Board of ACBTA 2024-2027
Executive Committee:
President
Professor Nimisha Kumar, PhD
Dr Nimisha Kumar is a Senior Consultant Psychologist, CBT therapist, academician, entrepreneur and trainer based in New Delhi. She has a PhD in Psychology from University of Delhi and an MSc in CBT as well as a PG Cert in Clinical Supervision from University of Derbyshire, UK. She is a Commonwealth Scholarship holder.
Dr. Kumar is the Founder & President of the Indian Association for CBT (IACBT), Founder-Director of Ascend-PsyCare and President of the Asian CBTs Association (ACBTA). She is also a Professor at the Faculty of Behavioural & Social Sciences, SGT University, Gurugram.
Dr. Kumar has over 20 years of experience in CBT practice, teaching, training and research. She organized the first ever CBT Conference in India in 2015. Dr. Kumar has worked at prestigious institutions such as AIIMS, MAMC, Jamia Millia Islamia and Sitram Bhartia Institute in New Delhi, has organized multiple conferences and training workshops, has written papers in Indexed and refereed Journals, presented papers at National and International conferences and mentored a number of Masters and Doctoral research dissertations. She specializes in the CBT treatment for common mental disorders as well as couples’ issues. One of her special focus areas of research has been the Cultural Adaptation of CBT in the Indian context. She has a special interest in early childhood development and qualitative research.
Dr. Kumar provides CBT sessions as well as training and supervision to students and professionals from diverse backgrounds in both online and offline modes. Under her leadership, the IACBT recently successfully organized the 8th Asian CBT Congress from 28th February to 3rd March 2024 at AIIMS, New Delhi with participation of over 650 delegates from 25 countries from Asia and abroad.
President-Elect
Dr Daisuke Fujisawa, MD, PhD
Dr Daisuke Fujisawa is an Associate Professor in Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. He is the President of the Japanese Association of Cognitive Therapy (JACT). He is a qualified supervisor in cognitive behavioral therapy from Japan Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. He is a certified therapist and rater of the Academy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (A-CBT), USA (International Diplomate member).
Dr Fujisawa’s areas of research include efficacy trials in CBT and mindfulness in the fields of geriatric psychiatry and consultation-psychiatry, and education and dissemination of CBT. He is board-certified in general psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, consultation-liaison psychiatry and clinical ethics. He sits on the Board of Directors of International Psycho-Oncology Society.
Past President
Professor Firdaus Mukhtar, PhD
Dr Firdaus Mukhtar is a Professor and Consultant Clinical Psychologist at Hospital Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah (HSAAS), Universiti Putra Malaysia. She received her PhD from University of Queensland, after completing a Master of Clinical Psychology at Edith Cowan University and Bachelor of Human Sciences in Psychology at the International Islamic University Malaysia. Her PhD thesis was on Group Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Unipolar Depression supervised by pioneer of ACBTA, Prof Emeritus Tian Po Oei. Currently, she still serves as Training and Certification Committee Member and has been involved in developing WCCBT CBT Training Guidelines.
Dr Firdaus was a CBT consultant for the World Health Organization (WHO) in Malaysia to develop a CBT manual to manage chronic medical illness at primary care level and gave intensive CBT training to Family Medicine Specialists. In 2023, she was appointed as the Global CBT Ambassador, and had contributed as ACBTA advisor for both 10th World Congress CBT in Seoul and 8th Asian CBT Congress in New Delhi. Dr Firdaus was the recipient of the 2012 L’Oreal Malaysia Young Women Scientist for her vast contribution in psychological research and she has 20 years of experience in providing CBT and DBT training to medical, allied health and mental health professionals around South East Asia. With nearly 100 scientific articles and more than five CBT books, she is a renowned Subject Matter Expert in the area of depression, anxiety, obesity and vaginismus in the region.
Secretary
Dr Susmita Halder, PhD
Dr Susmita Halder is Associate Professor and Head at the Department of Psychology at St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata, India. She is a licensed clinical psychologist registered with the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI). Dr Susmita has been into teaching, consultancy and research for more than 17 years.
Her area of interest includes clinical and neuropsychology, especially, CBT, cognitive training, geriatric population and suicide. Dr Susmita is the Founding and Executive Committee member of the Indian Association for Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (IACBT), and Secretary of ACBTA. She has keen interest in research and has over 100 publications in peer reviewed and indexed journals and two book in her account.
Treasurer
Dr JongSun Lee, PhD
Dr JongSun Lee is an Associate Professor at the Department of Psychology, Kangwon National University, South Korea, and has been there since 2015. Dr Lee obtained her BA and MA from Korea University and PhD from the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, UK. She then worked as a research professor at Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) and Korea University. She is a clinical psychologist and CBT therapist.
Dr Lee focuses her research interest on the investigation of the effects of CBT and CBM (Cognitive Bias Modification) in depression and social anxiety. Dr Lee is currently the Vice President of the Korea Association of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (KACBT).
