Meet Cecily May

Nervous system whisperer. Cycle breaker. Fellow human doing the work.

Hi, I’m Cecily — and I’m so glad you’re here.

I believe that parenting is both a healing journey and a relational one. I’m passionate about helping adults create the safety and connection they may not have received growing up — so they can offer it to the children they love.

My Mission

Every child deserves to feel confident, loved and fully accepted while in connection to their authentic self. But that doesn’t start with behavior charts or perfect routines. It starts with the adults in their lives. After all, Empowered adults empower kids.

That’s why my work focuses on supporting parents, caregivers, teachers, and leaders. When we feel safe and seen, we can show up with presence, compassion, and emotional integrity. That’s what raises resilient kids — and that’s what changes the world.

My Journey

I’m an adoptee who grew up in an unstable family system, shaped by insecurity and survival mode. I didn’t learn what secure attachment looked like — I had to figure it out as an adult.

Over the past 15 years, I’ve been unlearning dysfunction, healing generational wounds, and reparenting myself with deep intention. That journey included: deconstructing my childhood conditioning, forgiving myself and others, relearning how to communicate with clarity and compassion, rebuilding my inner foundation with self-trust, worth, and secure attachment

And now? I get to walk alongside others on that journey too.

Why I Do This Work

My daughter is my daily reminder that cycles can be broken. Our relationship is proof that healing is possible, even when your blueprint was chaos.

I believe that secure relationships don’t require perfection — they require repair, presence, and the courage to keep showing up.

Certifications & Training

I’m a Certified Synergetic Play Provider and trauma-informed coach. My ongoing education includes:

  • LOKA Yoga School: Breathwork Course

  • Synergetic Play Therapy Certification

  • IFSCA: Stepping Deeper & Stepping Stone IFS Courses

  • Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy

  • Integrated Attachment Family Therapy

  • The Embody Lab: Integrated Somatic Trauma

  • Intergenerational Trauma (with Peter Levine)

  • IAO Trauma Recovery Coaching

I’m not here to fix anyone.

I’m here to walk with you — to offer tools, reflection, and a little bit of humor along the way. Growth isn’t about never being dysregulated or feeling triggered. It’s about knowing how to reconnect — with yourself, your child, and the moment you’re in.

If you’re ready to break cycles, nurture safety, and parent with more confidence (and way less overwhelm), I’d be honored to walk alongside you. Let’s build something beautiful — for you, and for the next generation.

Random-ish Facts About Me

  • I’ve somehow been the oldest, youngest, and middle child in different seasons of life. (It’s a long story.)

  • My legal name is Mary-Catherine, but I go by Cecily to save us all from the awkward name fumbles.

  • I lived in Guam for three years and yes — I adopted a Boonie dog. Highly recommend.

  • And yes, back in 2012, I shared a few laughs and social outings with Dave Chappelle while living in Ohio. He’s just as chill and funny as you’d hope.