Discover What’s Strong. Create What Matters

GO BEYOND YOUR CHILDHOOD DREAMS

Discover What's Strong. Create What Matters.

Veya Coaching Studio

Featuring insights from a Detective Coach

Helping individuals, leaders and communities recognise their strengths, find their voice, and create meaningful change.

Strengths-based coaching. Leadership development. Participatory practice.

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I work with purpose-driven individuals, emerging leaders and community change-makers to recognise what is already strong in themselves and others, find their voice to express what matters, and create meaningful change in complex organisations, communities and social systems.

THE PROBLEM

Meaningful change starts from within.

Many talented people, teams and communities are trying to create positive change in challenging environments.

Yet too often:

  • Strengths go unrecognised.

  • Valuable voices go unheard.

  • Leadership potential remains untapped.

  • Change feels overwhelming.

  • Communities are defined by problems rather than possibilities.

The result is frustration, burnout and change efforts that struggle to gain momentum.

I believe lasting change happens when people recognise what is already strong in themselves and their communities, and use those strengths to lead from within.

THE SOLUTION

One core belief.

For more than a decade I have worked globally alongside people creating change in complex environments.

My journey has taken me from participatory photography and homelessness services to coaching emerging leaders in policing and Counter Terrorism, supporting culture change, and developing strengths-based leadership programmes.

Along the way I have worked with one core belief:

People and communities already possess strengths, wisdom and leadership potential. Sustainable change happens when these become visible, valued and mobilised.

Today I bring together:

  • EMCC Senior Practitioner coaching

  • VIA Character Strengths

  • Leadership development

  • Participatory methods & Photo Voice Methodologies

  • Inclusive arts practice

  • Community empowerment and social impact

Helping individuals, teams and communities create meaningful and sustainable change.

HOW I WORK

Strengths. Voice. Change.

My work helps people move through three stages:

Discover What Is Strong

Using strengths-based coaching and facilitation, we identify the qualities, values and capabilities that already exist.

Express What Matters

Through coaching conversations, participatory methods and creative approaches, we bring forward perspectives, experiences and ideas that deserve to be heard.

Lead Meaningful Change

Together we translate strengths and insight into action, helping individuals, teams and communities influence the systems they care about.

Ways We Can Work Together

One - to - One Coaching

For purpose-driven professionals and leaders navigating complexity, transition or change.

  • Authentic leadership

  • Character strengths

  • Confidence and influence

  • Purpose and direction

Workshops and Group Programmes

Interactive strengths-based development for teams, leaders and communities.

  • VIA Character Strengths

  • Leadership development

  • Team strengths

  • Train-the-trainer programmes

Participatory Facilitation & Community Engagement

Creative and inclusive approaches that amplify voice and build ownership.

  • PhotoVoice

  • Community leadership

  • Stakeholder engagement

  • Participatory learning and reflection

Work With Me

What people are saying

FINDING CONFIDENCE & VOICE

“Senior sponsors have been amazed at our participants turn around. Cate’s extra effort to help clients and others is testament to her tolerance and understanding of inclusivity and her passion that difference can translate into positive outcomes. Her innovation, determination and professional approach is recognised.”

— Senior Leadership, Police Now

LEADING CHANGE IN COMPLEX ENVIRONMENTS

“A key benefit of my coaching with Cate has been the leadership development and interpersonal skills development. Detectives can often work in teams, interact with diverse communities and collaborate with other law enforcement agencies. Coaching has helped me strengthen communication, conflict resolution and leadership abilities, which enables me to inspire the teams I work with, build trust with the public and navigate complex interpersonal dynamics effectively.”

— Jordan, Former Detective Client

STRENGTHS - BASED LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

“Cate helped me to overcome a sense of imposter syndrome and helped me to draw on my strengths to develop strategies to feel empowered. Since my sessions with Cate I have felt able to support and develop my team with new tools to both bring the team together and promote confidence within the team.”

— Melanie, Team Supervisor

CREATING LASTING IMPACT: FUTURE ROLE MODELS - ACTIVE CHANGE AGENTS

“Cate always challenges participants to set D&I goals and checks in with their own needs. She gets them to think outside the box beyond visible diversity. These conversations lead into further leadership development for participants thinking of themselves as role models. She has heavily supported neurodiverse officers and LGBTQ+ individuals”

— Helena Callow, Performance and Development Manager

A Different Approach to Change

My work is informed by experience across leadership development, participatory photography, inclusive arts practice, coaching and community engagement.

