Cognitive Analytic Therapy Sydney

Are you struggling to understand your patterns of behaviour and your expectations of other people’s behaviour?

How can it help?

Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) is an integrated, time-limited (16 – 24 sessions) therapy. The CAT model is collaborative and flexible and can be used as a relational framework and individual therapy. CAT explores:

Forming a trusting relationship with your therapist, which allows you to work together to explore the difficulties you are facing.
Identifying your current problems and how they affect your life and wellbeing.
Looking at the underlying causes of these problems in terms of your earlier life and relationships.
Understanding how you learned to survive sometimes intense and unmanageable feelings by relating to others and yourself in particular ways.
Identifying how these patterns may now be holding you back.
Discovering the choices and ways of doing things differently (‘exits’) that are available to you to make your life better for yourself and those close to you, and
Finding out how you can continue to move forward after the therapy has ended.

What to Expect

In individual therapy, CAT allows the therapist and you to work together to make sense of your thinking, feeling, behaving, and relating patterns to facilitate change. After the first session, you will complete a questionnaire or psychotherapy file asking you what problems or patterns you commonly experience. You may also be given homework tasks such as monitoring your mood or behaviour patterns.

Early therapy sessions will involve hearing your story and trying to understand if some of the problematic patterns you may have learnt in your childhood. The therapist does not need to know every detail, and the work will be paced according to what you feel able to manage. With your therapist, you will begin to piece together patterns that keep you feeling stuck in a negative cycle of emotions. Your therapist will write, with you, a letter describing your story and your patterns to help you choose what you want to focus on.

Find a CBT Therapist

Jono Derkenne

Accredited Mental Health Social Worker

Jono (He/Him) is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker.

Annabel Igoe

Social Worker, Psychotherapist & Yoga

Annabel (She/Her) is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (BSW, MSW), Psychotherapist & Yoga Teacher.

Brooke Smith

Registered Psychologist

Brooke is a Psychologist with a background in the not-for-profit mental health and LGBTIQ health sectors.

Carli McIntyre

Occupational Therapist

Carli is a registered Occupational Therapist with 22 years’ experience in community & hospital mental health.

Chauncey Sjostedt

Gestalt Therapist

Chauncey (She/Her) is a dedicated healthcare professional with over ten years of experience

Read More about Cognitive Analytic Therapy Sydney

Understanding Cognitive Analytical Therapy

Cognitive Analytical Therapy (CAT) is a unique form of psychological therapy that merges the strengths of cognitive-behavioural therapy with psychoanalytical approaches to offer a comprehensive and effective treatment model. This therapy is designed to help individuals understand both their internal mental processes and the relational patterns with others that may contribute to their psychological distress. CAT is particularly effective for addressing a wide range of mental health issues, from anxiety and depression to personality disorders, by focusing on how past experiences shape current behaviours.

What Is Cognitive Analytical Therapy?

Cognitive Analytical Therapy, or CAT, is a form of therapy that is based on the idea that a person’s problems arise from patterns formed in childhood, which continue to influence their adult life. These patterns, referred to as ‘reciprocal roles’, can often be self-perpetuating and maladaptive, leading to personal distress or difficulties in interpersonal relationships.

CAT therapists help clients to identify these patterns and understand how they have evolved. They look at events and relationships that have contributed to these patterns, aiming to help the client recognise and revise these behaviours. This process makes cognitive analytical therapy in Sydney particularly appealing, as it provides a structured yet flexible approach to understanding complex emotional issues.

How Does CAT Work?

The process of CAT in Sydney unfolds over several well-defined stages, each designed to progressively assist clients in understanding and altering their relational patterns and behaviours. The stages include:

Initial Assessment Phase

Mapping out problems: The therapist and client collaboratively map the client’s problematic relational patterns and behaviours.
Use of reformulation tools: Tools such as reformulation letters and diagrammatic reformulation are employed.
Reformulation letters: These are documents written by the therapist that outline the client’s issues, their origins, and the coping mechanisms that have developed over time.
Diagrammatic reformulation: This involves creating visual representations of these patterns, simplifying complex behaviours and making them easier for the client to understand.

Recognition Phase
- Observing patterns: The focus is on identifying and observing these problematic patterns as they occur in daily life.
- Building self-awareness: This stage is crucial for empowering the client with the knowledge and self-awareness necessary to begin challenging their ingrained behaviours.
Revision Phase
- Experimenting with new behaviours: The therapist supports the client in trying new ways of relating to themselves and others.
- Developing healthier strategies: The goal is to develop and solidify healthier behaviours and strategies that replace the old, maladaptive patterns.
- Real-life application: This phase often leads to significant change as clients apply new skills in real situations, which can dramatically improve their mental health and interpersonal relationships.

Benefits of Cognitive Analytical Therapy

CAT offers a range of benefits that address various psychological issues effectively. Below, we explore the benefits of CAT and why it is a preferred choice for therapy in Sydney.

Why Choose CAT in Sydney?

Availability of Skilled Practitioners: Sydney offers a large pool of therapists trained in CAT, ensuring that individuals seeking therapy have access to qualified professionals who understand the complexities of mental health.
High Standards of Practice: Sydney therapists adhere to rigorous national standards for psychological therapies. Their commitment to maintaining high standards means clients receive care that is effective and ethically administered.
Multicultural Sensitivity: Sydney’s diverse cultural backdrop means CAT practitioners are experienced in dealing with a variety of cultural and personal backgrounds, which enhances the therapeutic experience for clients from all walks of life.
Continued Professional Development: CAT therapists in Sydney are involved in ongoing professional development to stay updated with the latest advancements in therapy techniques, ensuring the most current methods are used during sessions.

Personalised Approach to Healing

Individual Assessment: From the outset, CAT involves an individualised assessment to identify each client’s unique patterns and challenges.
Collaborative Relationship: The therapeutic process in CAT is based on a collaborative relationship between the therapist and the client. This partnership empowers clients, making them active participants in their healing journey.
Flexibility in Techniques: CAT therapists employ a variety of techniques adapted to the needs and responses of the client, ensuring the therapy aligns with individual preferences and life contexts.

Long-Term Results and Lasting Change

Improved Mental Health: CAT helps clients resolve past traumas and problematic relationships, leading to significant improvements in mental health symptoms such as anxiety and depression.
Enhanced Relationships: By understanding and altering maladaptive relational patterns, clients learn healthier ways of interacting with others, which can lead to more fulfilling personal and professional relationships.
Greater Self-Awareness: CAT encourages deep exploration of one’s history and behavioural patterns, enhancing self-awareness and promoting self-acceptance.
Sustainable Change: The skills and insights gained during CAT are designed to foster resilience, allowing clients to manage future challenges more effectively. This leads to sustainable mental health improvements, rather than temporary relief.

Ready to Start Your Therapy Journey?

If you’re seeking to explore the benefits of Cognitive Analytical Therapy or other therapeutic approaches, Connecting Mental Health is here to guide you. Book a session today to schedule your initial consultation with one of our experienced therapists in Sydney. We are committed to providing you with the support and expertise needed to help you in your mental health journey effectively.