Quotes by David D. Burns

About David D. Burns:

David D. Burns is an adjunct professor emeritus in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine and the author of the best-selling books Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy and The Feeling Good Handbook. Burns popularized Aaron T. Beck's cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) when his book became a best seller during the 1980s.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Perfectionism becomes a badge of honor with you playing the part of the suffering hero.

David D. Burns

Powerful new drug-free treatments have been developed for depression and for every conceivable type of anxiety, such as chronic worrying, shyness, public speaking anxiety, test anxiety, phobias, and panic attacks. The goal of the treatment is not jus...

David D. Burns

There is no 'ultimate goal of therapy.' Thinking there is some ultimate or universal goal of therapy is one of the most fundamental errors of our field. To me, that concept is rather arrogant, as if therapists were some kind of spiritual experts who ...

David D. Burns

Depression is an illness and not a necessary part of healthy living.

David D. Burns

The first principle of cognitive therapy is that all your moods are created by your 'cognitions,' or thoughts. A cognition refers to the way you look at things - your perceptions, mental attitudes, and beliefs. It includes the way you interpret thing...

David D. Burns

There is no standard 'therapeutic process,' since there are so many different schools of therapy.

David D. Burns

Although no one treatment will ever be a panacea, research studies indicate that cognitive therapy can be helpful for a variety of disorders in addition to depression.

David D. Burns

A poor self-image is the magnifying glass that can transform a trivial mistake or an imperfection into an overwhelming symbol of personal defeat.

David D. Burns

It's very rare to have a patient who isn't absolutely delighted when you say, 'I read your feedback. The session didn't go well. You actually got more upset, and I made about three really horrible errors.' If you do that from the heart and not as a g...

David D. Burns

When two people respect each other, the ability to be vulnerable and to reveal hurt feelings can create a powerful emotional connection that is the source of real intimacy and friendship.

David D. Burns

Perfection' is man's ultimate illusion. It simply doesn't exist in the universe.... If you are a perfectionist, you are guaranteed to be a loser in whatever you do.

David D. Burns

I've been interviewed for hundreds of magazine articles, and they come out incredibly goofy about 90 percent of the time.

David D. Burns

Most people do surprisingly poorly when dealing with a relative who is hurting, depressed, or anxious - we get defensive and try to solve the problem rather than finding the truth in what the person is saying.

David D. Burns

I always wanted to see people's lives transformed from depression and anxiety to joy and peace.

David D. Burns

The stereotype of psychotherapy portrayed in popular books and movies is lying on the couch and saying whatever comes into your mind, while a kindly psychoanalyst listens and nods knowingly from time to time. After years and years, something wonderfu...

David D. Burns

Author Bio

  • NameDavid D. Burns
  • DescriptionAmerican psychiatrist
  • CountryUnited States Of America
  • ProfessionPsychiatrist