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Featured Articles

2024 Featured Articles
Treating Trauma and Anxiety with CBT Treating Trauma and Anxiety with CBT - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) approaches are typical in treating trauma and anxiety across the lifespan. Trauma, a response to experiencing or witnessing an event that overwhelms your stress response and ability to cope, can be marked by several key components.
CBT and the Gut-Brain Connection CBT and the Gut-Brain Connection - CBT can be used to treat gut-related issues, especially those caused by stress, by providing psychoeducation, relaxation techniques, and cognitive restructuring to help alleviate symptoms.
2023 Featured Articles
“What Is CBT and Does It Actually Work” Reflection “What Is CBT and Does It Actually Work” Reflection - Determining what kind of therapy is right for you can be a daunting task. A recent article published by Health Conscious titled “What Is CBT and Does It Actually Work” briefly describes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), an evidence-based treatment that has been shown to be effective for a variety of concerns.
Three-Quarters of Those Using CBT-I See Long-Term Improvements in Insomnia Three-Quarters of Those Using CBT-I See Long-Term Improvements in Insomnia - Christina Caron of the New York Times provided a very positive review of CBT-I, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia, that alleviates sleep problems in more than ¾ of users.
Self-Talk and CBT Self-Talk and CBT - Vocal Media’s recent article, “Is It Normal to Talk to Yourself?” discusses both the benefits and harms of self-talk.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Reduce Post-COVID-19 Fatigue and Poor Concentration Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Reduce Post-COVID-19 Fatigue and Poor Concentration - Individuals experiencing fatigue and poor concentration post-COVID-19 infection may benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
2022 Featured Articles
7 Tips to Help Manage Emotions - Jenny Taitz walks the reader through steps that can help with overall emotional management.
All Children 8 and Older Should be Screened for Anxiety, U.S. Task Force Says All Children 8 and Older Should be Screened for Anxiety, U.S. Task Force Says - Routine anxiety screenings help parents and professionals monitor children’s mental health, detect early signs of difficulties, and seek services when needed.
How We Clutter How We Clutter - A person’s beliefs and emotions may lead to cluttered spaces.
2021 Featured Articles
CBT Tools to Address Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in Children and Adolescents CBT Tools to Address Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in Children and Adolescents - CBT tools to help children and adolescents confront stress, anxiety, depression
Confronting Social Anxiety & Depression in a Fish Bowl Confronting Social Anxiety & Depression in a Fish Bowl - Imagine struggling with social anxiety, while confronting the prospect of talking to the press and, by extension, the world. Living in a fishbowl outside of your control.
Allowing Good to Be Good Enough, or Addressing Perfectionism Allowing Good to Be Good Enough, or Addressing Perfectionism - Emily Bilek and a host of others help propel a discussion of perfectionism, its ramifications, telling it apart from striving for excellence, and steps we might take to allow good to be good enough.
Radical Acceptance Can Keep Emotional Pain From Turning Into Suffering Radical Acceptance Can Keep Emotional Pain From Turning Into Suffering - Jenny Taitz, recently one of ABCT’s Featured Therapists, guides New York Times’ readers through Radical Acceptance as a means to better navigate emotional and worldly difficulties we confront daily.
Coming Out of Hermithood Coming Out of Hermithood - It is the year of the locust (ok, the cicada) who have been underground for 17 years waiting to emerge. And, for some of us, that’s how it might feel as we begin to encounter people beyond the confines of our house and Zoom.
Dealing with Panic Attacks Dealing with Panic Attacks - The Washington Post offered some tips on Panic Attacks, recognizing them and dealing with them.
2020 Featured Articles
50 Tips to Get You Through the Anxiety of Election Day - Member Mary Alvord teams up with CNN to provide 50 tips to help you get through Voting Day anxiety.
OCD OCD - CBT is found to positively alter brain abnormalities in people suffering from OCD.
CBT for Seasonal Depression CBT for Seasonal Depression - The author found CBT helpful in changing her approach to relationships and has returned to it help in other areas, including seasonal depression.
CBT the “Gold Standard” in Dealing with Insomnia CBT the “Gold Standard” in Dealing with Insomnia - One generally doesn’t expect to see a soft drink and a therapeutic approach in the same story, but here we are, as Pepsi’s new offering, Driftwell, an aid for “coronasomnia,” was introduced.
