What Is ABCT

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.

While primarily an interest group, ABCT is also active in:

1. Encouraging the development, study, and dissemination of scientific approaches to behavioral health.
2. Promoting the utilization, expansion, and dissemination of behavioral, cognitive, and other empirically-derived practices.
3. Facilitating professional development, interaction, and networking among members.

The Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies is a not-for-profit international membership organization that was founded in 1966. Its membership consists of psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, physicians, nurses, and students who study, practice, and/or conduct research in cognitive-behavior therapy. ABCT serves as a centralized resource and network, enhancing public awareness of cognitive behavior, therapy, disseminating knowledge, and promoting research. ABCT holds an annual professional Convention featuring state-of-the-art scientific research and clinical training. In addition, ABCT publishes two scholarly journals and a professional newsletter.

What is CBT?

Cognitive-Behavior Therapy is devoted to the relief of human suffering using methods that have been shown to work. The latest in scientific advances are used to design personalized treatments in a culturally sensitive manner. In CBT the therapist and client work together to determine the goals for therapy, the agenda for each session, home practice between sessions, the usefulness of each intervention, and how long to continue therapy.

What is CBT used for?

Because CBT is based on broad principles of human learning and adaptation, it can be used to accomplish a wide variety of goals. CBT has been applied to issues ranging from depression and anxiety to the improvement of the quality of parenting, relationships and personal effectiveness.

A wealth of scientific study has document the helpfulness of CBT programs for a wide range of concerns, including:

A variety of names are applied to what cognitive-behavior therapists do. These names refer to specific developments in the field that may represent specialized approaches to specific disorders (such as Dialectic Behavior Therapy for borderline personality disorder) or a focus on the primacy of a type of intervention (such as the focus on understanding behavioral patterns and learning new skills in Behavior Therapy, or the focus on evaluating and changing thoughts in Cognitive Therapy). Beyond these specializations, these treatments share a common focus on the importance of human learning and adaptation and the value of empirical study in guiding treatment.

What can I expect in cognitive behavior therapy?

Therapy starts with a personalized assessment. The therapist assists individuals in identifying the specific problems that brought them to therapy, and prioritizing which concerns are most important and ready for change at the present time. Discussing the individual’s values and the structuring of goals for treatment, breaking problems down into manageable steps for solutions, and developing “signposts” for progress, are common themes in early meetings.

Assessment may include a review of experiences that are linked with the present problem, but the focus is on how to find new ways of adapting to, or changing, current life situations. Treatment elements may include: Information to help you understand how problems develop and the common steps that can be used to address them.

• Exercises and discussions to help you increase your awareness of the interplay of events, emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in problem areas of your life.
• Exercises to help you stay in and learn from situations you commonly avoid due to fear and anxiety. A therapist may call this “exposure therapy”
• Help in returning to, or developing new, enjoyable and valued activities.
• Learning to evaluate the accuracy and impact of thoughts on emotions and behavior, and developing more useful ways of thinking.
• Learning to set goals and reward yourself when you meet goals. A therapist may call this “contingency management” or “reinforcement”
• Learning to identify high risk situations and events so that you can better deal with problem behaviors. A therapist may call this “relapse prevention”
• Practicing new ways for interacting with others. For example, a therapist may use “assertiveness training” to help individuals say “no” when they need to
• Developing a way of discovering alternative solutions to problems and to evaluate likely outcomes
• Practicing understanding and accepting emotions and negative thoughts while pursuing one’s values and goals.
• Having the opportunity to discover how you feel about the possibility of change. A therapist may call this “motivational enhancement therapy”
• Skills to regulate stress, sleep, body tension, or pain
• Learning to understand child or family problems and developing new communication skills or more effective parenting skills. A therapist may call this “behavioral family therapy” or “parent training”

Overall, individuals in therapy should have a sense of working in a team with the therapist, learning how the problem was developed, learning what can be done to manage or eliminate it, and receiving practice in new ways of thinking, feeling, and acting. All of these interventions are aimed at reducing distress and disability and enhancing quality of life and wellbeing.

Why does CBT have a commitment to research?

Research helps people! Research informs us about the common patterns that cause trouble for humans, and strategies for recovering from these troubles. CBT is informed by new findings and new approaches. Treatments should change over time, so that each generation has a better chance to live more satisfying lives.

How Do I Choose a Therapist?

Be a good consumer!

