Making Life Work for You.
One Conversation at a Time.
I work with people who are carrying a lot of responsibilities, some questions, and some challenging decisions. People who rarely get space to think about what they really want in life or how they can tackle the next challenge at work, thoughtfully or strategically.
Do you recognise yourself in this?
I offer calm, intelligent conversation that helps you make sense of where you are and what might need to change.
It’s not always about working harder, but about reconnecting with what matters and finding ease and joy in what you do. Together we can think through what you find hard, so that you can move forward with more focus, motivation, and energy for the things that really count.
How things may feel for you right now
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I’m showing up and working hard, but things just aren’t going the way I hoped. I know that I can do better.
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There's so much going on that I can't think clearly, let alone see the bigger picture.
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Conversations I have with people often go wrong. There’s tension, I am misunderstood, and it's like people aren't really listening.
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I want to feel more confident and calm in how I show up, but stress and doubts just keep occupying my mind. Sometimes I can't see the wood for the trees.
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Lately, I've started to wonder if what I’m doing really fits who I am anymore. I'm so busy, but is this really what I want to be doing?
How things may feel for you after we talk
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It is all starting to be much clearer. I have more space in my mind, and I can actually think things through without distraction.
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I can now see how I can be an even better leader - and help others too.
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I'm beginning to untangle what’s really going on, and that helps me focus on what matters most.
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I am dealing with challenges more calmly and am able to respond rather than react. I feel more grounded and in control, and more like myself again.
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I have become much better at communicating clearly: With less tension and more confidence, and people are starting to respond differently... better!
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I stop second-guessing everything. I feel lighter, more motivated, and more at ease in how I live and work.
You're holding it all together, but at what cost?
Life can feel overwhelming, even when things look fine on the surface. You’re carrying a lot: Making decisions, managing people, your finance, your family... holding it together for others, and at some point, you realise you’ve lost touch with what you need to be your best and authentic self, at work, and at home.
That’s when I can help.
You need space to think, to feel, to say things out loud that you haven’t had time to hear for yourself. You need someone who can help you make sense of what’s going on, without pressure, without judgement, and without telling you what to do. After all, somewhere deep inside you, you know what it is that you want or need – you just need the clarity to bring to the surface, and find a way to achieve it.
That’s what our space is for. A space in which a calm, honest conversation can help you reconnect with what matters. A place to pause, reflect, and see things more clearly. Together, we gently explore what’s working, what’s not, and what might want to change. You don’t need to have a plan. You just need curiosity, and the willingness to come back to yourself.
So that you can see things more clearly, and find your way forward again.
People often say they leave our conversations feeling calmer, lighter, and more focused. Decisions feel easier, energy returns, and the next step becomes clearer, not because they’re doing more, but because they’ve had space to breathe, to think, and to be gently supported in the direction that feels right for them.
This isn’t about pushing harder. It’s about finding more ease, more clarity, and more joy, in work and in life, so things start to feel like yours again.
What we might work on together
Work and Life Wellbeing and Balance
Emotional Resilience and Mental Fitness
Leadership and Professional Development
Finding Meaning and Purpose
Leading People through Change
Life and work are rarely separate, and neither are the challenges we carry. These are some of the areas that come up most often in our conversations, the themes and the specific situations, challenges or topics.
Personal Growth & Resilience
See Professional & Leadership further below ⬇️
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Emotional resilience and mental fitness: Staying steady in the face of pressure, criticism, or internal self-doubt — and finding ways to restore energy rather than just push through.
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Clarity and focus during overwhelm: Untangling the noise in your head when everything feels urgent and nothing feels clear — often mid-transition or during high-stakes periods.
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Finding meaning in work and life: Exploring whether what you're doing still fits who you are, especially during midlife or after a big personal or professional shift.
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Influencing and stakeholder management: Navigating complex dynamics, gaining buy-in, or dealing with power and politics particularly in matrixed or global organisations.
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Life and career transitions: Support through periods of change, whether you’re changing roles, changing paths, or figuring out what’s next after something ends.
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Self awareness and identity: Developing a stronger relationship with yourself, getting to know your values, your voice, and what you really want to say yes (and no) to.
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Burnout, stress and boundary setting: Recognising the signs early, and learning to protect your energy without guilt — at home, at work, or in both.
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Values alignment and purpose: Making decisions that feel right for you, not just right on paper, particularly when you're questioning what success really means now.
