About me
Understanding our problems doesn't always mean it's easy to change them. Many people I work with already have a good idea of why they are feeling stuck, but they are simply exhausted from falling into the same loops over and over again.
As an experienced Cognitive Analytic Psychotherapist, I provide a collaborative, visual way of working to help you look at these habits gently and clearly. We focus on exploring the root cause of your problems and where they stem from, rather than spending all of the time on managing your symptoms.
By exploring your history, we create a personalised therapy map to guide you through these relationships, increasing your awareness and setting goals that you can work on in between sessions. It is simply a helpful, clear picture of your loops and relationship patterns written down on paper, making it much easier for us to find practical, real-world "proactive exits" to help you break the cycle.
Areas I Specialise In:
While I welcome people from all walks of life, I also offer dedicated, tailored support for:
- Gay, Bisexual, & Questioning Men: Unpacking the weight of shame, the pressure to always perform or please others, and complex family dynamics, so you can build genuine, comfortable emotional intimacy.
- Healthcare Professionals & Trainees: Providing a quiet, understanding space for clinical psychologists, psychotherapists, doctors, and nurses to safely step away from the "helper" persona, ease clinical perfectionism, and gently recover from professional burnout.
Location:
- In-Person: Comfortable, confidential practice space based in Abingdon.
- Online Therapy: Secure, video-based sessions available to clients located anywhere throughout the UK.
Training, qualifications & experience
I have worked in mental health for over 20 years, serving in NHS roles since 2006 and in private practice since 2020. I am registered as both an NMC Registered Mental Health Nurse and a UKCP Cognitive Analytic Psychotherapist, and I actively practice as a clinical supervisor and trainer. Reflecting my commitment to the profession, I also served as a Trustee and Vice Chair of the Association for Cognitive Analytic Therapy (ACAT) between 2023 and 2026.
Being UKCP registered means my practice as a Cognitive Analytic Psychotherapist is independently accredited and regulated, giving you total assurance of a safe, ethical, and evidence-based approach to our work together.
Sometimes people worry about how or where to begin. I will help you get the most from your sessions by actively asking questions and sharing my thoughts or feelings about what we discuss. Through this collaborative approach, we can build a genuine, trusting relationship, ensuring the work always feels safe, but also lighthearted when you need it to be.
You can read anonymous reviews of me left by previous clients here:
https://www.iwantgreatcare.org/nurses/mr-hayden-stothard
Member organisations
school Registered / Accredited
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is a leading professional body for the education, training and regulation of psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors. Its register is accredited by the government's Professional Standards Authority.
As part of its commitment to protect the public, it works to improve access to psychotherapy, to support and disseminate research, to improve standards and to respond effectively to complaints against its members.
UKCP standards cover the range of different psychotherapies. Registration is obtained by training or accrediting with one of its member organisations, or by holding a European Certificate in Psychotherapy. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
The Association for Cognitive Analytic Therapy (ACAT) is a registered charity. They welcome members of the public, health professionals, ACAT accredited professionals, and anyone interested in finding out more about CAT. They list CAT practitioners.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) is a integrative framework. This means we can organically weave in techniques from other modalities to best suit your specific needs.
While I don't offer them as standalone treatments, I am additionally qualified in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and frequently draw upon Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) tools. This allows us to balance deep relational mapping with practical, everyday coping strategies.
I am experienced in working with most mental health presentations, with particular clinical interest and experience in applying CAT to support:
- Neurodiversity: Navigating life and relationships as an autistic adult.
- Intense Emotional Dysregulation: Working effectively with traits associated with Borderline Personality / Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder (EUPD).
- Relational Trauma: Healing from the lasting impacts of childhood trauma.
- Narcissistic Dynamics: Helping individuals unpack and recover from narcissistic traits or abuse.
- Parents & Carers: Navigating the unique systemic pressures and emotional demands of caring for others.
- Professional Development & Entrepreneurism: Supporting high-achievers, leaders, and healthcare staff through burnout, identity shifts, and work-related stress.
I also specialise in applying CAT to the unique psychological and relational experiences of gay, bi, and questioning men, as well as managing the specific workplace stressors faced by healthcare professionals.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£80.00 - £100.00
Concessions offered for
Additional information
My ethos is to charge fairly and in doing so, to provide quality therapy over quantity.
I achieve this by intentionally limiting the number of clients that I will work with at one time, to make sure that I can hold your story in my mind fully.
If I don't have availability, I may be able to recommend other therapists that I supervise and feel could be a good fit for you.
When I work
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Next availability:
Monday 14:30 - available from 20th July 2026
Tuesday 13:00 - available from 18th August 2026
Tuesday 14:30 - available from 18th August 2026
Further information
I am the co-author of "My Cognitive Analytic Therapy Diary: Accompanying you on your therapy journey".
After years of practicing CAT, we noticed that clients often share similar questions about what to expect and how to get the most out of their sessions. To support you outside the therapy room, I provide a complimentary copy of this diary to all of my ongoing clients.
It serves as a practical, supportive companion to help you track your patterns between our sessions. You can learn more about the diary and its concept at: www.cato.training/mycatdiary.
