What is Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT)?
CAT is a time-limited therapy which focuses on repeating patterns that were set up in childhood as a way of coping with emotional difficulties and deprivations . The CAT therapist and the patient, work together to recognise their maladaptive patterns and then to revise and change the patterns. CAT is particularly helpful for helping patients recognise relationship patterns that continue throughout life and are difficult to change without help. Features specific to CAT include the therapist writing a reformulation letter to the patient early in therapy, which is the working hypothesis for the therapy and helps promote change. The therapy is usually 16-20 sessions with the ending identified from the start. What sort of problems can CAT help with? CAT is used with a wide variety of problems such as relationship difficulties, self-harm, substance misuse and eating disorders. Is there research evidence that it works? There is evidence that CAT is effective for treating general mental health
