Founder & President — Dr. Nimisha Kumar

Dr. Nimisha Kumar is a pioneering psychologist with extensive training and expertise in the clinical sub-specialization, and a thought leader and practitioner in the field of CBT with over twenty years of experience as an academic, researcher, practitioner, trainer and entrepreneur. She holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Delhi and an MSc in CBT, along with a PG Certificate in Clinical Supervision from the University of Derby, UK — earned as a Commonwealth Scholar.

As Founder and President of IACBT and President of the Asian CBTs Association (ACBTA), she serves as a bridge between global scientific standards and local clinical excellence. A defining moment in IACBT's journey was Dr. Kumar's collaboration with Prof. Lata K. McGinn, current President of the World Confederation of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies (WCCBT), whose guidance in framing the association's by-laws helped IACBT become a permanent member of ACBTA in 2020.

Dr. Kumar is the Founder & Director of Ascend-PsyCare, a private mental health enterprise based in Delhi. With over 20 years of experience across prestigious institutions in Delhi NCR — including AIIMS, Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), Sitaram Bhartia Institute, NIPCCD and Jamia Millia Islamia — she has also served as a Social Scientist on Ethics Committees for Max Healthcare, DIPSAR and Lady Hardinge Medical College.

She organized the 1st International CBT Conference in India in 2015 at AIIMS, New Delhi — which led directly to the founding of IACBT — and went on to preside over the 8th Asian CBT Congress in 2024, which brought together experts, practitioners and students from 25 countries. She has authored papers in indexed and refereed journals, presented at national and international conferences, and continues to mentor numerous Masters and Doctoral research candidates.