Whether working with emerging leaders, organisations or communities, I bring a strengths-based and participatory approach that helps people uncover what is already strong, express what matters, and build change from within.

    • Change is already present in communities

    • Strengths exist before solutions

    • Voice precedes transformation

    • Participation creates ownership

    • From unheard → to influential

    • From overlooked strengths → to visible capability

    • From external solutions → to internal leadership

    • Strengths-based coaching (VIA)

    • Participatory methods (PhotoVoice)

    • Leadership development

    • Facilitation and workshops

    • Storytelling and inclusive arts practice

Ready to Explore What's Possible?

 Whether you're a passionate individual, a leader, a team, an organisation or a community group, I'd love to hear what change you're trying to create.

Book a free conversation

  • “As part of a leadership coaching program, I was recommended to Cate to work specifically on issues I had identified as challenges in my future promotion process. These focused on my own wellbeing: emotional resilience, establishing boundaries, and accepting my limitations. The mindset shifts as a result of ongoing coaching are even more obvious to me now and I can see how they will gradually take hold and become part of my arsenal to meet future promotion ambitions as well as balance within my working and personal lives.”

    - Acting Police Sergeant, Metropolitan Police

  • “The sessions with Cate helped me to feel confident in tacking my new leadership role. I was very keen to support my new team and talking through that process with Cate really helped me to understand this new role and dynamic that I would now be in with my colleagues.”

    - Melanie, Physiotherapy Supervisor

  • “Coaching with Cate has significantly improved my emotional resilience and stress management. The nature of detective work – investigating violent crimes, dealing with victims and confronting moral dilemmas – can take a serious toll on mental health. Cate’s coaching has provided a confidential space to process these experiences, develop coping strategies and build emotional strength, ensuring I can maintain my peak performance without burnout.”

    – Former Counter Terrorism Fast Track client

  • “Coaching was a huge benefit to me in adapting my skills from my professional sport background to fast track into the Detective Constable role within two years. I do not believe this transition would have been possible without coaching with Cate.”

    - Amy, Detective Constable

  • “Cate Gunn is really good, never believed in coaching, she’s actually great, brought a lot of clarity to me and helped me recontextualise my thoughts.”

    - Former Counter Terrorism Fast Track client

  • “Cate worked with me to identify where things were going wrong and how to access the support I needed. I built on sessions with Cate from just surviving in the role to progressing to a specialist department and goal setting for the future.”

    - Former Detective client

  • “Cate’s positive attitude and approach was a highlight of my programme, helping me to step out of the day to day stresses of the job and reflect positively.”

    - Former Trainee Detective

  • “Cate’s support over two years has been invaluable in helping me develop, building my confidence. I would not be the same person I am today without the coaching sessions which allowed me to reflect and take note of the positive impact I have had. I have gained useful skills to develop within the police for years to come.”

    - Charlie, Detective Constable

  • “A key benefit of my coaching with Cate has been the leadership development and interpersonal skills development. Detectives can often work in teams, interact with diverse communities and collaborate with other law enforcement agencies. Coaching has helped me strengthen communication, conflict resolution and leadership abilities, which enables me to inspire the teams I work with, build trust with the public and navigate complex interpersonal dynamics effectively.”

    - Counter Terrorism fast track participant

  • “Coaching with Cate has made me reflect more on what is important to me, both in work and my wider life outside of work, considering what motivates me and why I am motivated in the specific ways I am, for the specific objectives I am. Since our sessions I have internally reflected more on what drives me and what I want from life outside of work which is a particularly important skill given the high intensity and stress levels of the job that I do.”

    - Counter Terrorism Fast Track participant

  • “Cate really supported me with reflective thinking and considering what is important and relevant in relation to my career development/career boundaries. Overlapping these considerations with my wider life was key, considering how my career focused mentality interacts with, and comes into conflict with my social life and life outside of work.”

    Former Counter Terrorism Fast Track client

  • “Cate has an unending store of positivity and methods to provide solutions to any problem. She is patient, understanding and her advice is tangible, not merely academic.”

    - Addison, Detective Constable

  • “Cate has helped me to identify my strengths and areas to develop, and how I can apply them to perform the role to the best of my ability.”

    - Amy, Detective Constable

  • “Cate is a great listener, enabling you to understand your strengths when most people focus on weaknesses. Cate has kept me on track with my goals and helps me consider how I have progressed.”