Director of Training
Professor Shin-Ichi Ishikawa, PhD
Dr. Shin-ichi Ishikawa is a professor at the Faculty of Psychology, Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan. He obtained his undergraduate and MA degrees from Waseda University and his PhD from Health Sciences University of Hokkaido. He was a Fulbright scholar at Swarthmore College, 2011-2012, a visiting professor at Macquarie University, 2018-2019, and a visiting professor at Turku University, 2022-2024. He was a full-time lecturer at the Faculty of Education and Culture at the University of Miyazaki before joining Doshisha University in 2011.
Dr Ishikawa’s research focuses on Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, especially treatment, prevention, and psychopathology. He has received several awards, including of the Japanese Psychological Association (JPA), the Japanese Association of Cognitive Behavioral Therapies (JABCT), and the Japanese Association of Counseling Science (JACS). He had contributed as an ACBTA supporter for 10th World Congress CBT in Seoul and an ACBTA advisor for 8th Asian CBT Congress in New Delhi. He is an executive committee member of Japanese Society of Anxiety and Related Disorders (JSARD) and a former executive board member of JABCT.
Director of Research
Professor Muhammad Irfan, MD, PhD
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Irfan is a Professor of Psychiatry and the Chair of the Department of Mental Health, Psychiatry, and Behavioral Sciences at Peshawar Medical College. He also holds the position of Professor of Public Health. Additionally, he serves as the Director of Research and Chair of the Institutional Review Board at Prime Foundation.
Prof. Irfan holds significant international leadership roles, including President-Elect of the World Association of Cultural Psychiatry and Director of Research and Innovation at the Asian Cognitive Behavioral Therapies Association. He also serves as the President of the Pakistan Association of Medical Editors.
He is the Chief Editor of the Journal of Postgraduate Medical Institute, an Associate Editor of the Journal of Pakistan Psychiatric Society, and Advisory Board Member of the ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry and Pakistan Journal of Physiology. He is also a member of the World Association of Medical Editors and the Eastern Mediterranean Association of Medical Editors.
With a Ph.D. (Summa Cum Laude) focused on culturally adapted interventions (CBT), Prof. Irfan has authored numerous publications in high-impact factor journals and contributed to books and chapters published by Oxford, Wiley, and Elsevier. He pioneered culturally adapted self-help books and materials, contributing significantly to the field of mental health within diverse cultural contexts.
Previously, he served as President of the Pakistan Association of Cognitive Therapists and Provincial Chapter Chief of Pakistan Psychiatric Society. He was one of the first Asians to be elected as the Council Member of the Committee on Publication Ethics.
He is also actively involved in artistic and literary endeavors. He has served as the Chairman of the Literary Society at Peshawar Medical College and has previously held the role of Literary Secretary and Editor in Chief of the Literary Magazine of Khyber Medical College Peshawar.
Prof. Irfan’s main professional interests include global mental health, cultural psychiatry, non-pharmacological/ culturally adapted interventions in lower and middle-income countries, transcultural and translational research, and digital mental health, focusing on innovations in psychiatry using eHealth and mHealth.
Board Members 2024-2027 (to be advised)
Board of ACBTA 2021-2024
Executive Committee:
President
Professor Firdaus Mukhtar, PhD
Dr Firdaus Mukhtar is a Professor and Deputy Dean at School of Graduate Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia. She received her PhD from University of Queensland, after completing a Master of Clinical Psychology at Edith Cowan University and Bachelor of Human Sciences in Psychology at the International Islamic University Malaysia. Her PhD thesis was on Group Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Unipolar Depression. She was a CBT consultant for WHO Malaysia to develop a CBT manual to manage chronic medical illness at primary care level and gave intensive CBT training to Family Medicine Specialists. Dr Firdaus was the recipient of the 2012 L’Oreal Malaysia Young Women Scientist for her vast contribution to research on depression, anxiety and weight management. She has 20 years of experience in providing CBT and DBT training to medical, allied health and mental health professionals around South East Asia. With over 50 scientific articles and CBT books, she is a renowned Subject Matter Expert in the region. Dr Firdaus is also the Chair of the WCCBT Training and Certification Committee, as well as the Global CBT Ambassador 2023-2026.
President-Elect
Professor Dr Nimisha Kumar, PhD
Dr Nimisha Kumar is the Founder and Director of Ascend-Psy Care, as well as a Professor at SGT University, India. She is a Senior Consultant Psychologist and trained CBT Therapist. She is also the Founder President of the Indian Association for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (IACBT). She has a Masters in Applied Psychology (Clinical Specialization) and a Doctorate in Psychology from University of Delhi, India. In 2003, Dr Nimisha received the prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship for a Master’s degree in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy at the University of Derby, United Kingdom. She is the co-chair of the coming 8th Asian CBT Congress to be held on 28 February to 3 March 2024 at AIIMS, New Delhi, India.