Conversion Conversion - A new documentary is soon to appear, highlighting tumultuous times and events that ultimately led to an impassioned stand by then-AABT President Gerald Davison. How he got to that speech is a story for the ages.
Social Isolation Comes With Its Own Price Social Isolation Comes With Its Own Price - Stefan Hofmann, a past president of ABCT, and other therapists talk about the price we pay for the protection of social distancing
Yoga is Good, CBT is Better, for Anxiety Yoga is Good, CBT is Better, for Anxiety - A new study, published in Journal of the American Medical Association, and highlighted by the National Institutes of Health, compared 230 people in three groups: yoga, stress reduction, and CBT
Confronting Effects of Poverty and Violence Confronting Effects of Poverty and Violence - The author found CBT helpful in changing her approach to relationships and has returned to it help in other areas, including seasonal depression.
Help for OCD Help for OCD - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, is a condition where sufferers have unwelcome thoughts, feelings, and/or behaviors.
Pandemic Can Hurt More Than Just Bodies Pandemic Can Hurt More Than Just Bodies - We already know how damaging the virus can be if we’re infected with it, but its mere presence is having an effect, not that different from the trauma many children had post-911 watching planes repeatedly crash into the Twin Towers.
Dealing With Addictions Dealing With Addictions - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, is a condition where sufferers have unwelcome thoughts, feelings, and/or behaviors.
Endless Scrolling Right Before Bed Endless Scrolling Right Before Bed - How do we fight the urge, especially right before bed? The director of Together CBT, Amelia Aldao, shared some tips on how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is used to help cut back on ‘doomscrolling’
Fear of Being Judged Negatively by Others Fear of Being Judged Negatively by Others - Social anxiety, among the most common forms of anxiety, is the fear of being judged negatively by others.
Scoleciphobia Scoleciphobia - Yes, you know worms are good for the garden, and they make robins fat, and they’re how you tell who’s the early bird, but you don’t care, because you have “Scoleciphobia,” or an irrational fear of worms.
Overcoming Children’s Stress During a Pandemic Lockdown Overcoming Children’s Stress During a Pandemic Lockdown - Member Mary Alvord and others discuss children’s responses to a pandemic lockdown and steps that parents can use to help alleviate stress and, especially for older children, headaches.
CBT & IBS CBT & IBS - Did you know irritable bowel syndrome, commonly known as “IBS,” interferes with many individuals’ dating lives?
CBT and Athletes CBT and Athletes - From experiencing stress on the court during championships and off the court with travel and fatigue, athletes are likely to experience stress that can lead to anxiety and other related issues.
CBT as Path to Understanding BLM CBT as Path to Understanding BLM - Over the past month, the Black Lives Matter movement has organized protests across the nation
Job Loss Job Loss - A job loss isn’t always the easiest thing for people to cope with, especially during a time of a global pandemic. Of course, you’re not alone, as there are over 40 million other people in the nation who are out of work, and many needing to depend on unemployment benefits.
CBT for OCD CBT for OCD - According to the blog, Be Yourself, unlike most disorders, there is no diagnostic testing for OCD
Help with Insomnia Help with Insomnia - The number one treatment for chronic insomnia is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
How CBT helps Anxiety How CBT helps Anxiety - Approximately 7.3% of the worlds population is suffering from anxiety disorder, a form of mental disorder, causing overthinking, unnecessarily worrying, heavy breathing and even panic attacks in some cases.
Managing Panic Managing Panic - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is known as a first line treatment for panic attacks, proving to be effective for about 77% of patients
Involving Parents in Their Children’s Anxiety Treatment Involving Parents in Their Children’s Anxiety Treatment - Anne Marie Albano, jumping off with her own ferocious anxiety as a 6-year old, recounts developments in CBT that help those 40% of kids who are resistant to treatment, often because their parents are undoing everything their children’s therapists are almost accomplishing
Parenting During a Pandemic Parenting During a Pandemic - Parenting and managing the uncertainties that come with a pandemic hasn’t been the easiest, however many are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel with the help of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Stepping Out? Stepping Out? - Several ABCT members give you, via the New York Times, tips for your first holiday outings in the new pandemic world
Tips to Help Avoid PTSD and Depression Tips to Help Avoid PTSD and Depression - Jenny Taitz walks you through the things that are likely to help keep depression, anxiety, and even PTSD at bay even while going through these tough times.