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Work-life integration and wellbeing: Rebalancing your time, energy, and headspace so your work and your personal life don’t feel like they’re constantly competing.
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Reconnecting with confidence and intuition: Helping you step back, clear your head, and focus on the bigger picture especially when everything feels urgent.
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Making space to think, reflect, and re-evaluate: Support when roles are shifting, when you or your team are at risk, or when you're trying to stay grounded in the middle of uncertainty.
Professional Leadership Development
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Leadership skills: Building confidence and capability as a leader whether you're stepping into a new role, managing people for the first time, or wanting to lead with more clarity and intention.
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Executive presence: Becoming more grounded and effective in how you show up especially in high-stakes settings like board meetings, interviews, or when managing senior relationships.
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Leading through uncertainty or change: Support during restructures, role changes, or times when your team is looking to you for answers even when you don’t feel like you have them all.
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Influencing and stakeholder management: Navigating complex dynamics, gaining buy-in, or dealing with power and politics particularly in matrixed or global organisations.
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Communication and collaboration: Helping you work better with your peers and colleagues, especially in times of tension, low trust, or matrix working.
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Conflict resolution and difficult conversations: Thinking through how to handle ongoing friction, deliver tough feedback, or repair working relationships that are under strain.
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Managing up, down, and across: Strengthening relationships at every level, whether you're managing challenging direct reports or trying to get time and attention from your senior leaders.
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Time and energy management: Getting out of constant firefighting mode and making space for deeper, more meaningful work preventing burnout and creating better work life balance.
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Strategic thinking and decision-making: Helping you step back, clear your head, and focus on the bigger picture especially when everything feels urgent.
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Navigating restructures or organisational change: Support when roles are shifting, when you or your team are at risk, or when you're trying to stay grounded in the middle of uncertainty.
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Transitioning into senior leadership roles: Getting comfortable at a new level setting direction, influencing culture, and feeling confident at the table.
What my clients have said
“Cécile has a knack for unlocking what is inside you to give yourself permission to listen to your gut instinct and rise above the background noise to achieve what your soul is screaming out for.”
- Sue
University of Oxford
“I feel energised and refreshed with a clear vision to work towards.
The whole process and experience has been brilliant and I would 100% recommend Cécile.”
- Katie Marlow
Independent Consultant
"Our conversations left me feeling like I had gleaned some genuine insights into both my general approach to things and my current stage of life."
- Niko Pfund
OUP USA, President
How I work
I offer one-to-one conversations via Zoom for busy people who need time to think clearly, untangle complexity, and make grounded, confident decisions, in work and in life.
My working modality is grounded in Integrated Coaching, the Positive Intelligence framework, Biographical Counselling, Psychology of Leadership, and Intentional Change Theory.
Some people come for a single session. Others work with me over time. What we do depends on what you need.
Who I work with
I work with anyone who finds themselves asking: What am I happy about, and what else do I want to do, be, or change?
My experience spans both corporate settings and private clients from senior leaders and specialists, to individuals going through personal transitions or simply needing support to navigate a particular moment in their life.
Clients have included:
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Heads of University Departments
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Programme/ Portfolio Directors
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Directors of Customer Service
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Heads of Music
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VPs of Retail Services, Procurement, IT, etc.
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Account Directors
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Researchers and Academics
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Entrepreneurs and Freelancers
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Independent Consultants
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HR Directors
As well as
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Career returners
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People on Sabbatical
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Those who have been made redundant
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People who are preparing for a career change or their retirement
Some come with clear work-related goals. Others arrive because life has raised bigger questions. All are looking for space to think clearly, feel more like themselves, and decide what really matters next.
Let's talk about what might help you
If something in this page has resonated, let’s have a conversation. You don’t need to have it all figured out; that’s what the conversation is for.
This is a 30-minute call, free of charge. A chance to talk things through, ask questions, and get a feel for whether this could be a good fit for you.
Let's have a conversation and see where it takes us.
Available OnlineRead MoreLet's have a quick conversation to find out whether our conversations could be helpful to you.
30 min
Hi, I'm Cécile
With more than 20 years of experience in the corporate world, 10 years in higher education, and nearly four years working as an executive coach for some of the world’s largest and well known companies, I bring extensive expertise and experience to our working partnership.
I trained at Henley Business School and Cornell University, and I am accredited by the ICF and EMCC.
To date, I have conducted more than 650 coaching sessions, with people from 19 different countries in the UK, EMEA, the US and Africa.
