How I work

I initially have a chat with people on the telephone to discuss what they are looking for before meeting up for consultation. If I think another approach would be more appropriate I am up front about saying so. Most of the time however consultation is followed by arranging a regular time to meet for therapy. I use CAT (cognitive analytic therapy) as a framework, I see people for an hour and generally for between 15-30 sessions. I work within ACAT code of practice and ethics, have appropriate supervision and maintain my skills through a commitment to lifelong learning.

My informal therapy space:

Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT)

CAT is a medium term, time limited relational therapy and I like CAT as a model for therapy as it offers balance. There is some structure which helps keep a focus but there is also flexibility allowing the work to be suited to each person’s unique style. There are ‘tasks’ such as diary keeping and letter writing, we also jointly compose a diagrammatic representation of difficult patterns that keep happening. These help people hold the therapy in mind in between sessions and when therapy has finished. However as well as tasks and activity there is space allowing for more difficult feelings to be worked with.  There is a balance between working in the ‘here and now’ looking at the main stresses currently in a persons life and taking a developmental perspective, trying to understand how a person has arrived at this place where they are in difficulty.

There is also a balance between heart and mind. So I would aim to support someone emotionally whilst enabling and developing a capacity to think about the meaning behind our different emotions and how best to manage them.

For more details about CAT please look at the website www.acat.me.uk