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História

HISTORY

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The development of cognitive behavioral therapy in Latin America has a long history, reflected in the interest of professionals in creating regional associations. Concerning the creation of ALAPCCO (Federación Latinoamericana de Psicoterapias Cognitivas y Conductuales), the first antecedent was its participation in 1995 in the World Conference of Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies/WCBCT Copenhagen. In this event, we can highlight two central aspects for the creation of ALAPCCO: the union of both behavioral and cognitive approaches in the same conference; and the need to disseminate these therapies in Latin America. Argentinians such as Héctor Fernández-Álvarez, Claudia Bregman and Sara Baringolz, and Brazilians such as Cristiano Nabuco de Abreu and Paulo Knapp, were present in that Conference. In that context, Héctor Fernández-Álvarez had the idea of creating a regional space that might transcend national borders.

The first Task Group and the birth of ALAPCO: 1996-1999

In November 1, 1996, the Asociación Argentina de Terapia Cognitiva (AATC) called colleagues from Brazil (Bernard Rangé, Paulo Knapp and Cristiano Nabuco de Abreu), Chile (Augusto Zagmutt and Roberto Opazo) and Uruguay (Raquel Zamora) to participate in the First Latin American Symposium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with the goal of congregating the cognitive therapists of this region and to foster creation of an institution for dissemination, development, clinical and theoretical exchange. This is considered ALAPCO´s foundational event and in time it was known as the First Latin American Conference of Cognitive Therapies (I CLAPCO) of what would eventually become, a few years later, the Asociación Latinoamericana de Psicoterapias Cognitivas (ALAPCO).

In 1998, the II Latin American Conference of Cognitive Therapies (II CLAPCO) and First Brazilian Conference of Cognitive Therapies was held, congregating numerous participants from Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay. The event was held in collaboration with the Associação Brasileira de Terapias Cognitivas (ABTC), that later became known as the Sociedade Brasileira de Terapias Cognitivas (SBTC), and is called Federação Brasileria de Terapias Cognitivas (FBTC) these days.

ALAPCO, with its institutional log but without bylaws so far, met one of its foundational goals, that is congregating clinicians and fostering dissemination. In this event, a task group was created for the writing of bylaws and also to support the organization of the next Conference. This group was formed by those who are considered today the founding members: Héctor Fernández-Álvarez and Claudia Bregman, for Argentina; Bernard Rangé and Paulo Knapp, for Brazil; Augusto Zagmutt, for Chile; and Raquel Zamora and Ileana Caputto for Uruguay. After holding several meetings and exchanging electronic correspondence, bylaws were signed in 1999, thus formalizing the foundation of ALAPCO. The first Board of Directors was created and Uruguay was chosen as the host for the next Conference, in the context of the VI Latini Dies in Río de Janeiro, Brazil.

Since then, ALAPCO has remained faithful to its initial mission and goals “dissemination, education and scientific research related to cognitive and behavioral therapies in Latin America”, to which the following specific goals were added:

A. To represent the member association before other national and/or international organizations, public or private, disseminating its work and defending their interests;

B. To promote, support and organize events and dissemination materials, training and exchanges (such as Conferences, workshops, seminars, etc.) of knowledge related to behavioral and cognitive therapies in Latin America;

C. To promote and support scientific research in the field of cognitive and behavioral therapies;

D. To provide scientific counseling to members and affiliate groups, when requested;

E. To promote and support community activities based on cognitive and behavioral therapies that may promote mental health in Latin America.

A proof of constancy and perseverance may be found in the upcoming descripting of the Conferences held until these days, so as the different Board of Directors and the important changes, in chronological order.

President: Raquel Zamora (Uruguay)

Vicepresident: Augusto Zagmutt (Chile)

First secretary: Claudia Bregman (Argentina)

Second secretary: Paulo Knapp (Brazil)

Treasurer: José Lima (Uruguay)

Members: Mateo Ferrer (Chile) – Cristiano Nabuco de Abreu (Brazil) – Lydia Tineo (Argentina)

Once the association is formalized, the III Latin American Conference of Cognitive Therapies (III CLAPCO) is held in 2000 in Montevideo, Uruguay. That Conference was organized in collaboration with the Sociedad Uruguaya de Análisis y Modificación de la Conducta (SUAMOC), and was chaired by Raquel Zamora.

In the Conference, and in agreement with the bylaws, a General Assembly was held in which the steering committee informed about the work conducted in the period and a new Board of Directors was elected. Santiago/Chile was selected to host the following Conference. In that meeting Colombia was incorporated as ALAPCO member.

