Speakers

Keynote Speakers

Professor of Social Engagement and the Humanities

‘Narrative and its limits’

Tackling Racial Inequality in Leeds Mental Health Services –‘dismantling the master’s house with new tools’

Abstract

This session examines the role of psychologically informed leadership in advancing racial justice within mental health systems, drawing on the author’s lived experience and the development of the Synergi Leeds Partnership—a cross‑sector, whole‑systems initiative addressing the disproportionate detention and poorer outcomes experienced by Black and Asian communities. Using frameworks such as Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model, psychological safety, system convening, and epistemic justice, the work highlights how traditional service structures marginalise racialised voices and limit meaningful change. The Synergi approach reframes these challenges by centring lived experience, fostering psychologically safe spaces for candid dialogue about racism, and leveraging creative, community‑driven methods to influence strategic decision‑making. The paper illustrates how relational, authentic, and disruptive leadership can reshape organisational culture, build trust with communities, and catalyse sustainable system transformation toward racial equity.

Biography

Sharon is a Consultant Clinical & Forensic Psychologist; Chair of the Psychological Professions Network for the North East and Yorkshire, and until recently was Deputy Director for Psychological Professions at Leeds & York Partnerships NHS Foundation Trust for many years. She has worked in the NHS for over thirty years and is passionate about the importance of psychologically informed mental health care, specialising in working with those with complex and severe mental health presentations. She has provided clinical and strategic leadership to award winning and highly regarded services and projects, winning a HSJ Award for Mental Health Innovation of the Year 2023 and being shortlisted for Inspiring Diversity & inclusion Lead, National BAME Health & Care Awards, 2024. She has also co-edited the book ‘Working Effectively with Personality Disorder’.

‘Reformulating self-harm relationally: clinical practice and research evidence’

Abstract

Self-harm is a complex behaviour that can have a profound impact on a person’s life. Rates of self-harm are on the increase but despite this, people who self-harm can struggle to access effective support. Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) shows promise as an intervention for people who self-harm and has now been the focus of two nationally funded trials. In this talk we draw on research and clinical experience in reflecting on the CAT approach to working with self-harm. We will start by exploring how self harm can be understood relationally and framed within CAT. We consider themes of power, inequality and polarization, both at the individual level and with regards to how self-harm is viewed and responded to societally. We will then introduce the 8-session CAT approach to self-harm and provide an overview of the developing research in this area. The results of the recent NIHR-funded RELATE (relational approach to treating self-harm) trial of CAT for self-harm in adults will be shared, as well as the ongoing RELATE-YP trial (relational approaches to working with young people who self-harm). We will close the talk by summarising potential future developments and next steps for research in this area.

Biographies

Dr Peter Taylor currently works as a clinical reader at the University of Manchester. He completed both his PhD and clinical training at the University, before working for three years at the University of Liverpool as a lecturer in clinical psychology. He returned to work at Manchester in September 2016. Dr Taylor’s research focuses primarily on self-harm and suicidal behaviour. This has encompassed work into the psychosocial mechanisms underlying suicide and self-harm, including investigations of the affective processes surrounding self-harm and suicide (specific mood states like shame and emotional instability more generally), and traits and risk factors related to risk of self-harm (e.g., impulsivity, socio-economic deprivation). His research has also included evaluation of psychological therapies to help people who struggle with self-harm. He has a particular interest in Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT).

Dr Samantha Hartley is passionate about working with young people and the systems around them, with a focus on effective therapeutic relationships. She has over 10 years' post-qualification experience in specialist child and adolescent mental health services and has combined research and clinical practice, recently holding an NIHR post-doctoral clinical academic fellowship. She is a qualified Cognitive Analytic Therapy Practitioner and trial therapist on the RELATE-YP trial, exploring the feasibility of CAT for young people who self-harm. Her substantive role is leading a team in partnership with social care, working together to support practitioners, young people and families.

'Power (entitlement), polarisation and leadership in organisations'

Abstract

Behaviours that we encounter in organisations can be quite baffling.

This paper will present a model for understanding what a “healthy” organisation looks like. Of course, just like the people who populate organisations, the organisation itself is never consistently healthy, but an understanding of the mechanisms that can be discovered in all organisations which appear to function well provides us with a template against which we can begin to understand what may be going wrong with our own organisation. The paper will go on to demonstrate some of the things that can take over the underlying, that means unconscious, preoccupations that distort the agreed primary task and delegated roles within the organisation.

The aim is to create a template against which there can be a full discussion with the audience about the distortions that can occur particularly distortions of power, polarisation and leadership.

Biography

Philip is a Psychoanalyst in private practice working with adults and couples, and an Organisational Consultant, providing consultation to a wide range of organisations.

He worked in the Adult Department of the Tavistock & Portman NHS Foundation Trust between 1994 and 2012, he was the Clinical Director from 2007.

He is a member of the European Psychoanalytic Federation Forum on Institutional Matters since 13/9/2015, which studies the nature of psychoanalytic institutions.

His book, The Curiosity Drive: Our Need for Inquisitive Thinking, was published by Phoenix Publishing House in November 2020 and short-listed for the Gradiva® Award for Best Psychoanalytic Book in 2021.

