Dr Rebecca McElroy

My primary therapeutic model and specialist interest is Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT), and I am an accredited CAT Practitioner. CAT focuses on understanding the patterns of thinking, feeling, and relating that can keep us feeling stuck, and how these patterns often developed as meaningful ways of coping earlier in life. I hold a compassionate and non-judgemental stance, recognising that the strategies we use today are often rooted in our attempts to survive difficult experiences in the past. If you are interested, you can find out more about CAT at the Association for Cognitive Analytic Therapy (ACAT) website What is Cognitive Analytic Therapy? | ACAT.

Within the CAT framework, I integrate ideas from various therapeutic models, including Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). This allows me to tailor therapy to each individual, supporting the development of self-compassion, emotional awareness, and more flexible ways of responding to difficult thoughts and feelings.

How I Work

I aim to provide a safe, collaborative space where we can explore your experiences at your own pace. Together, we will work to identify patterns in your relationships, thoughts, and emotions, and begin to understand how these have developed over time, often starting in your early life. From there, we can find new ways of relating to yourself and others that feel more helpful and sustainable.

I place particular importance on building a strong therapeutic relationship, as I believe this is central to meaningful change.

Approach

My approach is grounded in the belief that all difficulties make sense in the context of our life experiences. Therapy is not about “fixing” you, but about understanding you, so that change becomes possible in a way that feels compassionate and lasting.