I had read this book years ago in a different version. At the time, I found it a very helpful point of view. Now cognitive therapy is not so new and I am accustomed to realizing that my attitude toward unfortunate situations are in my control, whether the situation is or not. The exercises are helpful to put your events in perspective. Even if you think you know the things that are suggested, putting your own problems on paper and practicing the steps, is more enlightening than you might expect. If you have not encountered cognitive therapy before, this book, the ideas that are outlined, and the exercises, if you will do them, are essential for your well-being. You may not feel "good," but I bet you will feel "better."

I bought this for myself over a year ago and cannot say enough good things about it (this purchase was for a dear family member). This book has opened up my eyes and the dark clouds that surrounded me for years...

If you just want to read "Feeling Good", do not buy this handbook version of the book.

The author uses imperative statements and not so subtle naratives to coerce the reader into doing the exercises. The objective... teach in simple practical terms Cognitive Behavioral Therapy methods for reprogramming out thinking.

Plan to read a few pages and then work on some exercises and ponder over your beliefs and values.

This is not a book for speed reader rabbits. It is more for the the thoughtful, consistent tortoise.

Michael P

I recommend That's How the Light Gets In: Memoir of a Psychiatrist by Susan Rako, M.D. The title comes from a song by Leonard Cohen: "There is a crack, a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." Rako's book is inspiring, brilliantly conceived and wonderfully well-written. As Allen Wheelis says, "These are the words of a seeker after meaning."

Abstract

The following study investigates the text, The Feeling Good Handbook, by David Burns. Specifically addressed are issues regarding the cognitive-behavioral model of twisted thinking, moral relativism, and the denial of objective truth. It was found that the text provides an inadequate definition and application regarding moral and objective truth issues. Recommendations for revision of the model are included.


A Critical Analysis of the Feeling Good
Handbook: Its Usefulness in Counseling Practice

In addition to the popular text Feeling Good, which became a national bestseller, and The Therapists Toolkit, a resource developed for mental health practitioners, David Burns released The Feeling Good Handbook, a 729-page (including index) guide to cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques. Semantically speaking, the text is well written, in simple (approximately 8th grade level) English, and is specifically marketed as a self-help text, though its usefulness for counselors is evident in that throughout the text the reader is often asked to assume the roll of the counselor, and after Burns describes a therapeutic technique, the reader is asked in a presented milieu, to implement that technique (for example, responding to a hypothetical client in a vignette empathetically).

In beginning to review this text, it is noticed a review can be accomplished in two ways. One, the text can be analyzed in respect to how it communicates the points it attempts to make (presentation), how it facilitates the ability in the reader to implement what is learned into his/her life or practice (application), and it can be reviewed in regards to how accurately the book delivers the ideas of cognitive therapy, mood therapy, empathetic response, etc. In all these aspects the book veers well--quite well--for even Albert Ellis (who holds a reputation of not being impressed with others' therapeutic approaches) critiques the text as "Clear, systematic, forceful."

The second approach to analyzing the text, the approach that will be taken, involves an investigation of one can trust as a suitable methodology the tenets from which the text is written, the tenets of cognitive therapy. It will address where the tactics disclosed by Burns are believed to be useful, and when it is hypothesized they would falter in a counseling practice.
Understanding Your Moods

Burns begins discussing moods by stating the fallacy clients often share, which is "I just can't help the way I feel" (Burns, 1999, p. 3). He then states a grounding premise of cognitive behavioral theory, which is that one's thoughts create moods. Quoting Ellis, the acronym A + B = C is stated. In this formula, A is the presenting event, B is the thoughts of the client, and C is the way the client feels. This formula is to show As do not create Cs--that is, what happens to a person does not effect that person's mood. The thoughts the person maintains affect the person's mood.

However, in reading the text, it is found that the true formula used in the text is not A + B = C, it is B = C, A = 0. The point being, the book extremely minimizes the effect of A. A, in essence, is described as a force that is prone to trying to manipulate one's B to produce unpleasant C's, but is in itself generally insignificant. More clearly, the situations, trials, relationships, and anything else external a person confronts merely challenges a person's thoughts. If the thoughts can be changed, or maintained as healthy thoughts, the person will always report a pleasant mood (C).