Past President
Professor Ning Zhang, MD, PhD
Professor Ning Zhang is a leading psychiatrist and researcher on cognitive behavioral therapy in Nanjing. He holds many positions in mental health organizations. He is the Deputy Director of Jiangsu Provincial Center of Mental Health, Director of Nanjing Institute of Neuropsychiatry, and Director of Institute of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy of Nanjing Medical University. Prof Zhang was also one of the representatives of Asian Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Association (ACBTA) in WCCBT during his tenure as the President of the ACBTA between 2018 to 2020. He has published more than 200 papers and edited more than 60 books. He has won 20 awards for scientific and technological progress and teaching.
Secretary
Professor Alvin Lai Oon Ng, DPsych
Dr Alvin Ng is currently Associate Dean (Engagement and Internationalisation) at the School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Malaysia. He is a clinical psychologist by training, with a Doctor of Psychology degree from Murdoch University, Western Australia. His research area includes mental health literacy, mindfulness-based interventions, cultural validation of psychometric inventories and cross-cultural aspects of psychotherapy. He was formerly the Head of the Health Psychology Unit at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (National University of Malaysia) where he led the Master of Clinical Psychology Program from 2003 to 2013. Dr Ng was the Founding President of the Malaysian Society of Clinical Psychology as well as the Secretary of ACBTA from 2014 to 2018. He was the Chair of the 7th Asian Cognitive Behavior Therapy Conference 2021, as well as a Steering Scientific Committee Member of the 10th World Congress of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies in Seoul, Korea from 1-4 June 2023.
Treasurer (until July 2022)
Professor Younghee Choi, MD, PhD
Dr Younghee Choi is a psychiatrist and the Director of the Mettaa Institute of Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Schema Focus Therapy, as well as Clinical Professor of Department of Psychiatry, Paik Hospital of Inje University, South Korea. He is a Certified Therapist of both the Academy of Cognitive Therapy (ACT), and the International Society for Schema Therapy (ISST). Dr Choi is also the Chair of the Scientific Committee of coming World Congress of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies 2023, in Seoul, South Korea.
Treasurer (from July 2022)
Associate Professor Dr JongSun Lee, PhD
Dr JongSun Lee is an associate professor in the department of psychology, Kangwon National University, South Korea, and worked here from 2015. Dr Lee obtained her BA and MA from Korea University and PhD from the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, UK. She then worked as a research professor at Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology(KAIST) & Korea University. She is a clinical psychologist and CBT therapist in Korea. Dr Lee focuses her research interest on the investigation of the effects of CBT and CBM (Cognitive Bias Modification) in depression and social anxiety. Dr Lee is currently the Vice President of the Korea Association of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (KACBT).
Research and Innovation
Professor Muhammad Irfan, MD, PhD
Dr Muhammad Irfan is Professor, Head of Department and Director of Research at the Department of Mental Health, Psychiatry & Behavioural Sciences, Peshawar Medical College, Pakistan. He holds many posts, notably Director of World Association of Cultural Psychiatry; Member, Global Mental Health Caucus of American Psychiatric Association; General Secretary, Pakistan Association of Cognitive Therapists (PACT); Ex-Provincial Chapter Chief, Pakistan Psychiatric Society. Dr Irfan has regularly been involved in capacity building activities in the fields of research and publication ethics. He is an International Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. His professional interests include Global Mental Health, Digital Mental Health, Non-Pharmacological Interventions and Genetics in Psychiatry.
Training and Development
Professor Shin-Ichi Ishikawa, PhD
Dr Shin-ichi Ishikawa is a professor at the Faculty of Psychology, Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan. He is a certified public psychologist, professional behavioral psychotherapist, and clinical psychologist. He obtained his undergraduate and MA degrees from Waseda University and his PhD from Health Sciences University of Hokkaido. He was a Fullbright Scholar at Swarthmore College in 2011-2012 and a Visiting Professor at Macquarie University in 2018-2019. His research focuses on clinical child and adolescent psychology, especially in treatment and prevention of psychopathology. He has received awards from the Japanese Psychological Association, the Japanese Association of Cognitive Behavioral Therapies, and the Japanese Association of Counseling Science. He is an executive board member of the Japanese Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (JABCT).
Board Members 2021-2024 (in alphabetical order):
Professor Jenny Huei-Chen Ko, PhD – Asia University
Professor Emeritus Jung Hye Kwon, PhD – Korea University
Professor Freedom Leung, PhD – Chinese University of Hong Kong
Professor Zhanjiang Li, MD, PhD – Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University
Professor Akiko Nakagawa, PhD – Chiba University
Professor Emeritus Tian Po Oei, PhD – The University of Queensland
Assistant Professor Md. Shahanur Hossain, PhD– University of Dhaka
Professor Chun Wang, MD, PhD – Nanjing Medical University
Asian Cognitive Behavioral Therapies Association (ACBTA) 