Association for Cognitive Analytic Therapy (ACAT)

What Association for Cognitive Analytic Therapy (ACAT) does

The Association for Cognitive Analytic Therapy (ACAT) is a UK-based professional membership association and registered charity (Charity No 1141793) that maintains standards and accreditation for Cognitive Analytic Therapy practitioners across the United Kingdom. The organization traces its intellectual lineage to the 1980s, when Cognitive Analytic Therapy was developed as a public health response to mental health needs in inner London, with access and equity embedded into the model. ACAT operates as a private limited company (Company Registered in England 06063084) headquartered in Dorchester, Dorset, with 17 employees.

ACAT's core offering is a tiered accredited training pathway spanning two-day Introductory courses, CAT Skills Case Management Training, Foundation Training, Practitioner Training, Psychotherapy Training (IRRAPT), and Supervisor Training. Beyond training, ACAT operates a professional membership program, publishes an in-house journal called Reformulation, curates the CAT evidence base, and runs Special Interest Groups (including PhysCAT) and local CAT networks. International collaboration is facilitated through ICATA (International Cognitive Analytic Therapy Association), and a public-facing Find a Member/CAT Professional directory connects individuals seeking therapy with accredited practitioners.

The business model is built on two primary revenue streams: recurring professional membership subscriptions and professional services fees for accredited training programs. GTM is community-led, relying on website content, professional networks, and industry events rather than paid digital marketing. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The primary customer segment is mental health professionals pursuing CAT accreditation; a secondary segment is individuals seeking to locate qualified CAT therapists through the member directory. The association maintains a strategic affiliation with the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP).

Name

Association for Cognitive Analytic Therapy (ACAT)

Legal name

Association for Cognitive Analytic Therapy Ltd

Website

https://acat.me.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Association for Cognitive Analytic Therapy (ACAT) is a UK registered charity and professional membership body that accredits and trains Cognitive Analytic Therapy practitioners across the United Kingdom, offering tiered training programs, membership services, and a public therapist directory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Psychotherapy Training and Accreditation

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Support Services (611710), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Programmatic Accreditors (Discipline/Profession-Specific) (EDADACAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

National/Institutional Accreditors (Career, Faith-Based, Distance, etc.) (EDADACAB)

Keywords

• Psychotherapy training
• Professional accreditation
• Mental health membership
• Cognitive analytic therapy
• Therapist certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Dorchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Professional Membership: ACAT generates revenue through professional membership fees, providing members with access to resources, member-only content, and professional community.
2. Training Course Fees: Revenue from accredited training programs including Introductory CAT Courses, CAT Foundation Training, CAT Practitioner Training, CAT Supervisor Training, and CAT Psychotherapy Training (IRRAPT).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

ACAT provides accredited training programmes, professional accreditation, and membership services for practitioners of Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) in the United Kingdom. Its offerings span introductory, foundation, practitioner, supervisor, and psychotherapy (IRRAPT) level courses, complemented by an in-house journal, a member-only resource library, and a public directory connecting individuals with accredited CAT therapists.

Product overview

ACAT is the Association for Cognitive Analytic Therapy, a professional membership organisation rather than a product company. It offers a portfolio of accredited training programs spanning from introductory two-day courses through to practitioner and psychotherapy (IRRAPT) levels, along with supervisor training. The organisation provides member services including access to an in-house publication (Reformulation), member-only resources, a searchable directory of qualified CAT professionals, research evidence base resources, and networking opportunities through local networks and international ICATA connections. The core offering is professional accreditation and training for Cognitive Analytic Therapy practitioners in the UK.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Introductory CAT Courses Two-day introductory courses providing a foundational understanding of Cognitive Analytic Therapy for mental health professionals new to the approach.
• CAT Skills Case Management Training Training programme focused on developing case management skills using Cognitive Analytic Therapy techniques for clinicians and practitioners.
• CAT Foundation Training Foundation-level accredited training establishing core competencies in Cognitive Analytic Therapy practice for therapists and clinicians.
• CAT Practitioner Training Advanced accredited practitioner-level training for professionals seeking to practise Cognitive Analytic Therapy in clinical settings.
• CAT Psychotherapy Training (IRRAPT) Specialised psychotherapy-level training (IRRAPT) for advanced practitioners seeking to deliver Cognitive Analytic Therapy at the highest clinical level.
• CAT Supervisor Training Accredited training programme for qualified CAT practitioners to develop supervision skills for overseeing other CAT therapists.
• ACAT Membership Professional membership programme providing access to member-only resources, the community of CAT professionals, the Reformulation journal, and accreditation services for practising therapists in the UK.
• Reformulation (ACAT In-House Publication) ACAT's official in-house journal publishing reformulation articles and scholarly content related to Cognitive Analytic Therapy for members and the wider CAT community.
• Find a CAT Professional/Therapist Directory Searchable public directory connecting individuals seeking therapy with qualified CAT therapists, practitioners, and supervisors accredited by ACAT across the UK.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)coreOthersACAT displays the UKCP logo on its website, indicating a professional association relationship with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy. UKCP is a leading professional body for psychotherapy in the UK.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• International Cognitive Analytic Therapy Association (ICATA): ICATA is the international sister organization to ACAT, linking CAT professionals globally. Comparable because both promote CAT standards and good practice, but ICATA's geographic focus is outside the UK and serves as a complementary rather than competing body.
• Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body (CPCAB): CPCAB awards regulated qualifications in counselling and psychotherapy and accredits training centres across the UK. Comparable to ACAT because both accredit training programs and practitioners, though CPCAB focuses on competency-based qualifications rather than a single therapeutic modality.

Broad incumbents

• British Psychological Society (BPS): BPS is the UK's chartered professional body for psychologists, accrediting training programs and accrediting practitioner psychologists. It is a broader incumbent in the same professional development and accreditation category, serving overlapping mental health professionals.
• National Counselling Society (NCS): NCS is a UK professional body accrediting counsellors and psychotherapists, with training recognition and a public therapist directory. Comparable to ACAT as a credentialing and membership organization serving mental health professionals, but operating across multiple modalities.
• British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP): The largest UK professional body for counselling and psychotherapy, BACP accredits practitioners, runs training programs, and maintains a public therapist directory. Highly comparable to ACAT as a membership and accreditation organization, but operating at far greater scale across multiple modalities.

Others

• UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) Training Institutes: UKCP-accredited training institutes deliver psychotherapy training that competes with ACAT's accredited courses. They are adjacent ecosystem participants that share customer overlap with ACAT's training programs.

Direct peers

• Association for Family Therapy (AFT): AFT is the UK professional body for family and systemic therapy, providing accredited training pathways, membership, and public directory services. It is a direct comparable as a UK-based, modality-specific psychotherapy membership and accreditation organization of similar size.
• British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP): BABCP is the UK accreditation body for CBT practitioners, providing accredited training pathways, membership, and a practitioner directory. It is the closest direct competitor to ACAT in terms of modality-specific accreditation, training revenue model, and therapist directory business model.
• EMDR UK & Ireland Association: EMDR UK & Ireland is the UK professional body for EMDR therapists, offering accredited training pathways, accreditation, and a clinician directory. Comparable to ACAT because both are modality-specific UK psychotherapy associations with similar training ladder and membership structures.
• United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP): UKCP is the leading UK umbrella body for psychotherapy organizations and ACAT is explicitly affiliated with UKCP. UKCP accredits member organizations (like ACAT) and maintains registers of psychotherapists; it is the most directly comparable professional accreditation body in the UK psychotherapy space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-for-cognitive-analytic-therapy

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Association for Cognitive Analytic Therapy (ACAT)