According to Burns, "sadness and depression result from thoughts of loss," "Anxiety and panic result from thoughts of danger," and "Guilt results from the thought that you are bad" (Burns, 1999, p. 5). To Dr. David Burns' credit he does state the following, which he titles a disclaimer: that there are times when negative feelings are appropriate and healthy, and that "learning when to accept these feelings and how to cope with a realistically negative situation is just as important as learning how to rid yourself of distorted thoughts and feelings" (p. 7). The reader must ask him/herself at this point, if Dr. Burns believes this amazingly astute point (i.e. equal importance), why then is only one line spent addressing that As are relevant, while 728.5 pages are spent denying their relevance?
False Sincerity of the Empathetic Response

A rebuttal to the statement that Burns' methodology denies all relevance of coping with a negative situation would probably include the premise that such is accomplished with the use of the empathetic response. The problem with this premise however, is the use of the empathetic response validates nothing. The therapist agrees to none of the truth that the client speaks. The empathetic response simply makes the client aware that the counselor is aware of his/her hurtful thinking.

Reading the text a reader might be perplexed with the question, when is there objective truth in thinking? More specifically, can not hurtful thinking (i.e. I have been a terrible father) be accurate? And if it is accurate, who is to say disposing of this accurate--though hurtful thought--is in essence better for the client than allowing the client to maintain this thought until the client changes his/her behavior so that the client can display another more healthy, and accurate, thought, (i.e. I am no longer a terrible father). However, by Burns' model, the man who states he is a terrible father, even if it is true (by all ability to quantify what a terrible father is), will be handled in the following way.

One, the client would be empathized with: "You are telling me that you are not a very good father, and you are clearly upset with that." Two, the counselor might disclose an "I feel" statement: "I would definitely not want to feel like I was a terrible father. That must be a horrible feeling." Three, it would be suggested to the client that he has twisted thinking which include "Should Statements" (You are wrongly telling yourself you should not be a terrible father), "Labeling" (there is no such thing as a terrible father, just persons who act the roll sometimes), "All-or-Nothing thinking" (surely you have done something that was not terrible--for example you are in therapy), "Overgeneralization" (Being a terrible father is a general simplification. Burns states "there are no Jerks in America" only persons who act like jerks from time to time), "Mental Filter" (you are pretty upset over this whole fatherhood thing. Lets think on things you're not terrible at), and the list goes on.

Burns' model provides no basis for determining what is "twisted thinking" and what is thinking that is the downright painful truth. He states, there are no Jerks in America--just those that act like Jerks. But if a "jerk" does not exist, then from what basis can one state an action as jerk-like? Furthermore, in the 700 plus pages of text on how to handle clients, not once does Burns confront a client because his/her thinking was pleasant but skewed. Therefore, it is a safe conclusion that--though Burns may briefly claim otherwise--to Burns pleasant thinking is correct thinking.

This is further evidenced in text when Burns addresses confrontation. Choices of words include "it was unpleasant when" or "I felt uncomfortable when" (Burns, 1999, p. 156). Both are notoriously relative remarks. There is no claim to objective truth; there is no "what you did was wrong," or "I was treated unjustly." Such relativism can be no more apparent than in the following excerpt:
You may have difficulty with this idea [that there is not use for shoulds]. You may insist that there's nothing wrong with using the word "should." You may think that it's your duty to clean your desk or to study hard. You may feel it is something you should do!

There are actually [only] three valid uses of the word "should" in the English language. One is the "moral should." You "should" not intentionally take advantage of someone, because this violates your moral code. The second is the "legal should." You should not drive at 90mph because it is dangerous and you'll probably get a ticket. The third is the "laws of the universe should." Things "should" happen because the forces of nature make them happen. For example, if you drop a pen, it "should" fall because of the force of gravity (p. 179).

The enormity of the errors in the thinking above is staggering. First, the only two claims of truth presented above are (one) that it is wrong believe one ought to believe there are moral shoulds or shoulds caused by one's duty, and (two) that the English dictionary agrees with David Burns. Both claims are false.

It is very possible that someone could have a duty to study. A physician being paid to study the effects of a rare disease infecting his/her patient, for example, is an explicit instance when there is a definite "should" due to duty. One would concur that the situation would not have to be so dire (matter of life and death) to still constitute a legitimate should. Though Burns--in the quote above--states that one "feels" shoulds, and does not know them or objectively understand them (lines 3-4).