Suicide Risk Suicide Risk - Suicide rates were already rising before the pandemic exacerbated many of the stressors that might lead to suicide.
After the Crash….. After the Crash….. - More than two million people are seriously injured every year by car accidents for reasons such as but no limited to, drunk driving, not wearing seatbelt, disobeying speed limits etc.
Embracing Anxiety in a Post-Pandemic World Embracing Anxiety in a Post-Pandemic World - Kevin Arnold and Mary Fristad guide us through the anxiety we might likely expect when the world is open for business again in the, hopefully, not-too-distant future.
`Tis Better to Have… `Tis Better to Have… - Exploring ways a therapist might help someone reeling from the disappointments of COVID 19 or any other setbacks.
The Curious Case of the Disappearing Patient The Curious Case of the Disappearing Patient - Barry Lubetkin, in his blog in Psychology Today, discusses the dichotomy of increasing requests for help and the declining number of clients some therapists are seeing.
COVID-19 Precautions NOT Precursor to OCD COVID-19 Precautions NOT Precursor to OCD - Dean McKay, a researcher and clinician specializing in OCD and disgust, reassures the public that our healthy precautions taken to contain the spread of COVID-19 are unlikely to morph into germ-focused OCD.
Exploring Male Anxiety Exploring Male Anxiety - Stefan Hofmann and Michael Addis join Meghna Chakrabarti on WBUR’s On Point to discuss anxiety, especially from a male perspective.
Healing After Tragedy Healing After Tragedy - It seems like only yesterday that we posted an article on healing after a tragedy.
Hearts Break for Those Who Were Killed Hearts Break for Those Who Were Killed - Suicide rates were already rising before the pandemic exacerbated many of the stressors that might lead to suicide.
Vape Talk Vape Talk - How do parents talk to their kids about vaping. Therapists, including Mary Alvord, share strategies with the WSJ’s Andrea Peterson.
Why Worry? Why Worry? - exposing worry’s deceit: Percentage of untrue worries in generalized anxiety disorder treatment
CBT Helps Sleep CBT Helps Sleep - The journal Practical Pain Management identified CBT as an effective aid in sleep management, often giving people more restful hours.
Blissful Sleep Blissful Sleep - This article in US News highlights CBT-I - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia.
CBT in Anxiety CBT in Anxiety - A recent scientific study analyzing CBT's effectiveness in treating anxiety in patients undergoing treatment for pulmonary disease found CBT beneficial, both in terms of the patient's anxiety and in reducing the number of hospital visits and medical costs.
Conversion Therapy Conversion Therapy - Earlier this year, RadioLab recounted how one psychologist came to argue against conversion therapy.
During This Pandemic During This Pandemic - During this pandemic, working remotely has become the new norm, just as tele-health is becoming a leading form of treatment for many.
Gun Violence Briefing Book Gun Violence Briefing Book - Gun Violence: a briefing book for journalists to help put guns and violence in context and provide an overview of how CBT might help to combat those elements that promote violence and sooth the effects of the trauma witnessed upon others.
Suicide Briefing Book Suicide Briefing Book - Suicide Briefing Book: A resource for the media and lay people looking to better understand, write about, or talk about suicide.
Why Pronouns Are Important Why Pronouns Are Important - Everyone has unique pronouns. Some people may use one set of pronouns (e.g., she/her/hers) whereas others may use several pronouns (e.g., she/they). It is incredibly important to avoid assumptions about someone’s pronouns based on their appearance, voice, and/or name.
2019 Featured Articles
Maltreatment and Suicide Maltreatment and Suicide - ABCT member Mitch Prinstein comments on the following article related to the link between childhood abuse and adult suicide.
Create your own traditions - Holidays create stress for some, and more for those of us having some mental health issues.
Intrusive Thoughts - Occasionally, this common thought pattern can become persistent and distressing to the point of developing postpartum obsessive compulsive disorder.
Orgasmic Reorientation - Once upon a time, both Leviticus and DSM considered homosexuality an affliction to be cured.
Time Out Time Out - Written by ABCT members Camilo Ortiz, Anne Marie Albano, Mitch Prinstein, Regine Galanti, Dan Hoffman, Tim Cavell, and Hillary Vidair, it dispels several myths about effective, evidence based discipline.
Will Power - ABCT member Mary Alvord, among others, discusses the use of will power, or self-control, in this US New and World Report article, with perhaps the best bicep curl analogy in a non-muscle magazine.
CBT for Anxious Children - This is despite the fact that Cognitive Behavior Therapy and medication are both effective treatments for anxiety in children.
CBT and ACT for Pain - veryDayHealth.com, examining a 2013 study in the European Journal of Pain and a 2011 study in the Journal Arthritis Research and Therapy.
Adolescent Anxiety - As many as one quarter of adolescents experience anxiety; and around 6% of people have anxiety their entire lives
School and Your Nervous Kid - A little nervousness is good, especially with unknown situations, such as a new school with new kids, new teachers, new subjects.
Anxiety in a Changing World - Teens are facing monumental changes in their world. More options, greater access to more things, and different social interactions.
Stress on the Rise - Based on what books are selling, this seems to be true, especially among people living in traditional "blue" states, and not so much in decidedly "red" states.
Shaq and Shark - What a role model! Stories like this reduce mental health stigma.
OCD and Doubt - OCD is a disease that thrives on doubt and uncertainty in a world where certainty is not realistic.
CBT for Back Pain - CBT is suggested immediately after exercise and yoga and well before meds, acupuncture, chiropractic.
CBT for Health Anxiety - The New York Times addresses CBT for Health Anxiety in this article, "A New Approach to Treating Hypochondria.
CBT Effective in Combating Suicide - ABCT member Judith Beck outlines the ways that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy works as an effective treatment for suicidality.
More Suicides - It's not just celebrities; in fact, suicides are on the rise across the country, in 49 of our 50 states.
Overprotected Child - Parenting behavior can have a large impact on childhood independence.
Middle School Resilience - NPR features the Resilience Builder program, developed by ABCT member Mary Alvord.
Apps for Anxiety - The study, published in Behavior Therapy, evaluated 121 apps found in Google Play and the Apple Store.
Fighting Stigma - Carey was diagnosed with Bipolar II Disorder in 2001, in the midst of an extremely successful career, but kept her mental health struggles a secret until recently because of her fears that stigma would end her career.
The Persistent Effects of Childhood Trauma - Parenting behavior can have a large impact on childhood independence.
Facing Fears - Philip Eil describes his own experience with, as well as treatment for, anxiety.
Warning Signs in Kids - A new study warns that kids who self-harm are at a much higher risk for suicide.
Confronting OCD - There's a great review of a scientific paper that explains the mechanism by which therapists help those suffering from OCD confront it and, one hopes, reduce its hold.
Campus Mental Health - Recent surveys a have identified a significant increase in college mental health problems, according to a recent article published in Time Magazine.
Cost of Popularity - Teens will get as much from this article as their parents, as the Washington Post explores various notions of popularity, ways to think about, its cost, and even some of the effects later in life.
Anxiety’s Cost - In "The Day I Realized I Couldn't Handle My Anxiety Alone," Author Andrea Peterson discusses the difference between feeling worried and having anxiety eat away at your life.
“Everyone is Going Through Something” - NBA player Kevin Love opens up about having a panic attack in the middle of a basketball game, and his search for treatment
Body Dysmorphia - BDD is condition related to OCD, characterized by intrusive thoughts and unwanted preoccupations with imagined or slight defect in appearance.
Online cognitive bias modification - The internet offers a promising way to deliver therapeutic skills with lower barriers than in traditional clinic-based practice.
Just Relax? - They discuss how to use effective techniques to fight anxiety and stress without calming yourself down, including facing your anxiety head on, and redefining relaxation in a way that speaks to you.
2018 Featured Articles
Depression’s Toll - One in five Americans suffer from mental illness. This article highlights one family's experience with depression, as well as the toll it can take when suffered in silence.
Anxious Child - The Wall Street Journal and New York Times feature the role of CBT in treating childhood anxiety.
Fear of Rejection - He compares himself to a neurotic movie director who helps script very specific scenarios for patients, getting straight to the core of their greatest social fear.
the CBT for Depression - A Psychology Today blog featured a discussion of living with depression, including dealing with the early stages.
Conquering Negative Thinking - The New York Times recently ran an article discussing the origins of, and cures for, negative thinking.
CBT on Campus - Florida's public university system is planning to add psychological resources to aid their anxious students.
Better CBT - The Wall Street Journal reported that doing therapy in the morning, taking a nap afterward or adding a medication that enhances learning are just a few of the methods scientists use to make cognitive behavioral therapy work better.

