Side by Side Coaching

Cathy is an incredible, intuitive counsellor. Well qualified and experienced, she will guide you towards life-changing results.
Feb 19th, 2018

Finding the right therapist/life coach can be difficult. I have struggled with severe depression for many years now and had not previously made much progress with various therapy options. My sessions with Cathy May, however, have been totally different. I feel that there has been a huge shift in my psychology and that I'm regaining a resilience that I thought had been completely lost to me. Her huge wealth of knowledge and thoughtful CBT techniques have allowed me to understand myself in a holistic way, where I feel no area of my life has been left out. I am extremely grateful to have found her.
Sep 6th, 2017

Of all the professionals and agencies I have sought help from, in order to support my daughter, Cathy has been the most invaluable source of guidance - it was a tremendous relief to finally find someone who 'got' it! Even without ever having met my daughter, Cathy has an excellent understanding of her support needs and the challenges she faces and she is therefore able to equip us with the knowledge and strategies to support her. During the past 18 months, Cathy has supported me to help my daughter with a range of issues relating to her autism and mental health and I feel that she has been a lifeline for me, during some very tough times. I believe her own personal experiences, her superb knowledge and understanding of autism and PDA and her empathic and intuitive approach are what make Cathy an exceptional coach.
Jan 25th, 2020

Cathy May has been by my family's side since my daughter was diagnosed as being autistic with a PDA profile back in 2016. She intuited that it was actually me that needed supporting first in order to be able to respond to the challenges of meeting my daughters needs, and she facilitated fresh understanding and awareness for my husband of how much I'd been through in order to reach the point we started our consultancy with her. She has advocated for my family with school, has engaged with a home-based tutor, and been willing to support me with the education authorities and wider family as we worked to get better support. Her combination of personal, professional and academic experience is what names her far superior to any other professional I have ever worked with. She always ensures never to assume, and allows space for me as an individual and my husband and I together to grow as the parents we are meant to be rather than the ones she thinks we should be. I whole-heartedly recommend investing in a session with Cathy as you will be sure to get the sense that you are both seen and heard (as an individual or a SEND parent) and that is priceless! The bespoke strategies she proposes are always fine-tuned and collaborative for maximum effectiveness.
Dec 31st, 2019

Cathy has supported me with wise advice over many years through various health-related family difficulties. More recently she has been a huge help to a young person close to me, who was really struggling with anxiety, low self esteem, intrusive thoughts and self-harming. Cathy "really listened", and has an impressive breadth and depth of knowledge from a combination of study and experience. She is honest with her clients and has a calm, kind manner that can put even troubled people at ease. She provided charts to explain things such as trust issues, and offered coping strategies that have led to an end to the self-harming and a reduction in anxiety. Her warm and caring nature is always clear to see, which is so very important in dealing with vulnerable people. I would wholeheartedly recommend her and her services - if anyone can work miracles, she can!
Aug 11th, 2019