Oxford Handbook of Cognitive Analytic Therapy

The Oxford Handbook of Cognitive Analytic Therapy presents a comprehensive guide to the cognitive analytic therapy (CAT) model. It balances established theory and practice alongside a focus on innovation in both direct work with clients and the application of CAT more broadly within teams, organizations, and training, and as a model for leadership.

The volume includes a range of innovations in ’doing’ and ’using’ CAT, which are directly applicable for those studying and working in health, social care, and private services, across many specialties encompassing the entire lifespan. This includes child and adolescent services; working age through to older adults; individuals engaged with mental health services and within forensic and prison populations; and those experiencing physical health and neurological difficulties, both in community and inpatient settings. Given the social and dialogic origins of CAT, the book acknowledges the importance of the wider social, cultural, and political factors that can shape an individual’s understanding of self and other, with chapters that both apply a CAT understanding to key issues such as racism and social context, and provide a critique to the extent in which CAT engages with these issues in practice.

This volume also has a focus on professional standards and governance (encompassing training, supervision, and a competency framework), and throughout the book the editors have endeavoured to include clients’ voices, including personal reflections, extracts from actual CATs, and co-produced chapters, to ensure the book holds true to the collaborative nature of CAT.

Laura Brummer, Clinical Director, East Sussex CDS, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Sussex, UK, Marisol Cavieres, Lead Clinical Psychologist for Acute Care in Wiltshire, Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP), UK, Ranil Tan, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Leeds and York Partnerships NHS Foundation Trust, Leeds, UK

Dr Laura Brummer is a clinical director for Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, a consultant clinical psychologist and accredited cognitive analytic therapist and supervisor. Laura gained her DClinPsy from the University of Southampton and a PgDip in professional practice in health care (leadership and innovation) from Bucks New University. She gained her accreditation as a cognitive analytic therapist with Sheffield Hallam University and is also accredited with the Society for Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (SfDBT) as a therapist and supervisor. Laura has spent her career in psychology working in mental health services in the NHS. Laura has a special interest and passion for working with adults with mental health needs and improving how the NHS delivers services to working age adults and older people. Alongside her clinical work, Laura has co-authored ’Cognitive Analytic Therapy, Distinctive Features’ published in 2018, as well as a number of research articles.

Dr Marisol Cavieres is a principal clinical psychologist, and accredited cognitive analytic therapist, supervisor, trainer, and moderator of cognitive analytic therapy (CAT) training courses. Marisol gained her BSc (Hons) and DClinPsy from the University of Liverpool. Throughout her career, Marisol has worked in adult mental health within the NHS and independent practice, in the UK and New Zealand (NZ). Over the past two decades Marisol has provided a range of accredited CAT trainings in the UK and internationally. She was course director for accredited CAT skills courses and helped to establish CAT training within NZ. Marisol has a particular interest in the adaptation of CAT as a brief intervention within acute mental health in-patient settings, and the use of reformulation to emphasise a relational perspective to provision of care. Marisol works for Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust as the lead clinical psychologist for acute care in Wiltshire.

Dr. Ranil Tan is a consultant clinical psychologist, and accredited cognitive analytic therapist and supervisor. Ranil gained his BSc (Hons) from York University, and his DClinPsy from the Universities of Keele and Staffordshire. Ranil works for the Leeds and York Partnerships NHS Foundation Trust, and has worked in the NHS for 20 years. Ranil has predominantly worked in specialist services for those with experiences of psychosis and those who have complex emotional and interpersonal difficulties (across both community and inpatient settings). Ranil has a particular interest in relational approaches to mental health care, as well as the social and political sources of distress. He has published a number of articles in these areas. Ranil is involved in the development and delivery of workshops and training in relation to CAT both within and outside of the NHS.