The World Confederation of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (WCCBT) was launched on Monday, January 7, 2019. The WCCBT is a global multi-disciplinary organization dedicated to the promotion of health and well-being through the scientific development and implementation of evidence-based cognitive behavioral strategies designed to evaluate, prevent, and treat mental conditions and illnesses. Sarah Egan, previously Chair of the World Congress Committee, will serve as interim President of the WCCBT.
Co-Founder of Cognitive Behavioral Consultants and Professor at Yeshiva University, Dr. Lata McGinn, raised the idea of forming a World organization of CBT in 2014. In her capacity as the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies’ (ABCT) International Associates Committee and Chair of the World Congress Sub-committee, Dr. McGinn worked with the following WCC Sub-committee members—Keith Dobson, Thomas Ollendick, Rod Holland, Philip Tata, Sarah Egan, Ross Menzies, Luis Perez, and Jung-Hye Kwon—to bring together CBT organizations across the world and fulfill its humanitarian mission to spread evidence-based practice across the globe in order to reduce human suffering and increase wellness.
The WCCBT replaces the World Congress Committee (WCC), which officially closed on January 6, 2019, along with the WCC Sub-committee that developed the WCCBT. The six founding members of the WCCBT are the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Asian Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Association (ACBTA), the Australian Association for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (AACBT), the European Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies (EABCT), the International Association of Cognitive Psychotherapy (IACP) and the Latin-American Association of Analysis, Behavioral Modification and Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (ALAMOC).
“The WCC committee and its members have made significant accomplishments over the past 23 years by facilitating the development and organizations of highly successful world congresses, starting with the first one in 1995 in Copenhagen,” Lata McGinn said in a statement. “We appreciate the WCC’s willingness to consider our proposal to form a world organization and are grateful that they tasked us with its formation. I have very much appreciated working alongside all the other WCC Sub-committee members over the last five years.”
“It has been a labor of love for all of us to see the WCCBT come to fruition,” McGinn continued. “We also want to thank all the WCC representatives and their member associations for their support and consultation in helping to develop the WCCBT. ABCT’s inclusive world view, generosity and support have been instrumental in getting us to this point and will be instrumental in helping the WCCBT achieve its mission and aims.”
The aims of the WCCBT include: Support the development and profile of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies (CBT) Worldwide; Develop a Worldwide Network to Share News, Information, and Issues in CBT; Promote and advocate for mental health, CBT and Evidence-based Treatments for Psychological Disorders in order to Improve Wellbeing across the Globe; Develop and Support Effective Implementation of CBT through Training; and Facilitate and Support Research in CBT, and build partnerships with worldwide health organizations
The official launch of the WCCBT will take place at the World Congress of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies in Berlin, Germany, to be held July 17-20, 2019. To learn more about the WCCBT, please visit. www.WCCBT.org.