AN INTRODUCTION TO
COGNITIVE ANALYTIC THERAPY
This approach makes sense of your individual journey and looks back in the first place to the past, to the earliest experiences of being in the world with others, as patterns can often be identified and sense can be made of all manner of difficulties, situations, and ‘symptoms’. Do you recognise patterns? Questions like ‘why do I always end up feeling like this’, or ‘why do my relationships end up like this’ become answerable. CAT aims initially to understand how problems originated and how patterns have become repetitive to negatively impact on relationships and on personal well-being. It is very much a joint venture, nothing like the image of the ‘patient’ lying on the therapy couch whilst the therapist listens to a ‘stream of consciousness’. We will work together to make the unconscious conscious and through this process enable you to have more control over choices that are available to you in life.
Once the focus for the therapy is identified, we will be able to explore the ways in which the patterns can be broken. In-between sessions it may be suggested that you keep a self monitoring diary or do reflective writing. Typically CAT takes place over 16 weekly sessions, although in some cases a longer therapy of between 24 and 32 sessions may be suggested
In CAT, the therapist will write a letter a letter after the first stage of therapy called a ‘reformulation’ letter. This describes what connections so far have been made between past and present in terms of relational patterns or ways of dealing with emotions or relationships based on experience, and describe how patterns have become stuck in either ‘traps’ or ‘snags’ or ‘dilemmas’. This letter shared and worked on together forms the basis of the therapeutic work ahead.
You may also be invited to write letters within the therapy, as writing often help processing of thoughts and feelings and can lead to new insight or understanding. If writing is not your thing this is ok because the CAT therapist also maps out the patterns with you too, and for people who are more ‘visual’ this can be very helpful.
For more information on what it is like to have therapy, visit CAT for me – All About CAT (acat.org.uk).
Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) is a time-limited psychotherapy which requires a commitment to weekly sessions of 50 minutes. I will offer an initial consultation meeting, of up to 90 minutes before offering weekly therapy, so that we can mutually agree a basis to work and usually this will mean consideration of the type of therapy or help and the length/number of sessions. If shorter term or supportive sessions are more suited this can also be considered.