Next, Burns' first definition of a true should is logically meaningless, in that he states it is truth that one should not take advantage of someone (a valid should) because it violates the person's moral code. Therefore, Burns is saying, as long as one is not violating their own relative moral code, he/she can take advantage of anyone and not be violating a "should." Burns' second definition, regarding the legal should, is quite depraved in that he states speeding violates a legal should (true) because one could hurt him/herself or get a ticket. In reality, Burns is not addressing a legal should at all for legally the should would remain constant whether on not the violator injures him/herself, or receives a ticket for the violation. What Burns is really stating in his example is the claim that one should not partake of behavior that may cause As that could instigate unpleasant Bs.

Lastly, Burns demotes the laws of physics, to the shoulds of physics! If one drops a pen according to Burns, it should hit the floor. According to the law of gravity however, if one drops a pen, it will hit the floor.
Discussion

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is effective. Burns does a fantastic job of describing how to implement cognitive principles into one's personal life, even into one's counseling practice. The ideas are useful for healing. However, the theory is weak in that it does not provide the practitioner, nor the client, correct direction regarding what is twisted thinking, and what is true--though painful--thinking.

Final Note: Telephone and Online Counseling may be a good way to provide quick and effective care to clients. Learn to provide Telephone and Online Counseling with this very well done book: The Therapist's Clinical Guide to Online Counseling and Telephone Counseling: The Definitive Training Guide for Clinical Practice

Cognitive therapy is a tested, effective treatment for depression. It can be used instead of medication, or to add to the effects of antidepressants. This book is clear and well written. It has helpful worksheets and exercises to reinforce the information. This book can help you break the negative habits that cause and maintain depression.

As a book on cognitive therapy, this book is well-reputed and worth reading if only for the sections on communication. However, this kind of therapy depends a lot upon the patient's thinking process and the theory that feeling follows thought. While I agree with optimistic thinking, maintaining positive thoughts, and having a disciplined thought life, I do not agree with the idea that suppressing emotions by using pseudo-logic to dismiss and discount one's feelings to be any better than lying to yourself and denying what you feel. Burns demonstrates this problem himself in his book with the contrary advice he gives in the "Ten ways to untwist your thinking," and the advice he gives in the sections on communication where using techniques to untwist thinking is the wrong thing to do when trying to communicate with someone else. Thus, he wants you to talk to yourself in ways that he doesn't advise using with your friend which results in a self-inflicted hypocrisy where finding "what's true" or valid in the other persons communication is completely ignored in analyzing your own communications with yourself.

The critical aspects of untwisting your thinking are mostly valid from the standpoint of logic if your thinking is illogical to begin with, but it doesn't follow that the illogical thought causes the feeling in as much as the feeling causes people to form thoughts about their feelings using irrational thinking to demonstrate its emotive quality, which gets expressed in a language that can be corrected by logic. (That is, the fact that it is illogical (usually by universalizing or by moralizing) is what conveys the fact that it is a feeling being refered to, and that the feeling is the cause of the universalizing or moralizing conclusion.) For example, if a person says they feel like a failure, Burns' technique is to put the lie to the statement by looking at the person's successes as compared to failures and looking at the failures as learning experiences. Yet, the person may not be referring to specific failures exaggerated out of proportion to successes, but rather to a consistent failure to make himself happy even when successful; thus the person is saying that they are a failure at being happy. Consequently, the fact that we think with an acquired language, and that language is the media of expression, does not mean that the expression has a necessary identity with the emotion referred to. If so, then we would not be able to refer to an emotion, only express it. Thus, the thought/language may be formally incorrect in logic and composition simply because of an error in precision, yet still be a valid attempt to construct a language/media to express the emotion, much like bad art or poor grammar. Burns implicitly admits to the limited success of his "ten ways to untwist your thinking," when he discusses the problems he had using these techniques with patients and then goes on to effective communication techniques where the feeling is validated despite any irrational composition of the language expressed.

From one point of view, the techniques to untwist your thinking model a parental role like that in transactional analysis and can be successful for those who lacked parenting where logical thinking was modeled as a skill for problem solving. This is much like Alcoholics Anonymous where the program and a sponsor become the parent. The success of such techniques depend much on a persons susceptibility to authority and a degraded self-concept where they need someone else (whether a program, guru, or doctor) to assume responsibility for "fixing" them.

