I’ve been coaching for over 10 years. During that time, I’ve worked with thousands of people, from PhD researchers through to professors.

I offer coaching in the following areas:

My coaching style is practical and balanced. I combine traditional coaching techniques with targeted training and mentoring when needed. While I believe in empowering you to find your own solutions, I won’t leave you struggling with technical details or to learn the hard way when my experience can save you time and frustration. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.”

Everyone is welcome, regardless of age, race, faith, neurotype, sexuality, or gender expression. This is a safe and non-judgmental space for all.

I especially welcome neurodivergent researchers, or anyone who feels their brain works a bit differently.

Find out more about my coaching code of conduct.

Format

Sessions last 1 hour and are hosted on Zoom.

Costs

I charge a flat fee of £120 per session. There’s no sales tax. As coaching is my livelihood, I’m unable to offer discounts.

There’s no commitment or pressure to book ongoing sessions. Some clients get all they need from the introductory session; others want to work with me more frequently. Either way is fine. I’m interested in helping you reach your goals, not monthly recurring revenue.

Other coaches offer free “discovery calls”. I don’t do that. I charge a fee that represents the effort I put into coaching. If I offer my services for free, paying clients subsidise everyone else. And I have to stare at myself on Zoom when people don’t turn up.

I’ll never accept you as a coaching client unless I genuinely believe I can help you.

I hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance.

Availability

I currently offer coaching through Zoom on Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons. I’m based in the UK, so my timezone is GMT.

How it Works

If you’re interested in coaching, please complete the enquiry form for:

These questions help me evaluate whether we’re a good fit. I’ll get back to you within 48 hours. If I can help you:

You can reschedule or cancel your session through the booking system up to 24 hours in advance. If you don’t want to reschedule, you’ll receive a refund through Stripe. There’s more information in my coaching terms and conditions.

For more information, you’re welcome to contact me through the form below:

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Your first session

In your first session, we’ll discuss the answers you gave in your initial enquiry. Together we’ll decide where to start so you can achieve your goal.

I’ll have prepared for the session by reading what you’ve sent me and identifying useful resources. What we discuss will be determined by your needs on the day.

I ask that you:

At the end of the session, we’ll agree the next steps.

🤖 My coaching sessions are never recorded or transcribed. If need a transcription for accessibility reasons, please let me know in advance.

Feedback

Here’s what previous clients have said:

“My final coaching session with Catherine was, like the other two, incredibly helpful. The second session had assisted me in setting some realistic short-term goals and achieving these boosted my motivation. In the third session Catherine helped me to plan a realistic timetable for completing my thesis. She offered concrete advice on techniques for structuring and editing which demystified the whole process. I feel far more confident about completing my thesis. I feel really privileged to have been given the opportunity to benefit from Catherine’s experience, advice and outstanding coaching skills.”

“This was a really helpful session which enabled me to become ‘unstuck’ at a critical juncture.”

“This was a great experience and I always appreciate Catherine’s commitment, genuine support and valuable advice. The aspect I really enjoyed was the fact that the PhD and thesis writing were described in very pragmatic terms and they weren’t romanticised as it often happens in other events, workshops and in academia, in general. As a self-funded PhD student struggling with finance and time, this has been the first time I have felt completely at ease and not left behind.”

“I highly appreciated the coaching consisting of three sessions to explore future possibilities after having completed the PhD and how this informs my final year. It was a helpful process to open up new opportunities, extending my portfolio as a consultant. I came out with a concrete action plan and much practical advice on how to overcome potential hindering factors including useful book references. I highly recommend Catherine’s coaching as an excellent mentor and coach.”

“The sessions focused on getting to the root of obstacles and finding realistic and practical strategies to help me progress. The confidential nature of our discussions ensured that I could be completely open about difficult situations that were hindering me, which enabled us to think through potential solutions.”

“Catherine was so helpful in providing a space for me to talk about my fears and worries, to make them feel less overwhelming and come up with some practical ways of getting on with the task of completing my PhD.”

“Catherine has been a very positive influence on my work life; she boosted my inner strength and willingness to keep trying. She filled me with valuable reassurance that it is ok to be who you are and advocate for it at work. Even if I advocate for others, I didn’t use to do the same about myself.”

“When I signed up to coaching, I was feeling lost in my career, unsure whether academia was the right path for me, and, if not, where to look next. Catherine helped me think through different options so that by the end of our final session I felt inspired to make change and more equipped to carry out those changes.”