An update about our CPD offer for the rest of 2025:-

Short notice availability: CAT in the Perinatal Period online ~ 9/16 September

If you missed Sarah Douglass’ in-person CPD day in June , there is another chance to join her and international colleagues for a repeat, split over two online morning workshops on 9th and 16th September. But you’ll have to move quickly, as booking closes this coming Friday, 22nd August. The workshops are relevant to trainee and qualified CATs, other therapists, plus CAT-interested professionals working in the perinatal field. We are offering them at the lower ‘ACAT member’ fee for all; online payments only. Please alert any colleagues who may be interested, especially those who like an early start to their day! Details are at: CAT in the Perinatal Period: two 3-hour online workshops led by Sarah Douglass ~ 9/16 September 7-10 am UK time 

ACAT-Accredited CAT Supervisor Training Workshop ~ 4/5 December ~ Manchester

An in-person, non-residential, northern opportunity to complete Module 2 of ACAT’s CAT Supervisor Training Pathway. This workshop (with additional online pre- and post-training information sessions) offers you two solid days with Mark Evans and Glenys Parry focussing on a relational approach to CAT supervision and potential challenges in the supervision relationship. There will be presentations, skills demonstrations, role play and a chance to explore your own supervisory style. The online information/Q&A sessions with Dawn Bennett will help you be clear about stages in the training pathway to become an accredited CAT Supervisor. Following the in-person workshop, Dawn will facilitate the participant group’s exploration of setting up your own supervision groups (Module 3) as a next step in the process.

We very much encourage those who are eligible to train as CAT supervisors to do so in support of the expansion of CAT training both locally in your own Trusts and services, and nationally. Build your skills and confidence as a CAT Supervisor so you can be a part of these exciting developments. Existing CAT supervisors seeking to refresh their supervision-related CPD, and others not intending to seek accreditation, are also most welcome to attend.  All details are at: ACAT accredited 2-day in-person workshop in CAT Supervisor Training (plus online pre-meet and follow-up Q&A session ~ led by Mark Evans, Glenys Parry and Dawn Bennett ~ in-person component on 4/5 December 2025

CAT as a Tool for Leadership ~ 12 December ~ Online

David Harvey offers another online opportunity to attend his very popular day workshop on how CAT can assist you in a leadership role. The day is particularly suited to those working in, or supporting others working in, traumatised systems where CAT’s multiple self states model can be helpfully applied to help improve care and manage difficult feelings and systemic processes. A handful of spaces are still available and full details are at:  CAT as a Tool for Leadership led by David Harvey ~ 12th December 2025 

Our other two previously announced CPD offers for 2025 are filling up, but you can still book places for either of these:

Integrating CAT for Complexity ~ 24 September ~ Liverpool

Join the Spring House team in Liverpool to hear about their specialist NHS community service approach to working with people diagnosed with severe ‘personality disorder’ and complex trauma. This day provides participants with an understanding of the theory and practice of working with those attracting such diagnoses. You’ll learn about underpinning CAT theory plus practical applications within the Spring House approach, including consultative work with the teams and services around this client group. You will also have a chance to draw on both team members’ and other participants’ perspectives through group discussion and exercises, live supervision of clinical dilemmas, and open questions. Full details are at: Integrating CAT for Complexity: a specialist NHS community service approach to working with people diagnosed with severe personality disorder and complex trauma ~ a one day in-person workshop led by Simon Graham and team colleagues from Liverpool’s Spring House Service ~ 24 September 2025

Enhancing CAT through Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy ~ 28 November ~ Manchester

Maria Kaltsi and Melanie Lee return for a second run of their day workshop introducing the IFS approach and how this sits alongside their CAT practice. In addition to presentations and experiential learning about IFS therapy, Maria and Melanie will facilitate open dialogue to help you explore the similarities, overlaps, and challenges of integrating CAT and IFS. Full details are at: Enhancing CAT through Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy ~ a one day in-person workshop led by Maria Kaltsi and Melanie Lee ~ 28 November 2025

Stay updated about new CPD events by bookmarking and checking our Forthcoming Catalyse Events page. You can also ask to join our mailing list to receive regular bulletins about Catalyse events and other news.

In this blog, Rhona Brown shares reflections on Sarah Douglass’ presentation at the Oxford Handbook of CAT launch event, ahead of Sarah’s full CPD day on CAT in the Perinatal Period taking place in Manchester on 20 June 2025.