Abstract

At a time of apparent geopolitical destabilisation around the globe, it feels apt to consider why it is that past social trauma inevitably finds its way into the present. Is the past ever really the past? Or is the past always in the present if we could but see it? Through the group analytic construct of the social unconscious, such questions will be explored in this presentation with the aim of considering the role of psychotherapy in recognising and addressing the implications within different spheres of practice and learning.

Biography

Dr Anne Aiyegbusi is a Group Analyst and Forensic Psychotherapist. She is currently the President of the International Association for Forensic Psychotherapy (IAFP). Anne has spent much of her career concerned about the treatment of people who find themselves on the margins of mainstream mental health care and treatment. In which case, stories of personal, institutional and social trauma have tended to predominate whilst also being formally unrecognised. Anne worked for many years in Women’s Secure Services and has a special interest in racial trauma. She has a track record of publishing and presenting in these areas.

Research presentation: 'Inpatient brief CAT: acceptability, safety, effectiveness and impact on readmission'

Abstract

Whilst policy dictates that psychological interventions for inpatients should be made available and service users want to access these interventions, the availability of these interventions is piecemeal, and the evidence base is poor. This two-phase project sought to create and evaluate a new inpatient care pathway for 8-session CAT. In phase I, a new brief CAT treatment protocol was produced (based on the previous RELATE version), and routine sessional outcome monitoring implemented. Phase 1 results will be reported and focus on acceptability (dropout rates), safety (suicide rates), the changes facilitated, treatment fidelity, helpfulness and effectiveness in terms of TP/TPP change. The 2-year CAT readmission rate will be benchmarked against the English average. Phase II of the project implemented expected treatment response curves (ETRC) generated from Phase I data. ETRCs will be shared and also how they are used to enable corrective therapeutic actions to be taken in the next N=35 inpatients.

Biography

Stephen works in the NHS in RDaSH Trust 3-days a week in a psychiatric inpatient unit and 2-days a week in the Trust research unit. He is currently the co-chief investigator on the RELATE-YP NIHR funded RCT of CAT for young people that are prone to self-harm.

Abstract

How do we go from othering to understanding?
Maybe we try to understand our instinctive reactions to people and then attempt to apply this improved comprehension to interactions with our patients, our colleagues and our communities.

Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) is an excellent modality for navigating uncomfortable themes. If we are able to sincerely sit with the unease around instinctive valuation, and approach it with benign curiosity, then we can work towards better understanding both the people we relate with, and our choices in relating with ourselves and with others.

This keynote will explore how these early valuations—rooted in dimensions of difference and sameness—influence the aims, behaviours, and consequences we encounter in CAT work. It will explicate how our unconscious valuations shape positioning, power dynamics, and othering in therapeutic relationships, and identify practical applications for challenging inaccurate valuations in clinical work and personal reflection.

The theory adds to CAT discourse by highlighting how valuations start early in our relational patterns, feeding into reciprocal roles and procedural sequences. As we understand why we behave in certain ways, we can then reformulate more effectively, recognise more accurately and revise more efficiently, and contribute towards healing both fragmented individuals and disjointed communities.

The journey from othering to understanding requires recognizing these automatic valuation processes in ourselves and others, examining which boxes we place people in and why, and challenging our inaccurate valuations—both of others and of ourselves.

The Gani Check and Cross Theory offers a practical, straightforward framework for this conversation. It names a process that many of us have observed but perhaps lacked apt language to describe. It invites us to bring these unconscious valuations into awareness, to reformulate them when they're inaccurate or harmful, and to revise our relational patterns accordingly. It reminds us that while we cannot eliminate the human tendency to evaluate and categorize, we can become more conscious of how we do it and create space for ambiguity and complexity.

We can move from automatic othering toward genuine understanding.

Biography

Dr Margaret Gani is a Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist with a specialism in Preventative Mental Health. She is also a Cognitive Analytic Therapist.

After studying Medicine, she earned an MSc in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and trained as a Consultant Psychiatrist in Manchester, UK, where she also completed her Cognitive Analytic Therapy training on the Catalyse programme.

She has worked internationally and, in the NHS, in roles across acute inpatient psychiatry, community mental health, public mental health, and public health.

Founder of The Mental Wellness Consultancy Ltd, she offers a variety of services including mental wellbeing sessions, leader coaching, talks, and retreat facilitation for groups and individuals.

Dr Gani collaborates with the Royal College of Psychiatrists, various Postgraduate Medical Schools, and Residency Training Programmes to integrate Public Mental Health into training and practice, building future rounded Psychiatrists.

A dynamic trainer and speaker, Margaret brings a fresh, engaging perspective to the topics she speaks on. She has spoken at ACAT, Catalyse and Royal College of Psychiatrists’ events, among others.

At the Royal College of Psychiatrists UK, she is the Equity Champion for the Liaison Faculty, through which she drives equity initiatives. She is also involved in Global Mental Health initiatives through the Association for Black Psychiatrists, UK.

She is the originator of the Gani Check and Cross Theory, which emanated from her observations of interactions within society.