The section on communication is more balanced in that there is more of a co-operative dialogue where mutual dignity and validation is prominent and each person maintains authority over their own feelings and thoughts without having them discounted and dismissed. There is less of a competition to be "right" or superior to another and no "authority" to abuse or bully compliance. The techniques of communication have more relationship value while the techniques to untwist your thinking have a potential as tools for abuse simply because of their logical "authority." Thus, while they are helpful for an individual who can apply them as tools for self-help, they can be misused when used to attain authority over someone else.

If you believe that you feel the way you do because you think a certain way about yourself, this book is useful in changing the way you feel by changing your thinking, or by giving you a rationale for suppressing your feelings. If you think the way you do because you feel that way, then this book can do little more than offer some tools for communicating.

As a book on cognitive therapy, this book is well-reputed and worth reading if only for the sections on communication. However, this kind of therapy depends a lot upon the patient's thinking process and the theory that feeling follows thought. While I agree with optimistic thinking and maintaining positive thoughts, I do not agree with the idea that suppressing what we feel by using pseudo-logic to dismiss and discount one's feelings to be any better than lying to yourself and denying what you feel. Burns demonstrates this problem himself in his book with the contradictory advice he gives in the "Ten ways to untwist your thinking," and the advice he gives in the sections on communication where using techniques to untwist thinking is the wrong thing to do when trying to communicate with someone else. Thus, he wants you to talk to yourself in ways that he doesn't advise using with your friend. The critical aspects of untwisting your thinking are mostly valid from the standpoint of logic if your thinking is illogical to begin with, but it doesn't follow that the illogical thought causes the feeling in as much as the feeling causes people to form thoughts about their feelings using the illogical thinking of the common person, which gets expressed in a language that can be corrected by logic. But then, it depends on whether you feel the way you do because you think that way about yourself, or whether you think the way you do because you feel that way. Don't we often find reasons to justify the way we feel? And, which comes first as an infant, emotion, or language and thought?

As a book on cognitive therapy, this book is well-reputed and worth reading if only for the sections on communication. However, this kind of therapy depends a lot upon the patient's thinking process and the theory that feeling follows thought. While I agree with optimistic thinking, maintaining positive thoughts, and having a disciplined thought life, I do not agree with the idea that suppressing emotions by using pseudo-logic to dismiss and discount one's feelings to be any better than lying to yourself and denying what you feel. Burns demonstrates this problem himself in his book with the contrary advice he gives in the "Ten ways to untwist your thinking," and the advice he gives in the sections on communication where using techniques to untwist thinking is the wrong thing to do when trying to communicate with someone else. Thus, he wants you to talk to yourself in ways that he doesn't advise using with your friend which results in a self-inflicted hypocrisy where finding "what's true" or valid in the other persons communication is completely ignored in analyzing your own communications with yourself. The critical aspects of untwisting your thinking are mostly valid from the standpoint of logic if your thinking is illogical to begin with, but it doesn't follow that the illogical thought causes the feeling in as much as the feeling causes people to form thoughts about their feelings using the illogical thinking of the common person, which gets expressed in a language that can be corrected by logic. Consequently, the fact that we think with an acquired language, and that language is the media of expression, does not mean that the expression has a necessary identity with the emotion referred to. If so, then we would not be able to refer to an emotion, only express it. Thus, the thought/language may be formally incorrect in logic and composition simply because of an error in precision, yet still be a valid attempt to construct a language/media to express the emotion, much like bad art or poor linguistic skills. But then, it depends on whether you believe that you feel the way you do because you think that way about yourself, or whether you think the way you do because you feel that way. Don't we often find reasons to justify the way we feel, just as often as we blame art and the media for inspiring emotions? And, which comes first as an infant, emotion, or language and thought?

This book was extraordinarily helpful to someone close to me. She was clinically depressed and had just been released from the hospital after a suicide attempt. We read it together in small bites for the first few weeks, and then she was able to do it on her own. A therapist helped, loving family helped, meds helped---but this book was literally a lifesaver. The title suggest that it is useful for those of us (all?!) whose moods and lives need a little brightening. It is that---but is also useful for very severe mood disorders, including "borderline, "and gives control back to the reader. A truly essential book.

I read reviews and ordered this book. Soon after, a gigantic tome with tiny writing landed on my doorstep, and i'm surprised it didn't crack the sidewalk.

