World Confederation of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies

07/06/2026

06/30/2026

The WCCBT is excited to announce that Professor Ross G. Menzies, from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), has been appointed President of the Confederation. Dr Menzies has an international reputation in a range of areas including OCD, fears and phobias, death and existential issues, stuttering, eTherapy and the development of automated, scalable treatment programs. In addition to his large clinical load, Ross has published 12 books, and more than 230 chapters and journal papers in a long and distinguished career. He’s received continuous research funding from national competitive sources for more than three decades. He is the winner of many prestigious awards, most recently the Williams James Book Award from the American Psychological Association. His term as President of the WCCBT will run from 2026 to 2029.

Professor Menzies is a three-time President of the Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy (AACBT). He was the Convenor of the 8th World Congress of Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies in Melbourne, 2016. He has also been appointed Convenor of the 13th World Congress to be held in Sydney in 2032.

06/26/2026

As the 2026 World Congress draws to a close, we will close with two gatherings. All WCCBT members are invited to the Triennial Meeting on Saturday afternoon, followed by the Closing Ceremony that evening.

Saturday, June 27, Triennial Meeting 12:30 PM, Pacific F. Closing Ceremony 5:45 PM, Golden Gate A.

06/21/2026

The 2026 World Congress will bring together leading voices in cognitive and behavioural therapies from every corner of the world. The program will span the founders of modern CBT, researchers pushing the science forward, and clinicians reaching communities that have long gone underserved.

You'll hear from names like Judith Beck, David M. Clark, Steven Hayes, Michelle Craske, and Christine Padesky, alongside speakers travelling from Australia, Zimbabwe, South Korea, Japan, Brazil, Peru, and China, and many more.

June 25 to 28 in San Francisco. Take a look at who's speaking.

06/17/2026

Some of the best moments at a Congress happen after the sessions end. We've set aside two evenings to connect: a Reception and Social on Thursday in the Yerba Buena Foyer, and our Signature Event and Dinner on Friday in Golden Gate C2. Bring your colleagues, meet someone new, and celebrate the work that brings us together.

06/12/2026

A milestone moment is coming at World Congress 2026: the first ever WCCBT Global Impact Award will go to Dr. David M. Clark. After the presentation, he will deliver a keynote on bringing evidence-based psychological therapies to the public at scale, covering politics, measurement-based care, and economics.

Friday, June 26, 9:15 to 10:30 AM, Golden Gate A.

06/08/2026

We are counting down to the 2026 World Congress in San Francisco, and it will all begin with the Opening Ceremony and Presidential Keynote. WCCBT President Dr. Lata McGinn will take speak on Thursday, June 25 to reflect on the global impact of CBT and discuss the future. This keynote is located at Golden Gate A, B2 Level from 8:15-9:30 AM. Come be part of the start.

06/03/2026

What does it take to help someone through depression or a stretch of real stress? About 15 minutes a week with a trained helper, following a structured programme.

World Health Organization (WHO) has released a new manual on psychological self-help, and we were part of the group that shaped it. It draws on two programmes already running as national services in Lebanon and Thailand: Step-by-Step and Doing What Matters in Times of Stress.

We've written more about what's in the manual and why it matters on the WCCBT blog. WCCBT.org/news-articles/

04/07/2026

On World CBT Day 2026, we highlight CBT in Action: Mental Health Support in Humanitarian Crises.

In times of conflict, disaster, displacement, and disruption, mental health matters. CBT can offer practical, evidence-based support that helps people manage distress, strengthen coping, and rebuild a sense of stability and hope.

Today, we recognize the importance of making psychological support available in crisis-affected settings, and the global community working to make that possible.