President: Augusto Zagmutt (Chile)

Vicepresident: Bernard Rangé (Brasil)

First secretary: Elyzabeth de León (Chile)

Second secretary: Lydia Tineo (Argentina)

Treasurer: Mateo Ferrer (Chile)

Past President: Raquel Zamora (Uruguay)

Members: Ileana Caputto (Uruguay) – Paulo Knapp (Brazil) – Claudia Bregman (Argentina)

In 2002, the IV Latin American Conference of Cognitive Psychotherapies (IV CLAPCO) was held in Santiago/Chile. Thus, one of the goals of the association was met, that is promoting the organization of the Asociación Chilena de Psicoterapias Cognitivas (APSICO), gathering cognitive therapists of Chile. This Conference was organized in collaboration with APSICO and chaired by Augusto Zagmutt. Porto Alegre/Brazil was chosen as the next city to host the ALAPCO Conference. The third Board of Directors was elected.

President: Bernard Rangé (Brazil)

Vicepresident: LydiaTineo (Argentina)

First secretary: Ileana Caputto (Uruguay)

Second secretary: Claudia Maggi (Chile)

Treasurer: Helene Shinohara (Brazil)

Past President: Augusto Zagmutt (Chile)

Members: María Clara Rodriguez (Colombia) – Cristiano Nabuco de Abreu (Brazil) – Claudia Bregman (Argentina)

The V Latin American Conference of Cognitive Psychotherapies (V CLAPCO) was held in Porto Alegre/Brazil, in 2004. This Conference was organized in collaboration with SBTC (Sociedade Brasileira de Terapias Cognitivas) and chaired by Bernard Rangé. Buenos Aires/Argentina was chosen as the next city to host the Conference in 2006. Venezuela became a member of the association. The new Board of Directors was elected for the 2004-2006 period.

President: Héctor Fernández-Álvarez (Argentina)

Vicepresident. Elizabeth de Leo (Chile)

First secretary: Ileana Caputto (Uruguay)

Second secretary: María Clara Rodriguez (Colombia)

Treasurer: Lydia Tineo (Argentina)

Past President: Bernard Rangé (Brasil)

Members: Felicitas Kort (Venezuela) – Margareth de Oliveira (Brasil) – Juan Yañez (Chile)

The VI Latin American Conference of Cognitive Psychotherapies (VI CLAPCO), was held in 2006 in Buenos Aires/Argentina. This Conference was organized in collaboration with the AATC (Asociación Argentina de Terapia Cognitiva) and chaired by Héctor Fernández-Álvarez. In its General Assembly, Uruguay was chosen to host the following Conference. Also, Peru, Paraguay and Panama were incorporated to ALAPCO.

A decision was made to continue participating in the international conferences of cognitive therapies. In 2007, during the World Conference for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies in Barcelona, attended by delegates from all the countries members of ALAPCO, a meeting was held with Arthur Freeman with the aim of present ALAPCO and to be recognized by the International Association of Cognitive Psychotherapies (IACP) and by the board responsible for organizing the World Conferences. Arthur Freeman proposed that ALAPCO organized an international conference. At the end of this assembly, the fifth Board of Directors is elected.

President: Ileana Caputto (Uruguay)

Vicepresident: María Clara Rodríguez (Colombia)

First secretary: Elizabeth León (Chile)

Second secretary: Andrés Sánchez (Argentina)

Treasurer: Reyna Lucadame (Uruguay)

Past president: Hector Fernández Álvarez (Argentina)

Members: Margareth da Silva Oliveira (Brasil) – Augusto Zagmutt (Chile) – Claudia Bregman (Argentina)

The VII Latin American Conference of Cognitive Psychotherapies (VII CLAPCO) was held in Montevideo/Uruguay. This conference was organized in collaboration with SUAMOC (Sociedad Uruguaya de Análisis y Modificación de la Conducta) and was chaired by Ileana Caputto. The General Assembly chose Colombia to host the following conference, in order to expand dissemination to other countries of the association, and the new Board of Directors was elected.

President: María Clara Rodríguez (Colombia)

Vicepresident: Claudia Bregman (Argentina)

First secretary: Elizabeth León (Chile)

Second secretary: Renato Caminha (Brasil)

Treasurer: Cristina Castro (Colombia)

Past president: Ileana Caputto (Uruguay)

Members: Sandra Fagua (Colombia) – María Esther Lagos (Uruguay) – Andrés Sánchez (Argentina)

The VIII Latin American Conference of Cognitive Psychotherapies (VIII CLAPCO) was held in Bogota, Colombia, in 2010. This Conference was organized in collaboration with the Universidad de la Sabana and the Colegio Colombiano de Psicólogos, and chaired by María Clara Rodríguez. In the General Assembly, Panama and Peru were incorporated, and Brazil was chosen to host of the next conference. The new Board of Directors was elected.