Ok, so maybe i'm exaggerating a bit here. But still, I'm not the self-help type, but after struggling with inner demons quite a bit I thought it would be worth a shot. I tried unsuccessfully to get through this thing a few times... but when I finally did, I was happy.

This book gives real, concrete insight on depression and the like. For those who just feel like they're crazy and can't figure it all out, it helps sort things out. It's a good way to become more self-aware, which is a good step on the road to feeling better.

The book also gives an excellent overview of medications and what they do and what their risks are. I feel something like that is priceless in a world where consumers and patients are less and less informed about what they're really getting written down on that little perscription order.

I say, give it a shot. Consider it a cheap extra therapy session.

Such helpful medication information, pro's and con's, comprehsinve lists of detailed dietary conflicts with certain meds. All of this added PLUS his excellent cognitive behavior therapy!

This is a great "How To" book for this type of illness. Mental illness is sooo cloudy in it's diagnose and treatment but this book is very helpful. You may never talk your loved one into getting help but this book will provide some "clue" into what is needed.

This book was recommended to me by a fantastic professional counselor and it has been very helpful to me. Dr. Burns has some great exercises in this book where you write down your "automatic thoughts" about anything that is causing you stress. You identify any distortions in your thinking (which are listed out for you) and then you write a new thought. I have found my depression greatly reduced as I "fix" my faulty thinking.

I have only purchased the book for one section - communication with spouse. That section was really good and informative and helped a lot. I cannot comment for the rest of the chapters.

An excellent reference for understanding depression, anxiety and other difficulties of living life. It is also interesting to just sit down and read to get in touch with your own feelings.

I am a licensed psychologist who frequently recommends the Feeling Good Handbook to clients who need help in dealing with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and other emotional issues. All of my clients who have read it and followed the exercises report it was very helpful in assisting them to understand their moods and learn new tools to conquer depression, phobias, fears, anxiety and low self-esteem issues. Learning how to recognize cognitive distortions and re-frame faulty thinking also helps improve self-esteem and interpersonal communication.

Great for those in Mental Health field. Very information. Great examples, interventions, etc. Highly recommend.

The book was recommened by our marriage counselor for dealing with our communication and marital issues. However the book dealt mainly with how to deal with depression - only one chapter on communication-which was very basic common sense information and some excercies that were juvenile and won't work when the parties aren't speaking. After reading, the book it should only be used if someone is very young and not used to understanding themselves and experiencing temporary mild depression in regard to a specific issue (such as dealing with minor social problems at school or work) and not by someone who is experiencing moderate to severe depression or in our case to address communication and marital issues. I would not recommend this book.

I bought this along with David Burns' older book and they are great to have together.

If you read the first two or three chapters and "get it", you won't need to read the rest of the book.

There are 3 pages in the book that are priceless that list the various ways humans distort their thinking.

Memorize those 3 pages, and apply them to your own thinking - and the rest of the book is optional.

That said, do get the book...in order to maintain sanity in one's life, you NEED those 3 pages!!!!!!!

If you read the first two or three chapters and "get it", you won't need to read the rest of the book.

There are 3 pages in the book that are priceless that list the various ways humans distort their thinking.

Memorize those 3 pages, and apply them to your own thinking - and the rest of the book is optional.

That said, do get the book...in order to maintain sanity in one's life, you NEED those 3 pages!!!!!!!

This book is incredible! It helped me learn how to cope during a very difficult time in my life. The author truly helps you to see things differently. I learned that perception is what rules our feelings and that we have the power to turn things around, depending on how we look at a situation. Highly, highly, highly recommend this book to anyone who is dealing with loss, stress, anxiety, anger, depression, etc, etc. This book can change your life!!!

This book is good for everyone. I'm going through it with my teenage daughter, and we are both learning a lot. There's so much that everyone can apply, in understanding where your negative thoughts come from, and applying good communication. Practical, clear, I should buy one for everyone I know.

I'm not a fan of self help books, but this one was recommended by a psychiatrist in lieu of therapy and it actually works. It really changes the way you look at interactions and the exercises force you to continually apply those principles to your own life until the new attitudes become ingrained.

This is a very good book that is written with the needs of the reader in mind.

The book has given me a new outlook on life and intimacy. I suffered from anxiety all my life. I am so glad someone recommended this book to me to read.

