ABCT Commemorates Juneteenth

June 19, 2023

Today, we join the nation in commemorating Juneteenth, a historic milestone in the journey toward freedom and equality. Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, marks the day when news of the emancipation of enslaved African Americans reached Galveston, Texas in 1865, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

As an organization committed to behavioral and cognitive therapies, we recognize the importance of understanding and addressing the psychological impact of historical events on individuals and communities. Juneteenth serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience, strength, and enduring spirit of the African American community.

On this day, we strive to deepen our knowledge about Juneteenth and its significance. We encourage open dialogue, education, and reflection as we work towards creating a more inclusive and equitable society for all. Let us honor the past, celebrate the present, and continue the work of dismantling systemic barriers that perpetuate inequality.

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.