    - Former trainee detective

  • “Cate creates a really friendly atmosphere which allows for the discussion of a range of issues and developmental areas to great effect. She really tailors themes to meet my needs.”

    - John, Detective Sergeant

  • “ I felt Cate was knowledgeable in the leadership development field and she was able to provide me with constructive feedback. I took a lot from my time with Cate and still use many of the tools we discussed. She was an excellent coach and I would recommend her highly.”

    - Former client, NHS Team Leader

  • “Cate has massively helped in my development and confidence and has supported me in decision making about career progression with helpful reflections and practical information.”

    - John, Detective Constable

  • “Cate is like a ray of sunshine, I can really rely on Cate to be there to help me think positively about how to improve my outlook and perspectives.”

    - Megan, Detective Constable

  • “Cate really helped me overcome difficult experiences and challenges during my training. I sometimes struggled with feedback and critiques and how to address those. She helped me look at things with fresh eyes and a new perspective. When I have faced challenging mistakes rather than going into a negative spiral she helped me look at the positives that have come from that mistake and see the things I did to rectify the mistake not only for myself but future trainees.”

    - Alumni, Police Now

  • “Cate really tuned into what I needed to help me see and move forward whether it was looking at pictures and images to try and help me verbalise how I was feeling or using apps to help keep me on my coaching path and move forward from where I was. I honestly believe without Cate's positive and friendly coaching style I would not have made it through my training.”

    - Police Now Alumni

  • “Even if I started a coaching session crying uncontrollably by the end I knew what I had to do to move forward mentally, emotionally and physically, always ending the coaching session feeling uplifted and refocused.”

    - Former Trainee Detective

  • “Cate helped me work through my Character Strengths and which parts of my character I might not use as often and how I can develop these parts of my character and try to use them to elicit different responses. Allowing me to rely less on humour often used to deflect or hide from emotions. Cate coached me through different ways to approach difficult conversations and gave me confidence in my own strengths.”

    - Megan, Detective Constable

  • “Cate always gave me time and space to think of my own solutions, giving me confidence in my own thought processes and ways to deal with things. I want to say Cate's coaching has not just helped me inside of my work performance but in my personal life helping me create a better work life balance.”

    - Detective Constable

  • “Cate helped me to overcome a sense of imposter syndrome and helped me to draw on my strengths to develop strategies to feel empowered. Since my sessions with Cate I have felt able to support and develop my team with new tools to both bring the team together and promote confidence within the team.”

    - Former client, NHS Physiotherapy Team Leader

  • “I found the sessions with cate very enjoyable and inspiring. The environment was comfortable and I felt I was able to speak open and honestly to Cate. She challenged my thinking and encouraged me to come up with solutions and strategies to navigate through my new role.”

    - Former client, NHS Supervisor

  • “I would always leave my coaching sessions feeling greatly more confident and accomplished in how far I had come and what I had achieved.

    - Charlotte, Former client

  • “Cate has a collaborative approach and has helped me draw on my own conclusions from reflection. This has enabled me to approach further problems by myself using skills I have developed in coaching.”

    - Former Trainee Detective participant

  • I do not think I could have got through the 2 years without these meetings. It truly has been a massive help to keep me on track. Things we have discussed have not just helped me in my career but in my entire life.”

    - Former Trainee Detective Constable

  • “I view Cate’s coaching as an invaluable tool for me in my role as a detective, offering the strategic support needed to excel in my career, tools to sustain long-term success and to continue to make a profound impact within the communities I police. I feel that investing in these coaching sessions have gained me not only the professional skill enhancement but also a renewed sense of resilience, confidence and fulfilment in my work.”

    - Former Counter Terrorism Fast Track client

  • “My coaching sessions have fostered career growth and personal fulfilment for me. Whether I am preparing for a leadership role, refining investigative techniques or enhancing my life-work balance, Cate’s coaching has helped me set and achieve meaningful goals. It has provided the guidance needed to take on greater responsibilities with confidence whilst maintaining a sense of purpose and motivation within my career.”

    - Fast Track Counter Terrorism participant

  • “Coaching provides a powerful support system that enhances a detectives ability to perform at their best whilst maintaining their well-being.”

    - Counter Terrorism Fast Track participant

  • “Through the guided reflection and discussions I’ve received from Cate, I feel equipped to approach cases with a sharper, more methodical perspective.”

    - Former Counter Terrorism participant