I have been a long time sufferer of depression and have found one of the most frustrating things is trying to describe the symptoms and the way I feel to my doctor and others. It's so hard to put into words but this book helped. I recommend it to anyone dealing with depression and for those who know others dealing with depression. It will help you get a glance inside their world and see what it is like.

Author,
T Ruth About Caff eine
SCR Books

If you are feeling depressed this book WILL help you. I never thought a 700 page book could do anything to help my depression. This book did not cure me, it did however diagnose my symptoms. The first part of the books helps you to understand and correct your moods. It helps you to diagnose anxious mood, as oppose to anxious moods. There are quizzes and daily mood logs that are great tools to take to your doctor. When you're in the office it is hard to think of what you experience everyday. These mood quizzes help your doctor diagnose you. This book also introduced to me the concept of 'automatic thoughts.' These are thoughts of low self esteem that come naturally. Dr. Burns how to remedy these thoughts. Plus the stick figure drawings bring some laughs throughout the book.

Marina Kushner
Author
The Truth About Caffeine: How Companies That Promote It Deceive Us and What We Can Do about It

Because I suffer from bipolar disorder (manic-depression), I have been looking for a something that can help me in some way. Most self-help type books have not helped me. This is the first book that really enabled me to see some light. It has excellent practical advice regarding how to manage your emotions by behaving and thinking in new ways. It takes you through the process step by step and can be understood by ordinary people like myself without rereading it five times. After benefiting from reading this book for a while, I became curious of why this type of thing works so well for my depression. After a long search, I discovered a book called 'The Ever-Transcending Spirit' by Toru Sato that explained this beautifully. Sato's book is more theoretical but it is full of truly amazing insights that I can understand. I feel that it is a true blessing to have people like this share their insights and knowledge to the rest of the world.

I've even finally come to terms with my caffeine addiction. For me, it's tougher to give up than nicotine. The headaches, the fatigue, the irritability...it's terrible! It finally dawned on me why I was so tired and had headaches on the weekends even when I got plenty of sleep. I realized I only made coffee during the week, and never drank it on the weekends! Duh!
One of my biggest goals is to have more children, so if I plan on having a successful conception and healthy pregnancy someday, I will have to quit. I did it with my first child, so I know it's possible. I even bought this book called "The Truth About Caffeine " which my doctor recommended.
I will implement a plan to gradually wean myself, since I don't care to relive the crippling migrane I had last Thanksgiving weekend when I tried to quit cold turkey. (get it, Thanksgiving turkey :P) Who's with me?

this is an excellent self help book that can be used in conjunction with treatment to address depression, anxiety, and relationship issues.

Definitely a useful companion to go along with the basic text. Sincerely and consistently practice the principles within these books and your life will change. Never give in to the despair of depression, it is an evil that can be conquered on a daily basis with persistence and courage. I personally know about the hell of depression, and also know that there is a way through it. Highly recommended.

I have never been one to read, let alone recommend self help books. My family doctor recommended this book to me when I started having some unexplained panic attacks. I bought the book and think this would be a useful book for anyone to read. I don't have depression, but I was carrying around a lot of tension and stress. This book is great for general life management. It contains a chapters on procrastination, effective communication, how to deal with difficult people....This book was very real and had very sensible approaches with dealing with common anxiety. I would recommend this book to anyone.
After eliminating my coffee habit with the help of a wonderful book called The Truth About Caffeine: How Companies That Promote it Deceive Us and What We Can Do About It, I'm feeling so much better. My doctor recommended it to help eliminate my acid reflux called by the acid in coffee. Buy the book.
A wonderful book that you can afford.

I read this book when I was going through a divorce several years ago. The handbook helped me to review the thinking that was contributing to my depression. Although my depression was situational, I was overwhelmed and was filtering information negatively. Recently, my son went through a depression and I gave him this book and another excellent book, Optimal Thinking--How to Be Your Best Self that provides specific questions to resolve disturbing emotions. I recommend each of these books.

I have suffered from on/off depression for the last 18 years or so. Some years ago, I stumbled upon CBT and tried it to improve my life: this, I did in many ways. Recently, I've been feeling particularly low and, looking around on the Web, I decided to get myself a copy of Burns' and a copy of Ellis'(REBT) books.

To my dismay and to that of my therapist, these techniques did not seem to work.I was advised to change to another CBT therapist. However, on a lucky and inspired decision, I went for a non-CBT therapist. In just one session, the clues which had been surfacing for some time became clear.

