Cognitive Approach To Tinnitus (CATT) Training for Audiologists and Hearing Therapists
The Counselling Skills and Tinnitus Care Pathway (CSTCP) ran from 2011 until 2019, including in Northern Ireland across the 5 health regions that was funded by Health & Social Care Northern Ireland (HSCNI) where Specialist Sensory Social Workers and Audiologists successfully completed the training.
New online course in development (2026)
The brand new online course is known as CATT (Cognitive Approach to Tinnitus). CATT is based on the CBT4T process that has proven itself so successful for clients presenting with the higher Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI) categories 4 (big problem) and 5 (very big problem).
There has been a strong drive in recent years towards CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) and the necessity of using CBT with our patients with distressing tinnitus. This is all very well were there to be a formal training pathway for Audiologists and Hearing Therapists to qualify. There are formal qualifications in Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy, all of which include hundreds of hours clinical supervision that Audiologists/Hearing Therapists could take up. My own additional training beyond Hearing Therapy training included a PGDip Psychotherapy followed by a Psychotherapy MSc, and beyond these, a variety of additional training for CPD - some in-person, for example specialist training in trauma (commonly referred to as PTSD), while others could be achieved through professional online courses.
In my view, similar training needs to be provided through the Universities that leads specifically to a formal qualification not only to use CBT, but how to use CBT for distressing tinnitus. CATT is NOT formal training to use CBT for tinnitus - only accredited Universities would be able to do it - likely accreditation would be from bodies such as BABCP, for example.
- CATT training is to be similar to that provided via the CSTCP (2011-2019) with the advantage of provision being online with content accessible at times that suit, unlike the CSTCP that was in-person attendance for 8 days over 8 months, plus written assignments including a final assignment standardised to meet Masters level criteria
- Although similar to the CSTCP, CATT reflects much of what has been developed for and implemented in the CBT4T Programme
If you are interested in CATT training (cost yet to be identified), please register your interest by completing the form below: