Objectives Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) is an effective psychological intervention for several different mental health conditions. However, whether it is acceptable, safe, and beneficial for people with psychosis remains unclear, as is the feasibility of providing and evaluating it within a research context. The aim of this study was to begin to address these questions and to obtain for the first time a rich and detailed understanding of the experience of receiving CAT for psychosis. Design A mixed‐methods case series design. Method Seven individuals who experienced non‐affective psychosis received CAT. They completed assessments at the start of CAT, 16 weeks, and 28 weeks post‐baseline. Qualitative interviews were completed with four individuals following completion of or withdrawal from therapy. Results Six participants attended at least four sessions of therapy and four went on to complete therapy. There were no serious adverse events, and self‐reported adverse experiences were minimal. Qualitative interviews suggested CAT is acceptable and provided a way to understand and work therapeutically with psychosis. There was limited evidence of change in psychotic symptoms, but improvement in perceived recovery and personality integration was observed. Conclusions The results suggest that CAT is a safe and acceptable intervention for psychosis. Personality integration, perceived recovery, and functioning are relevant outcomes for future evaluations of CAT for psychosis. Practitioner points It is feasible to conduct research evaluating CAT for people with psychosis. Within this case series, CAT appears acceptable and safe to individuals with psychosis. Within this case series, clients reported that CAT was a positive and helpful experience. There is a mixed picture with regard to secondary outcomes, but the design and aims of this case series limit conclusion that can be drawn from this data.

In the interests of providing patient choice and developing more effective interventions for people struggling with psychosis it is important that alternative talking therapies are explored. Cognitive Analytic Therapy is an integrative therapy which has specific features that that may be particularly suited to psychosis. The current report briefly outlines this approach and its potential benefits.

Background: Client-centred care in mental health requires the collection of outcomes that are meaningful to both clinicians and to users of mental health services. Aims: To elicit and prioritize mental health outcomes, from the point of view of service-users. Methods: We conducted two service user focus groups exploring how service users understood the concept of outcome. Qualitative analysis identified a hierarchical ''tree'' of themes relating to outcome. We then used a Delphi Panel consensus method to prioritize these outcome domains. Results: Forty-four individual outcome domains were identified. These were grouped into 6 categories of personal and social changes: Changes in Myself; Believing in Change; Satisfaction with Treatment; Managing Independently; Social Contact and Connection with Society. No particular pattern could be identified in the items that were most strongly endorsed in the Delphi exercise but two additional outcome domains were produced that had not appeared in the focus groups. Conclusions: Although the domains of outcome identified in this study overlap with many of those that are commonly in use, there appeared to be a greater emphasis on non-clinical and social outcomes. Further research could explore these findings further and develop psychometrically robust instruments that more strongly reflect a user perspective.

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