Happy World CBT Day!

Happy World CBT Day!
Promoting Mental Health in an Age of Uncertainty

Today, April 7, is the second annual World CBT Day! World CBT Day is an annual event sponsored by the World Confederation of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies. It is timed to coincide with the World Health Organization’s World Health Day and to reflect the importance of the behavioral and cognitive therapies to global health.

The World Confederation of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (WCCBT), is dedicated to the promotion of the health and well-being of the world’s population through the development and implementation of evidence-based cognitive and behavioral therapies. WCCBT is comprised of regional associations and is aimed at advancing scientific knowledge and research.

To commemorate World CBT Day, ABCT is highlighting two CBT-based efforts our membership will be offering:

“Promoting Mental Health in an Age of Uncertainty: Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Youth” presented by Richard Gallagher, Ph.D., NYU Grossman School of Medicine can be viewed on YouTube by clicking the image below:

“Helping Teens Manage Stress and Anxiety in the Age of Uncertainty” presented by Muniya Khanna., Ph.D. and Sarah Olivo, Ph.D, for Lumate Health can be viewed on Lumate’s LinkedIn page by clicking the image below:

You can also follow Lumate’s work on Instagram: @lumatehealth

To learn more about ABCT, visit our website: Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies
You do not have to be a member of ABCT to take advantage of our many offerings:

Information about CBT and finding a CBT-based therapist:
- CBT Therapist Directory
- Fact Sheets explaining how CBT addresses specific disorders or populations
- Self Help Book Recommendations Directory
If you are a CBT professional:
- Webinars on a variety of CBT topics and CE available
- Access to our newsletter/journal, the Behavior Therapist
- Attend our Annual Convention in Seattle, WA from November 16-20, 2023

Happy World CBT Day from ABCT!

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.