President: Claudia Bregman (Argentina)

Vicepresident: Margareth da Silva Oliveira (Brazil)

First secretary: María Esther Lagos (Uruguay)

Treasurer: Andrés Sánchez (Argentina)

Past President: María Clara Rodriguez (Colombia)

Members: Pedro Reyes (Peru) – Roberto Mainieri (Panama) – Juan Yañez (Chile)

The IX Latin American Conference of Cognitive Psychotherapies (IX CLAPCO) was celebrated in Rio de Janeiro/Brazil, in 2012. This conference was organized in collaboration with the FBTC (Federação Brasileira de Terapias Cognitivas), and was chaired by Bernard Rangé. A new Board of Directors was elected and Lima/Peru was chosen as the next venue for the conference.

President: Bernard Rangé (Brazil)

Vicepresident: María Esther Lagos (Uruguay)

First secretary: Margareth Oliveira (Brazil)

Second secretary: Andres Sanchez (Argentina)

Treasurer: Pedro Reyes Mispiretta (Peru)

Past President: Claudia Bregman (Argentina)

Members: Augusto Zagmut (Chile) – Roberto Maineri (Panama) – Carmem Beatriz Neufeld (Brasil)

Due to problems with the organization in Peru, the conference was move to Santiago/Chile. In 2015 the X Latin American Conference of Cognitive Psychotherapies (X CLAPCO) was held in the city of Santiago, in collaboration with APSICO and chaired by Juan Yañes. Being mindful of the new times and processes of change in the theoretical, socioprofessional and political framework, it was decided that ALAPCO should become a federation and its formal name be changed to Federación Latinoamericana de Psicoterapias Cognitivas y Conductuales, changing the name ALAPCO into the trademark ALAPCCO. This process was formalized on the following conference. It was also decided to hold conferences every three years. The assembly incorporated Paraguay as a member. Argentina was chosen to host the following conference, and a new Board of Directors was elected.

President: María Esther Lagos (Uruguay)

Vicepresident: Carmem Beatriz Neufeld (Brazil)

First secretary: Santiago Trujillo Lemus (Colombia)

Second secretary: David Adasme (Chile)

Treasurer: Andrés Sánchez (Argentina)

Past President: Bernard Rangé (Brazil)

Members: Maria Celeste Airaldi (Paraguay) – Roberto Manieri (Panamá) – Ileana Caputto (Uruguay)

The Board of Directors maintained the policy of incorporating new member countries, such as Ecuador and the Dominican Republic and advancing with the writing of new bylaws. In 2018, ALAPCCO was invited to participate in three activities in the World Conference of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies to be held in Berlin, in July 2019. It also integrated the Scientific International Advisory Board of the World Conference.

Although Buenos Aires had been chosen to host the following ALAPCCO conference, the venue had to be changed. Therefore, in 2019, the XI Latin American Conference of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (XI CLAPCCO) took place in Fortaleza/Brazil, jointly with the Brazilian Conference of Cognitive Therapies in collaboration with the FBTC (Federação Brasileira de Terapias Cognitivas) and chaired by Bernad Rangé. The new bylaws were approved and signed by the General Assembly, and Uruguay was chosen to host the following Conference, and Colombia was selected as an alternative venue. A new Board of Directors was elected. One of its main tasks was to register the new bylaws in Brazil.

President: Carmem Beatriz Neufeld (Brazil – FBTC)
Vice-President: Maria Celeste Airaldi (Paraguay – APPCC)
First Secretary: Santiago Trujillo (Colombia)
Second Secretary: Ileana Caputto (Uruguay – SUAMOC)
Treasurer: Margareth da Silva Oliveira (Brazil – FBTC)
Past President: María Esther Lagos (Uruguay – SUAMOC)
Alternates: Eduardo Keegan (Argentina – AATC), Juan Yañez (Chile – APSICO)
Marketing Advisory: Karen Szupszynski (Brazil – FBTC)
Administrative Advisory: Suzana Peron (Brazil – FBTC)

 

This Board took office in April 2019, at a decisive moment for the institutional consolidation of ALAPCCO, with its central focus on the legal, administrative, and organizational formalization of the Association. Among the main achievements were the approval and registration of the new Bylaws (July 2019), the registration of ALAPCCO as a legal entity in Brazil (August 2019), the drafting and registration of the Historical Minutes (December 2020), and the General Regulations of ALAPCCO (June 2021), as well as the restructuring of the Secretariat and the Treasury, the hiring of new accounting and legal advisory services, ensuring solid foundations for institutional functioning and administrative transparency.

