Would you like to be part of the growth of CAT?
There has been a marked increase in demand for CAT Practitioner training since 2022. Here at the Catalyse course, applications have almost doubled for the annual intake. We responded by increasing the cohort size but the numbers continue to grow. Alongside this, the number of CAT Foundation trainees completing the equivalent year 1 of practitioner training and joining our course for year 2 has also increased.
NHS England has identified high demand for CAT training since 2023 when they began to commission places for NHS staff. Availability of NHSE funded places has possibly increased visibility and in turn maintained demand at these high levels.
The good news is that we expect NHS England to invite tenders in the autumn to continue to commission CAT training to run from 2027. We very much welcome this continued investment in CAT. Research evidence supporting CAT as an effective, versatile therapy acceptable to clients, and valued by staff, continues to accumulate. You can read more about recent publications, current trials, and presentations at ACAT’s 2026 conference, through the ACAT site (eg see CAT’s Evidence Base). Professor Steven Kellett has also provided this summary for which we are grateful.
So, surely this is all good news?
Yes, CAT is thriving! However, along with growth comes a need to underpin it. We continue to need CAT graduates, both Practitioners and Psychotherapists, to support this further growth. As training numbers increase, so does the need for markers, training therapists, seminar facilitators, trainers and support roles within course teams. Courses across the UK welcome hearing from those who would like to contribute to any course roles.
However, we are particularly keen to engage and welcome supervisors and markers. We specifically need supervisors who can offer in-person supervision to trainees across the UK. Training is expanding where we may have access to few supervisors currently. It is also continuing in areas where supervisors are already at capacity. Supervision for practitioner training is ideally provided in person (and required for a minimum of 50% of sessions) so we really want to build capacity for this.
Marker training is provided through courses who always welcome CATs wishing to do this. Supervisor training is also a good basis for confident marking.
How do I train as a Supervisor?
ACAT accredited Supervisor training is an apprenticeship model, the process of which is outlined in this ACAT page. Many of you may already meet Module 1 requirements. These include generic training and experience of supervision. Module 2 is attendance at an ACAT accredited 2.5 day training. In Module 3 you then run your own group, under supervision, over a minimum of 6 months. You submit a portfolio and a piece of reflective writing based on your experience of leading the group. Finally Modules 4-6 involve completing additional CPD to suit your own learning needs.
Module 2 is offered in a number of sites across UK to support local courses and as a residential weekend run by ACAT. This takes place annually in Evesham.
Here in the north, we at Catalyse offer the Module 2 course on a non-residential basis. This year it takes place in Manchester on 26th & 27th November. After completing these two days you have the option to attend a further follow up meeting, arranged when convenient for the group.
Will there be benefits for me too?
Well, new CAT supervisors say that they really value offering supervision. What they anticipated would be mainly challenging has been mainly rewarding. For many they are surprised that it has become the best part of their week. The training, especially running the training group and supervision at all levels afterwards:
- allows you to recognise and appreciate your own growing competence in the model, helping you ‘know what you know’ and feel more confident in that;
- helps you see what you’re not sure about, and to grow through exploring ideas along with your supervisees, as well as through your own CPD or supervision;
- brings you into contact with, and refreshed by, the enthusiasm of clinicians keen to learn about CAT – that energy can be contagious;
- can of course be challenging at times, for example through ethical issues, treading the boundaries between evaluation, support, personal material as it impacts on therapeutic work, our own blind spots etc – but all this also helps to maintain reflectivity and growth as a therapist and supervisor; and
- pride and/or connection in being part of a reciprocal and constructive community of CATs, helping to bring the model to new client groups, services, clinicians and managers.
We hope you’ll be be interested to be the next generation of supervisors for CAT and invite you explore taking that next step.
