CAT is an integrative model of human development and of psychotherapy drawing on ideas as mentioned below. It is a fundamentally relational model, both in its view of human development and in its practice of psychotherapy. At its heart is an empathic, respectful and collaborative, meaning-making relationship between the client and therapist within the therapeutic boundaries.
CAT was developed in the early 1980’s by Dr Anthony Ryle at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in London. CAT developed as a public health response to the mental health needs of a busy inner London area, and this concern with access and equity remains at the heart of the model. He felt it important to offer a short-term focussed therapy for use in the health service; a therapy that integrated the best of different approaches to people’s problems and that could be researched and refined with the growing experience of clients and therapists.
Theoretically, CAT draws on:
CAT tries to focus on what a person brings to the therapy (‘target problems’) and the deeper patterns of relating that underlie them. It is less concerned with traditional psychiatric symptoms, syndromes or labels.
CAT has been widely used to help people who have experienced childhood physical, emotional or sexual abuse, neglect and trauma, including people who self-harm. CAT is also used with people with eating disorders, addiction problems (like drugs and alcohol), obsessional problems, anxiety, depression, phobias, psychosis and bipolar illness. CAT therapists also work with adolescents, older people and people with learning difficulties, and in forensic settings.
CAT is mostly offered to individuals, but it can also be used effectively with couples, in groups and to help teams understand the ‘system’ in which they work – an approach called ‘contextual reformulation’.
ACAT can confirm that all the therapists listed on the ACAT Register are accredited CAT Practitioners or Psychotherapists.
CAT Practitioners usually have either core training as a mental health professional (e.g. as a Psychiatrist, Psychologist, Nurse, Social Worker or Occupational Therapist,) with a minimum of two years post-qualification experience, or previous training in counselling to an accredited level followed by a two year training in Cognitive Analytic Therapy with accreditation following successful completion.
CAT Psychotherapists have qualified as CAT Practitioners and have undertaken an additional in-depth two year training leading to this qualification.
To search the register for an Accredited CAT Therapist click here.
To find an Accredited Private CAT Therapist click here.
The Centre for Workforce Intelligence (CfWI) recently completed a Department of Health commissioned review of adult psychological therapies to improve workforce planning. It has recommended a consensus definition of what a psychological therapist is across all therapy modalities and provides data on what is currently known about this workforce - the focus is on non-IAPT services. The report is intended for policymakers and decision-makers across the NHS. ACAT took part in the consultations and we believe this is an important review from ACAT's perspective.
We are pleased that in April 2013, ACAT was accepted as one of the professional bodies currently providing training for psychological therapists. Importantly, the CfWI definition of a psychological therapist includes CAT Practitioners as well as CAT Psychotherapists, and CAT Practitioners are included within existing workforce numbers in the CfWI report.
The report can be found through this link http://www.cfwi.org.uk/publications/improving-workforce-planning-for-the-psychological-therapies-workforce/
11th January 2025
How to run a successful private practice Module One - Offered by Become Psychology
13th January 2025
Newcastle CAT Practitioner Training 2025-27
16th January 2025
ACAT: Two Day Introduction to CAT - Online
31st January 2025
CAT as a Tool for Leadership - offered by Catalyse
25th March 2025
ACAT: Two Day Introduction to CAT - Online
31st March 2025
ACAT: Trainers and Supervisors Meeting
31st March 2025
ACAT: Trainers and Supervisors Meeting
2nd April 2025
ACAT: Relational Skills in CAT Supervision Residential
2nd April 2025
ACAT: Relational Skills in CAT Supervision Residential
8th May 2025
Restoring Regenerating and Rewilding residential - offered by the WildCAT SIG
17th May 2025
EDI Race and Culture CPD workshop - offered by CAT Cumbria
23rd May 2025
29th ACAT National Conference
23rd May 2025
Annual General Meeting
8th July 2025
ACAT: Two Day Introduction to CAT - Online
9th September 2025
ACAT: Two Day Introduction to CAT - Online
11th November 2025
ACAT: Two Day Introduction to CAT - Online
11th November 2025
Developing the CAT model CPD workshop - offered by CAT Cumbria
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