Related Information

What Is Cognitive Behavior Therapy?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a type of treatment that is based firmly on research findings.  It places emphasis on changing your cognitions (thoughts) or behaviors (actions) in order to effect change in how you feel. These approaches help people in achieving specific changes or goals.

Changes or goals might involve:

A way of acting: like smoking less or being more outgoing;
A way of feeling: like helping a person to be less scared, less depressed, or less anxious;
A way of thinking: like learning to problem-solve or get rid of self-defeating thoughts;
A way of dealing with physical or medical problems: like reducing back pain or helping a person stick to a doctor’s suggestions.

Cognitive behavioral therapists usually focus more on the current situation and its solution, rather than the past. They concentrate on a person’s views and beliefs about their life. CBT is an effective treatment for individuals, parents, children, couples, and families. The goal of CBT is to help people improve and gain more control over their lives by changing behaviors that don’t work well to ones that do.

How to Get Help

If you are looking for help, either for yourself or someone else, you may be tempted to call someone who advertises in a local publication or who comes up from a search of the Internet. You may, or may not, find a competent therapist in this manner. It is wise to check on the credentials of a psychotherapist. It is expected that competent therapists hold advanced academic degrees. They should be listed as members of professional organizations, such as the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies or the American Psychological Association. Of course, they should be licensed to practice in your state. You can find competent specialists who are affiliated with local universities or mental health facilities or who are listed on the websites of professional organizations. You may, of course, visit our website (www.abct.org) and click on “Find a CBT Therapist”

The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) is an interdisciplinary organization committed to the advancement of a scientific approach to the understanding and amelioration of problems of the human condition. These aims are achieved through the investigation and application of behavioral, cognitive, and other evidence-based principles to assessment, prevention, and treatment.

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Journals

Membership in ABCT grants you access to three journals.

Convention

We are now accepting Abstract submissions for Continuing Education Ticketed Sessions at the 2024 ABCT Convention in Philadelphia, PA.

My Account Info

Manage your Membership information, email preferences, and more.

Journals

Membership in ABCT grants you access to three journals.

Convention

We are now accepting Abstract submissions for Continuing Education Ticketed Sessions at the 2024 ABCT Convention in Philadelphia, PA.