She is passionate about preventative mental health, effective communication, medical education, and psychological therapies. She enjoys music, science fiction, hiking and dancing.

Consultant Clinical Psychologist, CAT practitioner and Approved Clinician

'Using CAT to formulate power in the care of patients detained under the MHA. An exploration of leadership of compulsory, restrictive care as an Approved Clinician'

Abstract

The MHA gives health and social care professionals powers to detain and treat patients under compulsion and restriction. These powers infringe on patient rights to liberty, private and family life, autonomy and, at times, their right to be free from inhumane and degrading treatment. This presentation explores the use of MHA powers through a CAT formulation lens. It will offer formulation of common dilemmas when delivering care under a frame of compulsion and restriction, and explore roles and coping that both staff and patients may adopt. It offers a structure to consider least restrictive and restorative practice when resolving challenging dilemmas.

Biography

Jo is a CAT practitioner who has worked for people with acute mental health difficulties and people with learning disabilities in hospitals and other restrictive environments throughout her career. She uses CAT to consider dilemmas of power and compulsory or restrictive care to support patients to regain autonomy. This led her to become an approved clinician, overseeing the care of patients detained under the MHA. She currently works in Sheffield as an Approved Clinician on mental health wards for working age adults.

Abstract

Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) has traditionally been applied in time-limited psychotherapy, yet its core principles have proven valuable beyond therapeutic settings. The integration of CAT principles into relational practice across various human service environments, including community mental health, prisons, dementia care, and more, has highlighted its potential to enhance relational dynamics in complex settings. The growing recognition of these applications through CAT Skills working has led to the development of the Cognitive Analytic Relational Skills (CARS) competency framework, which provides a structured approach for enhancing relational competence across a range of health and social care workers.

This presentation will share the process of developing CAT Skills working into the CARS competence framework, from its inception in 2022 to its final form in 2026. The framework builds on existing competence models in psychological therapy while distinguishing between relational skills informed by CAT principles and those specific to CAT psychotherapy. Using the Roth and Pilling methodology (2008), the framework was grounded in published research evidence, and refined through expert consultation and iterative feedback, ensuring its relevance and utility across diverse relational contexts.

The CARS competence framework has implications for improving team dynamics, supporting staff wellbeing, and fostering psychologically informed environments. It offers a shared language for relational knowledge and skill development, informs supervision, and enhances governance in settings adopting CAT-informed approaches. It also supports curriculum design for ACAT-accredited courses.

The presentation will discuss the challenges of defining competence in a field where much of the evidence is qualitative and descriptive, and consider future directions for practice, training and research.

Biographies

Ranil Tan is a consultant clinical psychologist and accredited CAT therapist and supervisor at Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. He has over 20 years’ experience in the NHS, working in services for people experiencing psychosis and those with complex emotional needs. Ranil is co-editor of the Oxford Handbook of Cognitive Analytic Therapy and has contributed to the development of CAT-informed practice, particularly within inpatient settings. Over the past four years, he has also worked as a trainer at You Matter (Formerly YMCA Together, Liverpool), co-facilitating the 6-month CAT Skills course.

Kate Portman is an RMN, ACAT Accredited CAT Practitioner and Supervisor and ACAT Foundation and Skills Course Moderator. She has over 20 years experience working in services, and with teams, supporting people with complex lives across the NHS, independent and third sector. Kate joined You Matter (Formerly YMCA Together, Liverpool) as Psychology Partner in 2020 and has facilitated CAT Skills for Case Management courses alongside Organisational CAT projects. Partnership working has enabled a truly collaborative approach to psychologically informed ways of working that has supported the continued development of relational practice and training in the voluntary sector.

Glenys Parry is Emeritus Professor at the University of Sheffield, a chartered clinical psychologist & HCPC registered practitioner, Fellow of the British Psychological Society, and accredited cognitive analytic psychotherapist. Her career encompasses clinical practice, research, training, NHS senior management and health services policymaking. She has undertaken clinical guideline development at NICE and policymaking at the Department of Health. Glenys continues to offer CAT in private practice and CAT-informed organisational consultancy & staff training for NHS Trusts and private companies.

Speakers

Keynote Speakers

‘Narrative and its limits’

Tackling Racial Inequality in Leeds Mental Health Services –‘dismantling the master’s house with new tools’

Abstract

Biography

Recommended Reading

‘Reformulating self-harm relationally: clinical practice and research evidence’

Abstract

Biographies

Recommended Reading

'Power (entitlement), polarisation and leadership in organisations'

Abstract

Biography

Recommended reading

Abstract

Biography

Recommended Reading

Research presentation: 'Inpatient brief CAT: acceptability, safety, effectiveness and impact on readmission'

Abstract

Biography

Recommended Reading

Abstract

Biography

Consultant Clinical Psychologist, CAT practitioner and Approved Clinician

'Using CAT to formulate power in the care of patients detained under the MHA. An exploration of leadership of compulsory, restrictive care as an Approved Clinician'

Abstract

Biography

Recommended Reading

From CAT Skills to CARS: The Development of the Cognitive Analytic Relational Skills (CARS) Framework

Abstract

Biographies

Recommended Reading