The reason why I could not let go of my perfectionism, my high expectations of moral and societal behavior, my aspiration for a life less ordinary, etc and the reason why I could/would never be happy if I had to let go of these was that these so-called "distorted thoughts" apply to a majority of people but not to all. To a minority of people, these are not distorted thoughts but are the very essence of their self/soul.

I got myself a book on gifted adults and learned about the new definition of giftedness. It had very little to do with IQ but was more a question of certain definite traits. I was so relieved to learn that I was not abnormal for being so different from the people around me. I do not think the way others do, I do not share many of their views but now I know that this is OK. I do not have to beat myself to be like them.
This does not mean that I am done with my unstable mood but it's a new beginning for me.

I do not dispute the fact that distorted thoughts do exist and that they indeed make our life miserable. For example, feeling bad for a whole week because you inadvertently slighted someone or 'mind-reading' somebody without any evidence are, of course, not conducive to a healthy mindset. But, as for anything else, when reading/using the book, you have to make proper discernment. You need to be very careful as to what applies to you and to your PRESENT situation, and to what does not.

I'd say that, as long as applying a technique and getting rid of a 'distorted' thought works (makes you happier), then so good! But, beware if you've been trying to counter a 'distorted' thought for some time and it just does not sit in. You are trying to go against your natural self. It's a lost battle; you'll never feel comfortable walking the path you were not meant to.

If you've never tried CBT before, go ahead and try this book. But ask yourself questions if you do not get the results you were expecting. Sit back and think awhile if you beat your self and yet can't get rid of a 'distorted' thought.

Depression is indeed THE illness of the century. The traditional views on the causes of it are getting more and more supplemented by new discoveries. There are thousands of possible causes for your depression. Harbouring 'distorted' thoughts is just one of these. I found a new one recently: many people around the globe get depressed because they cannot fit in; they beat themselves to be like the mainstream and they fall into depression. They do not realize that they are different and rightly so. They are a group which has been coined gifted. The problem is that many people will not even consider that fact; after all, we've been trained to be modest and humble. Is it not so terribly vain and pompous to call oneself gifted?

I bought this book several years ago and did the exercises. I made some improvement, but I also made the mistake in thinking I might improve a lot instead of just a little.
I know that there are a lot of people who just love this book and that's fine. But I have found that, over time, my enthusiasm has worn off.
I have always been a little bit skeptical about books like this because they are often written by members of the elite, whose problems seem minor in comparison to mine. Even the difficult spots in his own life Dr. Burns has mentioned in his book seemed fairly minor in comparison.
The ideas presented are indeed somewhat useful, but if external circumstances really aren't all that is necessary to be happy, then why don't these authors give up all the money (and other trappings of success) and live the ascetic life for awhile? Why not live as a homeless person, without absolutely no resources except this book for a year or two and see how useable the ideas really are? Maybe this sounds stupid, but I don't think it is stupid at all. We need to be very demanding of our gurus because these days people are getting away with far to much B.S.(Incidentally, I think that part of the self-talk a guru would have to use in this experiment would have to be "Ok, I only have 6 more months to go..." )

Sure, reading a book (and the exercises)is better than doing nothing at all, but sometimes I wonder if we are all just letting ourselves be duped. There are many problems in life without any glib answers.

Very Good and helpful book hoping it will keep me on the right track where I want to be.

I suffer from mild to moderate social anxiety and depression and have for my entire life. Recently my anxiety has increased to a point that I was going to start taking medication again. I really dislike all the side effects of the medication and as a last resort researched the web for natural anti anxiety solutions that do not have these horrible side effects. While doing this I found many positive references to the Feeling Good Hand Book so I thought what could I lose and bought the book. I have been using the book for a little over a month now and I have easily reduced my anxiety from moderate to mild during that time. I am certain in the next six months I will be able to reduce it by as much again. I can not speak for others but for someone with mild to moderate anxiety and depression do not hesitate and start feeling better soon. Buy the book.

I received the book in the condition as was stated and completely satisfied with it.

David Burns is done a good job on a great book. I studied and referred back to it on occasion, with good results. That's amazing since my depression has been very resistant to medication. If the voices in your head tell you to buy the book, maybe you need medication, but if you're depressed, try this first!

[...]

