Ride – Mind over Matter by Sue McIntyre MNCH (Acc); MISMA - click here.