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the Behavior Therapist September 2026

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the Behavior Therapist September 2026

New & Noteworthy

Click here to begin reading the September 2026 issue of the Behavior Therapist.

September is here! We’ve been busy at ABCT, opening both membership renewal and registration for this year’s Annual Convention. An ABCT membership gets you a discounted rate for the convention, so be sure to take a moment and make sure you’ve renewed! This issue of the Behavior Therapist also includes our program preview for the Convention, held November 12-15 in Baltimore, Maryland. Our local arrangements team also prepared get-to-know article for those curious about the charming seaside city, full of recommendations and a historical overview. We are also happy to highlight a Welcome from the Program Chairs, addressing some key elements of the structure of this year’s Convention and looking forward to the celebration of ABCT’s 60th anniversary as an organization. For all the latest details, be sure to visit abct.org/2026-convention.

On the research end, this issue of tBT features three clinical forums regarding the incorporation of patient minority identity and stress into therapy approaches. With two practice forums and one training forum, we’re glad to see consideration of the integration of compassion and science within our field – something we’re happy to further highlight as the theme for this year’s 60th ABCT Annual Convention.

See below for articles and select highlights from the September 2026 tBT Table of Contents.

The Behavior Therapist, Vol. 49, Issue 6

ABCT Matters 

Related Information

Suggested Resources

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.