CAT Practitioner Training: year one

CAT Practitioner Training: year one

The Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) practitioner training year one course is the first part of a two-year training package that is accredited by the Australian and New Zealand Association of Cognitive Analytic Therapy (ANZACAT) and is based on international standards set by the International Cognitive Analytic Therapy Association (ICATA) for the training of CAT practitioners.

The two-year training course has been designed for mental health clinicians working across a range of public or private counselling and mental health settings who wish to train in CAT with the aim of becoming an accredited CAT practitioner. The year one training course provides an opportunity to learn the theory underlying the CAT model, and to have the practical experience of delivering CAT interventions with a minimum of four clients under supervision.

This training course is suitable for those working in counselling, private practice and mental health settings with a core degree (such as social work, psychology, occupational therapy, psychiatric nursing or psychiatry) and some post-qualification psychotherapy experience.  

Course components

The CAT practitioner training year one course consists of nine training days that are offered in five blocks (see dates below), three student-led study sessions, and 40 sessions of CAT supervision to allow practice of CAT interventions. The aim is for students to begin to develop the competencies required to be accredited as a CAT practitioner by ANZACAT.

In most cases the CAT supervision is offered in small groups that meet weekly. Students with suitable existing CAT supervision arrangements can request to continue these as part of the training course.

Students who are unable to attend supervision face-to-face can request to participate via Zoom (or equivalent online platform). They will need a computer, laptop or tablet with internet access and a working camera and microphone. Students must have access to suitable clients as well as permission from their workplace to offer CAT interventions under supervision.

Assessment involves attendance and appropriate participation in training, supervision and three 2.5-hour student-led study sessions, as well as satisfactory completion of four assignments during the year. Three written assignments will be set during the training course; a reflective essay, a written case study and a reflective journal, which is to be updated after each of the three student-led study sessions over the course of the year. In addition, students will be required to give a case presentation to the year one training group. These assignments will be discussed early in the training course, and guidelines will be provided. All the components of year one must be passed satisfactorily in order to move into year two of the course. Please note the CAT practitioner training year one and year two courses may not run consecutively each year, depending on student numbers.

Further details about the assessment requirements and due dates are provided in the year one course outline and course schedule. Places are limited.

Dates

Each day will run from 9.30am-4.30pm. Registration commences at 9.15am.

Days one and two: Wednesday, 8 and Thursday, 9 February 2023.

Days three and four: Wednesday, 10 and Thursday, 11 May 2023.

Day five: Wednesday, 12 July 2023.

Days six and seven: Wednesday, 13 and Thursday, 14 September 2023.

Days eight and nine: Wednesday, 15 and Thursday, 16 November 2023.

Please note: Dates are subject to change. Orygen takes no responsibility for expenses incurred as a result of changed dates.

Location

This training course is delivered at Orygen, 35 Poplar Road, Parkville 3052. Please note that this may change to an online format in response to COVID-19 restrictions.

Cost

 

Amount

Due date

First instalment

$4,425

Wednesday, 25 January 2023

Second instalment

$4,425

Wednesday, 21 June 2023

Total

$8,850

 

 

To apply

Applications for 2023 will be open until 9am on Wednesday, 2 November 2022.

To apply, please complete a course application form and send to training@orygen.org.au. Once accepted into the training course the first instalment can be paid via the web store.

Please contact training@orygen.org.au if you have any questions regarding the application process.

Late marking fee

The CAT training late marking fee will apply to those students wishing to submit their CAT assignments after the due date. A fee of $120 is payable per late assignment via the web store.

Presenter bios

Dr Fritha Melville

Dr Fritha Melville is a clinical psychologist and is an accredited cognitive analytic therapy (CAT) practitioner, supervisor and trainer.

Fritha has extensive clinical experience working in youth mental health, with young people experiencing a range of complex and severe mental health difficulties, and their families.

She coordinated the Helping Young People Early (HYPE) program that provides early intervention for young people with personality disorder. She has also worked in private practice, as a clinical specialist in the refugee sector, and provided consultation to community programs working with young people with complex needs. She has worked for several years in the HYPE service development program, offering specialist CAT training and associated knowledge translation activities.

In her current role within the Orygen clinical training service, she coordinates the development and support of Orygen’s clinical workforce. For a number of years, Fritha was an executive committee member of the Australian and New Zealand Association for Cognitive Analytic Therapy (ANZACAT).

Dr Reem Ramadan

Dr Reem Ramadan is a clinical psychologist and is an accredited cognitive analytic therapy (CAT) practitioner, supervisor and trainer. She has exceptional specialist clinical skills developed while working in public mental health in the UK and Australia.

She now specialises in youth mental health. She worked as a senior clinician in the Helping Young People Early (HYPE) program, which provides early intervention to young people with personality disorder, and she currently coordinates the specialist eating disorder stream of care at Orygen.

She provides consultation and workforce development opportunities to clinicians working with young people with complex needs, and has presented her work at international conferences. Reem has been working in the HYPE service development program for a number of years, coordinating the two-year CAT training program, and providing training on relational approaches to youth mental health.

She sits on the clinical standards and training committee of the Australian and New Zealand Association for Cognitive Analytic Therapy (ANZACAT).