• Make sure your therapist is appropriately licensed in your state or province.
• Make sure your therapist has experience with the conditions for which you are seeking help.
• Ask about the costs of treatment and explore your insurance company’s policy on reimbursement.
• Ask about your therapist’s training in CBT.
• After your initial interviews, ask your therapist about her or his plan for your treatment.
• Ask your therapist about her or his expectations of success based on the available research.
• Ask about the projected length of treatment.
• Ask how your progress in treatment will be measured.
• Ask your therapist about alternatives to the treatment plan she or he is recommending.
• If problems arise in therapy (e.g., you are not making progress, you are bothered by your therapist’s recommendations, you have hurt feelings), make every effort to discuss these issues directly with your therapist, even though this may be difficult.
• If problems persist in therapy, you may wish to seek a consultation (second opinion) and/or consider new alternatives.

CBT can be done by mental health professionals such as psychologists, psychiatrists, clinical social workers, mental health counselors, and psychiatric nurses. To find a CBT provider in your area, click here.

For Researchers

ABCT is a premier home to clinical researchers on the nature and treatment of mental and behavioral disorders and the promotion of wellness. Through the study of basic processes, healthy and clinical populations, and novel interventions, ABCT members have helped establish evidence based treatments for a wide variety of disorders. ABCT offers a home to these researchers, and provides opportunities for networking, collaborating, learning, and disseminating the latest in empirical findings.

For Students

ABCT provides a nurturing forum for career development and networking for students and trainees from the mental health disciplines. In addition to the wealth of information found in the online journals, the Annual Convention provides a place for clinical learning and research development around an amazing array of topics ranging from courses in the fundamentals of CBT to specialty presentations on the specifics of doing Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Motivational Enhancement Therapy, and the new Mindfulness Therapies. By attending the conference, students can meet directly with the experts who developed these treatments and the leading researchers in the psychosocial and combined treatment field. Students also have the ability to meet with clinicians and researchers who belong to smaller Special Interest Groups devoted to specific areas of study and practice, or to attend specialty workshops or other training forums devoted to topics as diverse as writing NIH grants to providing expert behavioral couples therapy.

Because of ABCT’s commitment to ensuring the training and development of trainees, membership and conference rates are substantially discounted for students. In addition, the conference provides special panel discussions and smaller group meetings with training directors to aid entry into graduate schools, internships, and post-doctoral fellowships; and between conferences students can stay in touch with each other and issues in the field through the Student Listserve and Membership Directory.

Students also have a chance to find their professional voice at ABCT by presenting their research in posters, panel discussions, or symposia. These are just some of the ways to inform the field, get feedback from those who developed the field before you, or to establish collaborations at this early stage of your career.

Professional development is also aided by a number of student and junior professional awards, including:

In short, the ABCT membership with its free on-line journals and annual conference provides one of the most cost-effective learning experiences available in the field. ABCT is also fun, with a wealth of social and large and small group activities to foster networking and lifelong professional friendships.

For Clinicians

Why should practitioners join ABCT?

Practitioners will find compassion, clinical wisdom, colleagues, collegiality, and continuing education at ABCT. ABCT devotes a journal exclusively to you, the practitioner. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice was developed to help clinicians share clinical wisdom and new innovations. Clinicians can contribute and refine their clinical skills by providing empirically-supported commentaries on complex cases, mini treatment manuals, and reviews of conceptual developments in the field.

ABCT devotes a major portion of the program offerings at the Annual Convention to the practitioner, including the Clinical Grand Rounds, Clinical Round Table, Master Clinician Series, and Workshops and Institute series. ABCT targets these presentations at clinicians new to CBT as well as experienced CBTers who are seeking input on the treatment of complex cases and resolving treatment impasses. Clinicians can also choose CEU offerings on a range of interventions such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Parent Child Interaction Therapy, Couples Treatments, and the new Acceptance and Mindfulness therapies; or pursue updates on specific problem areas such as personality disorders, chronic pain, bipolar disorder, or posttraumatic stress disorder. Other than clinical skills, the conference and our newsletter, the Behavior Therapist, provides information on issues in the field including ethical quandries, supervision of trainees, and “how to” articles around media issues, marketing, or professional liability.

ABCT is also devoted to promoting your practice of CBT through our clinical referral service. Listing of your practice characteristics in Find a Therapist helps clients in need find YOU.

Additional resources for you and your patients include the Practitioner Guides and Clinical Fact Sheets, as well as guidance on assessment strategies, books, and manuals in the field.

At the conference, practitioners have the ability to network with others who belong to smaller Special Interest Groups devoted to specific areas of study and practice. Between conferences, you and your colleagues can stay in touch with each other and issues in the field through the Listserve and Membership Directory.

Consider ABCT your professional home – your colleagues are waiting.

ABCT 42nd Annual Convention November 13 - 16, 2008 Dolphin Hotel, Orlando On-line Convention Registration will begin August 15th ! Find A Therapist ABCT's Job Bank