Skip to main content
11th WCCBT Congress Main banner
Final Program


Icon Legend
This session is not in your schedule.
This session is in your schedule. Click again to remove it.
Presentation Icons
Recorded Session
Recorded Session
Ticketed Session
Ticketed Session
Symposium

Interventions and Care Delivery Models in the Context of Resource Limitations
Symposium

Symposium 8 - Expanding Access to CBT in diverse Asian Contexts: Bridging Barriers

Thursday, June 25, 2026
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM PDT
Location: Yerba Buena Salon 1, B3 Level
CE: 1

Keywords: Cognitive Therapy , Culture , Acceptance
Level of Familiarity: Moderate
Recommended Readings: Naeem, F., Khan, N., Sohani, N., Safa, F., Masud, M., Ahmed, S., ... & McKenzie, K. (2024). Culturally adapted cognitive behaviour therapy (CaCBT) to improve community mental health services for canadians of south asian origin: A qualitative study. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 69(1), 54-68.,   Opia, F. N., & Matthew, K. A. (2025). Culturally sensitive interventions for mental health in vulnerable populations: Bridging gaps in care. International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews, 6(1), 2984-2997.,   Xin, R., Fitzpatrick, O. M., Ho Lam Lai, P., Weisz, J. R., & Price, M. A. (2022). A systematic narrative review of cognitive-behavioral therapies with Asian American youth. Evidence-Based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 7(2), 198-212.,   ,  

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has emerged as one of the most evidence-based and adaptable psychological interventions worldwide. However, its dissemination and implementation across diverse Asian contexts remain uneven, shaped by sociocultural, linguistic, structural, and systemic barriers. This symposium, “Expanding Access to CBT in Diverse Asian Contexts: Bridging Barriers,” brings together four complementary presentations that collectively explore the challenges and opportunities involved in scaling CBT in the region. The goal is to highlight innovations, contextual adaptations, and practical strategies that can enhance the reach, relevance, and sustainability of CBT in varied Asian populations.
The symposium begins by examining the broader landscape of mental health service delivery in Asia, including disparities in access, scarcity of trained practitioners, and cultural perceptions influencing help-seeking behavior. A cross-country perspective will illuminate the need for culturally responsive modifications to traditional CBT frameworks, ensuring that therapeutic processes align with local values, family structures, and communication styles.
Subsequent presentations delve into specific models and approaches being developed across the region—ranging from community-based delivery and stepped-care systems to digital and blended CBT interventions designed to overcome workforce limitations and geographical constraints. Particular attention will be given to training innovations, capacity-building efforts, and supervision models that support competency and fidelity while remaining sensitive to cultural nuances.
The symposium also addresses barriers such as stigma, affordability, limited policy integration, and varying levels of mental health literacy. Through empirical findings, case illustrations, and practice-based insights, the four abstracts collectively demonstrate how thoughtful adaptation and collaboration can transform access to CBT for diverse Asian communities.
Overall, this integrative session aims to stimulate dialogue, foster regional collaboration, and encourage the development of culturally grounded, scalable CBT models that can meaningfully bridge gaps in mental health care across Asia.

Learning Objectives:

  • Explain the need for cultural adaptations of CBT.
  • Explore training, supervision, and capacity-building strategies.
  • Foster cross-regional dialogue and collaboration.
  • Identify future directions and opportunities.

Presentations:

  • 11:33 AM - 11:52 AM PDT
    (SYM 8) The Seoul Metropolitan Psychological Support Center: Two Years of Programs and Key Outcomes

    Speaker: Kyong-Mee Chung, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – Yonsei University

  • 11:52 AM - 12:11 PM PDT
    (SYM 8) Contextual Considerations for Scaling CBT in South Korea

    Speaker: Kee-Hong Choi, Ph.D. (he/him/his) – Korea University

  • 12:11 PM - 12:30 PM PDT
    (SYM 8) Shaping the Future of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Japan: Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities

    Speaker: Shin-ichi Ishikawa, Ph.D. (he/him/his) – Doshisha University