One of the highlights, for me, of last April’s launch event for Brummer, Cavieres’ and Tan’s Oxford Handbook of Cognitive Analytic Therapy was the second presentation. This was led by Sarah Douglass on her chapter ‘CAT in the Perinatal Period’. As a trainer co-delivering an early practitioner training day on infant development and the social self for the Catalyse practitioner course, it was helpful to hear Sarah transpose Daniel Stern’s (1995) ideas on ‘The Motherhood Constellation’ into CAT tasks. In this she drew on specific CAT tools and approaches relevant to the challenges in parenthood of maintaining a baby’s survival and growth while attending to the parent’s own needs in order to do so. Throughout, she referred to the therapist’s task of “keeping two in mind” in supporting this endeavour.

In the first half of our practitioner training day Kate Fox and I introduce the work of Stern alongside other early developmental theorists relevant to CAT, including the late Colwyn Trevarthan. We refer to the close parent-infant observation developed particularly by Beatrice Beebe. However what Sarah packed in to her 40 minutes’ presentation slot brought to life what Kate and I only manage to touch on in a full morning.

Since adding CAT to her existing portfolio of clinical psychologist skills, Sarah has specialised in the perinatal mental health area. This was firstly as lead psychologist in a specialist perinatal mental health team in Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. More recently she took up a role in Cardiff developing psychological services for baby loss and staff support. This work is based in Wales’ first psychological service in maternity. The specialised nature of Sarah’s role integrates not only CAT but other approaches like Video Interaction Guidance (VIG). This is another therapeutic tool aimed at supporting warmth and attunement in parent-infant interactions.

In last April’s presentation, Sarah drew on Alison Jenaway’s work on parenting and baby mapping. Additionally she referenced classic psychoanalytic literature like Fraiberg, Adelson and Shapiro’s (1975) Ghosts in the Nursery. For me, what really brought her session to life were passages she shared from mothers who’d made use of CAT in pregnancy & the perinatal period. Their moving testimony & reflections formed part of the Oxford Handbook chapter. She imparted a sense of profound optimism about the capacity for growth, change and relational enrichment even when parents were tackling significant mental health and other challenges.

Sarah graduated as a CAT practitioner from our 2015-2017 training cohort, prior to there being an established equivalent in South Wales. She now contributes to her local course as a marker and trainer. As an ACAT accredited CAT Supervisor she also supports South Wales and Catalyse course trainees working in perinatal services. At our 2019 conference she offered a workshop on what was an emerging area of work at that time. We’re delighted that she’s now returning to the north to run this full day on CAT in the Perinatal Period on June 20th.

The day will be of benefit to both trainee and qualified CATs. Many other non-CAT therapists may be working in this area, perhaps acting as perinatal champions in other talking therapies services. Sarah will include an accessible orientation to CAT in the context of perinatal work, for all. By bringing together those interested or already working in this field, the day will act as a gathering point for a growing community of practice in perinatal CAT.

We also expect that the day may be of interest to therapists and trainers working in any clinical area where the impact of early parenting relationships and transgenerational influences are key. After all, as Sarah ended with at her London session, a heartening paraphrasing of Vygotsky may apply in a preventative vein to many areas of therapeutic work. “What a client does with their therapist today, she will do on her own and with her infant tomorrow”.

For more details and booking options, go to https://catalyse.uk.com/cpd/cat-in-the-perinatal-period-20-june-2025/

The bad news: both of David Harvey’s’ CAT as a Tool for Leadership’ events in January and February are now fully booked up. If you weren’t quick enough to secure a place but want to attend another then do let us know. It’d be useful to hear whether you are interested in an in person or online repeat.

The good news: we have not one, but two, new CPD events in the calendar for 2025. First up is Kathryn Pemberton, one of our training team for the Practitioner Course. She will lead a day on CAT and Eating Disorders on Friday 21st March in Manchester. This will be an opportunity to think creatively with colleagues about this area of work. Kathryn will share her approach from assessment to follow up sessions, through to team enactments. She will draw on her own specialised practice in this area. The day will provide space to think about both process and content in therapy, and reflect on use of self in clinical practice.

Next up, Jenny Marshall and David Harvey are co-leading a day on CAT Reflective Practice: Skills for Facilitation on Thursday 8th May in Manchester. Reflective practice has become a staple of using CAT in support of teams and services, and there is much demand for it from a number of sectors. However even seasoned CATs may have found that while offering this as an intervention, they may not have had an opportunity for CAT-specific learning around the area. Alongside her trainer role with the Practitioner training, Jenny has of course co-authored a book specifically about applications of reflective practice in forensic work. David penned a chapter for this too. They will bring their collective experience, and help you reflect on the RP facilitator role. You can practise skills in a safe learning environment with colleagues. The day will help you create your own development plan going forward, whatever your level of experience.

You can book on to one or both by following the links above. We look forward seeing some of you there.