In the field of communication and dissemination, the administration promoted the growth of institutional social media, reactivating the Association’s Facebook page and creating ALAPCCO profiles on Instagram and YouTube, as well as organizing digital communication through email lists and institutional WhatsApp groups, significantly expanding the Association’s reach. During the pandemic period, in 2020 and 2021, ALAPCCO’s social media channels were used for extensive scientific dissemination on a wide range of topics, aiming to support Latin American therapists in addressing the challenges of that period.

In the scientific and events domain, the I SIALAPCCO was held in November 2019 in Buenos Aires, Argentina (in-person); the II SIALAPCCO in February 2021 (online); the commemorative event ALAPCCO 25 Years in November 2021 (online); and the III SIALAPCCO in March 2022 (online), all in partnership with ARTMED and with broad international participation. During this period, preparations also began for the XII CLAPCCO, planned to take place in person in Montevideo, Uruguay. Due to the pandemic context, the 2022 CLAPCCO was postponed to 2023.

The administration also advanced scientific and international relations, expanding invitations to participate in international events and launching strategic projects such as the ALAPCCO Research Network. During this period, ALAPCCO also formally requested participation in the World Confederation of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies as one of the member associations representing Latin America. The achievements of this administration were crowned by the re-election of the Board for an additional term, with the aim of consolidating the progress achieved.

President: Carmem Beatriz Neufeld (Brazil – FBTC)
Vice-President: Maria Celeste Airaldi (Paraguay – APPCC)
First Secretary: Ileana Caputto (Uruguay – SUAMOC)
Second Secretary: Adriana Oñate (Ecuador)
Treasurer: Margareth da Silva Oliveira (Brazil – FBTC)
Alternates: Natália Ferrero (Peru – ASPETECC), Eduardo Keegan (Argentina – AATC), Juan Yañez (Chile – APSICO)
Marketing Advisory: Karen Szupszynski (Brazil – FBTC)
Administrative Advisory: Suzana Peron (Brazil – FBTC)

 

The 2022–2025 administration focused on consolidating and expanding the institutional advances previously achieved, with an emphasis on scientific strengthening, international expansion, and the sustainability of ALAPCCO. During this period, new national associations were incorporated as full members, along with the expansion of Working Groups, strengthening the Association’s regional representativeness.

In the field of communication, the new trilingual institutional website, active since May 2022, was consolidated, the Association’s presence on social media was consistently expanded, and the dissemination of international scientific events was intensified, strengthening ALAPCCO’s visibility in the Latin American and global context.

Regarding scientific events, the Board organized the XII CLAPCCO in May 2023 in Montevideo, Uruguay, and the XIII CLAPCCO in 2025 in Mérida, Mexico. In addition, five SIALAPCCO events were held: the IV SIALAPCCO in 2023 in Mexico; the V SIALAPCCO in 2024 in Guatemala; the VI SIALAPCCO in 2024 in Panama; the VII SIALAPCCO in 2024 in Paraguay; and the VIII SIALAPCCO in 2025 in Colombia, as well as the 26th, 27th, and 28th ALAPCCO Anniversary Seminars, held online in partnership with ARTMED (November 2022, 2023, and 2024).

In the field of scientific and international policies, ALAPCCO consolidated partnerships with the Interamerican Psychological Society, the Sociedade Brasileira de Psicologia, and ARTMED, expanded its participation in strategic international events such as FIEXPO (between 2022 and 2025), and made significant progress in institutional dialogue with the World Confederation of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies, strengthening its global positioning and culminating in an invitation for ALAPCCO to assume the role of one of the associations representing Latin America. Strategic initiatives such as the ALAPCCO Research Network and the ALAPCCO Awards were maintained and strengthened.

The administration was also characterized by financial responsibility and transparency, with regular presentation of financial statements, diversification of revenue sources, and the maintenance of the Association’s financial health. The administration concludes with the certainty that the collective that worked on behalf of the Association spared no effort in realizing ALAPCCO’s vision, mission, and values, with the results achieved reflecting a substantial collective endeavor.

We would not want to come to the end of this report of the story of ALAPCCO without highlighting that, from 1996 to the present day, the Board of Directors met continuously. At first, meetings were held in person, with 1 to 4 meetings a year. Since the advent of electronic means of communication – Skype but also Whatsapp groups – meetings are conducted online, favoring a constant exchange. Since the implementation of the new bylaws, in addition to the Advisory Counsil and the Board of Directors, ALAPCCO counts also with an extended board enhanced with three additional representatives from each member country. These actions aim to enhance the democratic values of ALAPCCO, seeking to help members to share the conduction of the organization in a collaborative manner.