Cognitive Analytic Therapy in Psycho-Oncology

Cognitive analytic therapy (CAT) is an integrative and highly relational model of psychotherapy that makes sense of early patterns of relating and their contribution to current dynamics. The use of CAT in psycho-oncology is being explored with encouraging results. Potentially, CAT has utility for a range of clinical problems, including both psychological problems in coping with cancer and more systemic issues involving staff. CAT is characterised by a proactive and collaborative therapeutic style, which makes use of explicit strategies to understand relationship patterns that lead to maladaptive coping. It stresses the importance of time limitation. CAT may be delivered on an individual, group or family basis. CAT offers a robust and coherent conceptual framework within which a range of interventions can be undertaken addressing, for example, symptomatic behaviours, traumatic memories, grief or more existential issues. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd