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"I often tell my patients that until you notice something about yourself, you cannot change it. In this sense, therapy is about talking with a trusted person to think about what troubles you in your life and why it always feels as though history repeats itself."

I am a Cognitive Analytic Therapist, (sometimes called a CAT Therapist) which means I practice a specific form of time-limited psychotherapy, that happens weekly for a total of 16 or 24 sessions.

Whether your difficulties are with your work, friendships, family or romantic interests (or all of them), getting stuck in repeating relational and behavioural patterns, makes starting afresh and doing something differently, really hard to do.

To see my "I Want Great Care" review page from previous clients, click HERE.

Private therapy with...

Hayden Stothard

Accredited Cognitive Analytic Therapist and Clinical Supervisor

The History of CAT

Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) was first developed in the U.K in the early 1980's by the late Dr Tony Ryle, while he was working at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in London.

CAT attracted a lot of attention as it aimed at translating many of the psychoanalytic approaches into a model that would allow a wide range of healthcare professionals to practice it. It did this by simplifying the jargon that was often a barrier to patients and condensing it down into a time-limited offer, that previously made psychotherapy unreachable for many people privately or equally, less desirable to the NHS for wider adoption.

At it's core, CAT is a relational, brief form of psychotherapy that helps patients to understand how their early attachments with significant others has shaped the way that they relate to the world now, and the cognitive and behavioural patterns that live on, that no longer help but keep them stuck.

What makes Cognitive Analytic Therapy different?

CAT is very different from CBT. Instead of focusing on symptoms like anxiety and teaching coping techniques, we will explore the root causes of the problem.

CAT differs from Counselling. Over 4-6 months, we explore your history and create a therapy map to identify relational patterns, enhancing awareness and goal-setting that you can use in between your sessions.

CAT differs from traditional Psychotherapy. In CAT, I actively engage by asking questions, sharing my thoughts, and expressing feelings. We focus on building a real, trusting relationship to collaboratively explore your life's challenges and recurring patterns.

We also use specific CAT tools. Within the first 6 weeks, I will write and read a letter to you, detailing your history and therapy goals. At the end of therapy, I will read a final goodbye letter summarising our achievements and future areas to work on. These are all tools that you can then refer back to in the future once therapy is finished.

**New for 2024** You will receive a free copy of "My Cognitive Analytic Therapy Diary" to accompany you during your therapy. ( You can read more about it at www.cato.training/mycatdiary )

Why chose a time limited therapy?

Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) is offered as either 16 or 24 sessions. After we have met on 4 or 5 occasions, we decide the total number of sessions together once we have explored some of your history.

By limiting session numbers, it maintains the momentum of therapy, preventing procrastination, and encourages you to try new relational approaches while in therapy, rather than after.

CAT also includes 1 or 2 follow-up sessions, typically a month after the final session, allowing for reflection, clarification, and future planning.

"It's my job as your therapist, to help you notice these

patterns and to start making changes in your life"

About me:

I have worked in healthcare since 2006, initially training as a Learning Disability Nurse. In 2012, I also registered as a Mental Health Nurse, and primarily worked in the community with children, families, and adults in the NHS.

From 2016 to 2019, I trained as a Cognitive Analytic Therapist in South London and hold full accreditation from the UK Association for Cognitive Analytic Therapy (ACAT) and in addition, I am now a qualified clinical supervisor of others CAT therapists.

I am appointed as the Co-Vice Chair for the Board of Trustees at the Association for Cognitive Analytic therapy, our governing body in the UK.

Clinical areas of interest:

Cognitive Analytic Therapy is a trans-diagnostic therapy, which means it can effectively be used with any presentation, so this list is not exhaustive, but I do have some particular areas of clinical interest in which I apply CAT;

Autism
Borderline Personality Disorder
Childhood Trauma
Narcissism
Parents/Carers
Professional development and entrepreneurism

As a Registered Nurse & Therapist, I abide by the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) code of conduct, as well as the code of Ethics and Practice set out by the Association of Cognitive Analytic Therapy.

As part of these codes of conduct and to ensure I provide the best quality service possible, I regularly access clinical supervision and engage in Continued Professional Development (CPD) activities.

To check my current NMC registration status, please click HERE.

My consulting room

Availability:

I currently practice privately on Monday and Tuesdays (all day), Wednesday (am) Thursday (am) and Friday (am) each week.

Appointments can be in-person or online, with some flexibility possible with prior discussion.

My ethos is to charge fairly and in doing so, to provide quality therapy over quantity. I achieve this by intentionally limiting the number of clients that I will work with at one time, to make sure that I can hold your story in my mind fully.

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Find out about My CAT Diary