CBT in Action: Mental Health Support in Humanitarian Crises
By Dr. Lata K. McGinn
President, World Confederation of Cognitive & Behavioural Therapies (WCCBT)
Professor, Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University
Co-Founder, Cognitive & Behavioral Consultants
Each year on April 7, the World Confederation of Cognitive & Behavioural Therapies (WCCBT) marks World CBT Day by highlighting the importance of accessible, evidence-based mental health care worldwide. Since launching World CBT Day in 2021, WCCBT has used this occasion to promote the reach, relevance, and public health value of cognitive and behavioural therapies across diverse communities and settings.
This year’s theme, “CBT in Action: Mental Health Support in Humanitarian Crises,” reflects one of the most urgent challenges facing our world. Across regions affected by war, displacement, natural disasters, public health emergencies, and other crises, individuals, families, and communities face overwhelming stress, loss, and trauma. In these contexts, mental health support is not optional. It is an essential part of humane and effective care.
Why This Theme Matters
Humanitarian crises affect mental health at every level. People may experience acute distress, grief, fear, uncertainty, and disruption to safety, routines, relationships, and community support. Without timely care, these experiences can have lasting psychological consequences.
As CBT practitioners, researchers, trainers, and organizations, we have an important role to play. Cognitive and behavioural therapies offer evidence-based principles and interventions that can be adapted, scaled, and delivered in ways that are practical, culturally responsive, and meaningful in crisis-affected settings.
CBT has much to contribute not only to treatment, but also to early support, resilience-building, prevention, capacity-building, and system strengthening.
Psychological First Aid as CBT in Action
One clear example of CBT in action in humanitarian settings is Psychological First Aid (PFA).
PFA is an evidence-informed approach that provides humane, supportive, and practical help to people in the immediate aftermath of traumatic events, major stressors, and personal or collective crises. It can be used across the lifespan, from children to older adults, and emphasizes support that respects each person’s dignity, culture, strengths, and capacity for recovery.
Rather than pathologizing normal distress, PFA helps reduce acute stress, foster safety and stabilization, connect people with practical and social supports, and promote healthy coping and recovery.
PFA is grounded in the understanding that human beings are resilient and that early support matters. When people receive timely, compassionate, and evidence-informed care after adversity, we can help reduce suffering, strengthen adaptive coping, and potentially lower risk for longer-term psychological difficulties, including posttraumatic stress disorder.
A Global Public Health Priority
This year’s theme also aligns with growing international recognition that mental health and psychosocial support must be part of emergency and humanitarian response. Agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO) have emphasized the importance of scalable, evidence-informed approaches to support individuals and communities affected by crisesu .
Whether responding to war, forced displacement, natural disasters, pandemics, or community emergencies, mental health care must be considered alongside physical health, safety, shelter, and social support.
My Work in Trauma Prevention and PFA
My own work has focused on trauma prevention, Psychological First Aid, and PFA+, as well as training professionals worldwide to deliver these interventions to individuals coping with crisis, stress, and trauma.
One of the most meaningful aspects of this work has been seeing how quickly professionals, schools, healthcare systems, and communities can be equipped with practical skills that make a real difference. In moments when people feel overwhelmed or alone, supportive and evidence-informed early intervention can help restore a sense of safety, connection, coping, and hope.
This is one reason I feel so strongly about this year’s World CBT Day theme. It reflects both an urgent global need and an important opportunity for our field to contribute in concrete ways.
A Call to Action
World CBT Day is not only a day of recognition. It is also a call to action.
As a global CBT community, we can help raise awareness of the mental health impact of emergencies, support workforce development, contribute to implementation efforts, and advocate for broader access to evidence-based psychological care.
On World CBT Day, April 7, we invite you to take part by:
Hosting or attending a local or virtual event
Sharing scientifically accurate information about CBT and mental health on social media
Engaging policymakers and stakeholders to support access to evidence-based psychological care
Encouraging your organization, school, university, clinic, or professional society to participate
On this World CBT Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to bringing CBT into action where it is needed most. In times of crisis, people need more than survival. They need support, dignity, practical tools, and hope. As a global CBT community, we can help provide that.
Join us on April 7 and help spread the message.
#WorldCBTDay #CBT #MentalHealth #MentalHealthMatters #WCCBT #WHO #PsychologicalFirstAid
Related Resource: CBT and Dealing with Trauma
wccbt.org/cbt-dealing-with-trauma