David D. Burns
David D. Burns is an American psychiatrist and adjunct professor emeritus of clinical psychiatry at Stanford University whose 1980 book Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy is one of the best-selling self-help books in American history, with more than five million copies sold in the United States alone. Burns trained under the pioneering cognitive therapist Aaron Beck at the University of Pennsylvania, and Feeling Good was among the first books to bring the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to a general audience.
The book presents a systematic approach to recognizing and changing the distorted thinking patterns — Burns calls them “cognitive distortions” — that underlie depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Its practical exercises, clear explanations, and approachable tone made it immediately accessible to readers who had no prior knowledge of psychology, and research has supported its effectiveness as a bibliotherapy tool. Studies have found that reading Feeling Good produces measurable reductions in depression, sometimes comparable to therapy or medication.
Burns followed it with The Feeling Good Handbook (1989), which extended the framework to anxiety and relationship problems, and When Panic Attacks (2006), which applied similar techniques to anxiety disorders. His 2021 book Feeling Great: The Revolutionary New Treatment for Depression and Anxiety presents his updated TEAM-CBT approach, which he argues produces faster and more lasting results than standard CBT.
Burns has been a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a clinical consultant to the National Institute of Mental Health. He hosts the popular podcast Feeling Good, where he discusses mental health topics and demonstrates live therapy sessions. His influence on both professional and popular understanding of depression and cognitive therapy is profound and enduring.
