Manchester CAT Psychological Services

Manchester CAT Psychological Services offers psychological therapy, clinical supervision, training and other services.  It draws upon the cognitive analytic therapy (CAT) approach.

The cognitive analytic therapy model is used in a number of ways to help people describe and map complex psychological issues in accessible ways. This can be a first step in freeing up situations which have become stuck. Change can feel more possible and the CAT approach can help to shine a light on possibilities for moving on.

CAT as a talking therapy

As a talking therapy, CAT involves both you and your therapist working alongside each other.  The aim is to develop a shared understanding of the emotional difficulties that brought you into therapy. CAT helps to make clear patterns of thinking, feeling  and behaviour that cause you upset and difficulty in the present.  These may be linked to important relationships in your past and present, and other influences in your social world.  As you and your therapist build a shared understanding of these factors, together you can identify areas for change. 

CAT therapy involves working together to explore possibilities for change that work for you, in your own particular circumstances. This is usually for a set period of 8, 16 or 24 sessions.

Read more about CAT as a talking therapy  by clicking here.

Supervision

As a supervisory approach, CAT can support you as a therapist or service provider in delivering your own work. It can help to make sense of processes which may be taking you off track.

Training

A CAT perspective can enrich learning and training related to topics in mental and physical health and wellbeing. The model can helpfully inform training around many issues and topics.

Community groups and organisations can draw on CAT ideas as a way to support their work and develop strategies help them survive and develop.   This could be through consultation, reflective practice for your team, or training sessions.

Manchester CAT Psychological Services works with you, in your particular context, to adapt cognitive analytic therapy approaches to help you meet your goals.

To read about an example of a bespoke training session provided in 2021, click here.