Welcome Message from President Carolyn Becker

Welcome to ABCT 2026 in Baltimore!

Bridging the Divide: Promoting Rigorous Science and Inclusive Affirming Therapies

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the ABCT Board, I am delighted to welcome you to Baltimore for ABCT’s 60th Annual Convention. Our theme this year is Integrating Compassion and Science: Empowering Our Community to Engage in Evidence-Based Collective Action. We live in challenging times. Science, education, healthcare, international collaboration, and efforts to diversify our ranks, improve equity, and reduce barriers to care are all under attack, which makes almost every aspect of what we do more difficult. That is why we are inviting you to lean into two of our greatest strengths – our compassion and our science – as we come together to collectively strategize, share our ideas, and envision new ways to use CBT to improve human health and wellbeing. We also want to encourage you to be compassionate as you interact with one another. ABCT is home to a multidisciplinary and increasingly diverse membership and viewpoints, which can make it easier for us to identify points of disagreement. Yet our diversity is also a strength when applied to our common mission; indeed, when we act collectively to address the challenges above, we increase our chances of success. Convention is also where we have the chance to talk, in person, and be reminded of each other’s humanity and what we share, including a desire to use science and CBT to make this world a better place at a troubled point in history.

There are a number of specific features to this year’s convention that I want to highlight. First and foremost, be on the lookout throughout convention for the wonderful work of the 60th Anniversary Task Force. Special thanks to Dr. Maureen Whittal for chairing this endeavor. In particular, I want to encourage you to visit the physical display of historical AABT/ABCT artifacts and other memorabilia which will be curated and presented at an exhibit booth staffed by task force members. Additionally, there will be a walkable history timeline poster display, branded 60th anniversary memorabilia, a time capsule for you to capture and share your thoughts for future ABCT members or your future self, and a Wall of Hope for brief messages. The Task Force also asked me to share the following message with you: come and talk to us – tell us what the organization means to you, where you would want it to be at the 75th anniversary and write a message of hope for the future of ABCT.

Although Baltimore is known as the City of Firsts, I also want to highlight some ABCT “seconds” for this convention. Last year, Immediate Past President Dr. Steve Safren and the Program Committee initiated several new events that will be continued and, in some cases, augmented this year.

Enhanced Welcome Reception. Please join us Thursday evening as we kick off our convention with 50 Top Posters and a more expansive offering of complimentary food. We really want to see you there and establish this as a special ABCT tradition for years to come. All convention attendees are invited to network, reconnect with friends, and make new connections.
Invited Plenary Talks. As with last year, we will start each morning with two invited plenary talks during which there will be no competing sessions. So, grab your favorite morning beverage and start each day with visionary speakers who will give all of us something new to think and talk about throughout convention and beyond.
Individual Oral Abstract Sessions. As with last year, attendees no longer need to be part of a symposium to present their best work in an oral format. Come listen to great science during these sessions.
We are also very excited to host our second annual ABCT Benefit Luncheon. Featuring performances, a live band, great food, and a silent auction, this was a great time last year and initiated a new era of philanthropic giving for ABCT. For this year it is shaping up to be a sold-out event. We are using the funds raised for a variety of key ABCT initiatives including, but not limited to, support for students and other early career members.

I also want to encourage you to check out our numerous poster sessions. In keeping with the history of Baltimore as a place for firsts, a new feature of this year’s convention is the inclusion of Clinical Posters, which make it easier for our clinician members to share their innovations and work. One key goal with these posters is to improve dialogue between researchers and clinicians and to showcase important clinical innovations in the implementation of CBT.

None of this convention would have been possible without the hard work and dedication of so many people. Despite having attended over 20 ABCT conventions, I was still shocked at the complexity of this event when I got to witness what goes on behind the scenes this year. To start, I need to give my most heartfelt thanks to Program Chair, Dr. Ilana Seager van Dyk (who fortunately LOVES spending hours with a complicated spreadsheet) and our Co-Chairs, Drs. Jennifer Martinez and Alexandria Miller. It has been a true pleasure working with all of you this year. I also want to thank Dr. Courtney White, Stephen Crane, and the rest of our amazing Central Office staff. Your work and passion for all things ABCT are critical to our success; we are so lucky to have your support. I also want to showcase the tireless efforts of our Convention Coordinator, Dr. Emily Bilek, who helped shepherd everything to completion. Thanks also to everyone on the Convention Committee, our SIG leaders, the Anniversary Task Force, all who agreed to present, and the many reviewers. Lastly, as I wrap up my year as President, I want to thank our dedicated Board members and everyone who volunteered this year to support ABCT. Your generous gift of time is greatly appreciated.

In addition to the plenaries and other events already mentioned, this year’s program includes 84 symposia, 50 panels, 28 clinical roundtables, 4 grand rounds, 20 mini workshops, 5 spotlights on research, 251 individual oral presentations and over 1450 posters. I also encourage you to check out Baltimore’s culinary scene for dinner.

Thank you all again and welcome to ABCT 2026!

Carolyn Black Becker, PhD, ABPP
President, Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies