Analytic Cognitive Psychotherapy

The Analytic Cognitive Psychotherapy is a brief, individual psychotherapy that is cost-effective and finds application in a wide range of clinical entities and interpersonal problems. Its founder is Tony Ryle, a British psychotherapist with rich knowledge and experience in psychoanalysis and cognitive psychotherapy. It was developed as a composition of cognitive, psychoanalytic and Vygotskian ideas.

The ACP is based on a collaborative therapeutic approach that aims to jointly reformulate the problems with the patients. It focuses on patterns of behavior that were initially created during childhood, as they seemed necessary and adaptive then, but later on, they became entrenched and continued into adulthood. These patterns of behavior (dilemmas, traps, entanglements) and repeated roles in interpersonal relationships lead to the individual’s discomfort, often with various physical and psychological symptoms that prompt the person to seek treatment. During therapy, this learned way of life is recognized, and new “paths” are sought.

The ACP consists of four to twenty-four sessions, and it is structured and time-limited. It uses various techniques to identify and modify problematic patterns of thought and behavior. The therapist plays an active role in guiding the patient towards changing their negative beliefs and patterns of behavior, promoting a more adaptive and functional way of life.