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Cognitive Analytic Therapy is a talking therapy that looks to develop an understanding of how a person thinks, feels and acts, and how this links to the events and relationships that form the basis for these experiences.
CAT is a time-limited therapy, usually 16 sessions, but the number chosen is based on the needs and situation of the individual. It can be less, such as 8 sessions, or more, such as 24 sessions – or any other number as agreed between the client and therapist.
Central to the experience of CAT is the empathic relationship between the client and therapist. This is held within the therapeutic boundaries, and is used to help develop the understanding of the client’s situation and to find ways of making changes.
CAT is an integrative therapy, bringing together ideas and understanding from different therapeutic approaches. Once the understanding of the problem has begun, and difficulties recognised and named, then different techniques from different approaches can be used to help the person make the changes that they want to make. The individual and therapist consider the different options together and find the ones best suited to that person, or that situation.
CAT can be used as a therapy, working directly with people struggling with mental health problems, of all severities. It can be used to understand and work indirectly with people by focusing on the contextual relationships, either in home/family situations or within professional relationships. It is also a model that can be used to inform practices within supervision, management and organisational contexts.
CAT has been demonstrated as effective in a wide range of clinical settings, for a wide range of emotional and physical health difficulties.
