Association for Cognitive Analytic Therapy

Who we are

ACAT is a charity dedicated to advancing Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) through training, accreditation and the provision of continuous professional development to CAT Therapists. Also, through research and promotion of CAT as a valuable and valued talking therapy.

ACAT is a national association of members, with a membership of around 1000 individual members.

Cognitive Analytic Therapy began as a public health response to the mental health needs of a busy inner London area in the 1980s. The concern with access and equity remains at the heart of the model.

ACAT supports the current community of CAT professionals in the UK, maintaining standards and good practice.

Our culture and values

ACAT's aims are

To educate health professionals and to promote proper standards and good practice in cognitive analytic therapy.

To increase awareness and understanding of cognitive analytic therapy amongst health professionals, service providers and the public.

Through our aims, we contribute to the development, maintenance and auditing of all CAT training courses in the UK, and we accredit CAT trainees at different levels of training.  ACAT functions as the guardian of standards within CAT, embodied in our Codes of Ethics and Practice and our Complaints Procedures.  We support research and the continuing professional development of all our members.  

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

ACAT is committed to celebrating diversity and all the strengths this can bring to society, to communities and organisations and to our own thinking.  As an organisation we are also committed to working towards the ending of discrimination of any kind. The organisation is mindful of both advantage and disadvantage and their impact on life chances and opportunity. The CAT model of therapy includes the way social advantage and disadvantage, ability and disability, and being part of majority groups and minoritised groups, can impact on how people feel about themselves and how they experience the world.

As an organisation, we are committed to recognising and addressing systemic bias across a range of areas, and embedding equity and inclusion across all parts of the organisation.  This includes in our practice, our policies and protocols, and in the support that we offer to trainees, practitioners and to those who seek CAT therapy.