I recommend this book for those who would like to cope with the mild annoyances of life. The book is very readable. Please do not be put off by the cover. I find it tacky. But the contents are fine, especially as a first go at cognitive therapy.

It aims for normality. Actually I believe this to be the best alternative to the ridiculously pseudoscientific NLP (neurolinguistic programming). If you are striving for greatness, you will be annoyed and upset. This book is a reliable and scientifically supported guide to help you stay normal under potentially stressful situations.

Unlike NLP, it demystifies, and removes anything close to placebos or other devices that are likely to turn you into a delusional NLP zealot.

Its a big book, with loads of good recommendations and strategies, so it will keep you flexible. It also assumes that you are in positive control of your life.

In short, its a good book, with solid scientific reasons for its effectiveness.

Regards
DrLee

There are obviously many people who were helped by this book, but I am not one of them. This book is the result of a very major effort, but what turns me off is that the author seems overly optimistic about the results you can get from his methods, and at times seems a bit condescending and even a bit self-congratulatory. He also appears at times a little naive.

Dr. Burns seems to believe that all problems are created equal, or at least capable of getting dramatically better, even for those who are marginalized or ignored by the rest of society. In these cases, for someone to suggest that someone's depression is simply the result of "faulty" thinking is offensive to me. It encourages the rest of society to be comfortable in believing that it is the depressed person's fault for being the way he/she is, and for not working hard enough to correct his "wrong" thinking. What social justice is there in that?

For the doctor to suggest that he can put an end to marital conflict to me is nothing but pure bunk. There is no way to permanently end marital conflict except to get a divorce. Many other experts say that couples who can openly argue with one another actually have BETTER marriages. To say that marital conflict can be ended is to say that we can have a world without war. Conlict is an inevitable part of life, and we should work to minimize it, but sometimes it cannot be prevented.

It really disturbs me that an entire school of thought has developed around the idea that nobody needs to be depressed, and that if they are, it is simply because they are not being "rational". For many people this is true. For example, I don't think that Britney Spears or Paris Hilton ever needs to get depressed. When they do, it is very apparent to me that they are being irrational. But for many of the rest of us, being depressed is simply being realistic. If rational-emotive therapy is so great, how come it wasn't developed sooner? I believe that this is just the thinking of the age, and that someday it may be partially discredited, just as was Freud and psychoanalysis. I don't think it will be entirely discredited, because some of the ideas can be effective if applied correctly.

It is almost a scientific fact that people need to be acknowledged. When a baby is ignored by its mother, very often it will get sick and die, even if it gets plenty of food and water. I believe that there is a biological need for love, no matter how old we are. Humans also have a variety of other needs, as discovered by Abraham Maslow in his heirarchy of needs. People who are mentally or biologically inferior have more difficulty in getting these needs met, and to me it is a mistake to label these people as "irrational". We are, indeed, not created equal, nor are we equally capable of being happy. In many cases it will be possible to feel "better", but it may never be possible to feel "good".

I am an extremly skeptical person when it comes to most self-help programs, however, as I have been reading the Feeling Good Handbook, I am truly amazed at the progress I've made in battling my own depression. The cognitive reasoning approach and most basic presentation of what constitutes depression, is written in a clear, concise manner that doesn't overwhelm you with facts and data. I can truly say that this book as well as the New Mood Therapy book by Dr. Burns are extremely helpful in providing you with the tools to make your life better.

Writing is key and it changed my life. I was agoraphobic and depressed ten years ago when I bought this book now I'm living the life that I want. Did it take ten years to overcome? No! It took a commitment to write for a couple of months one summer. Those two months and techniques have carried me through the last ten years and will continue to do so the rest of my life with no medication. Good luck - I highly recommend the book.

This book was very helpful to me. Not all self help books are created equal. This one should be required reading for anyone who has ever been depressed.

I really don't believe in the approach that this book has. At least it's not for me. Maybe some people need a lot of work in thinking correctly, but I don't think that I do. I've always tried to think correctly and rationally, which is why I am an atheist. I'm a big believer in science. I think this book is wrong because it prods you to examine your thinking, but doesn't give you knowledge. This is the same approach that a lot of therapists take. They get you to dwell on examining yourself and your thinking, but they don't give you any knowledge. This is really wrong. It just focuses you on your misery without giving you any answers or solutions. Not surprisingly, this book was recommended to me by a therapist. Lately I have read "Six Pillars of Self Esteem" and other psychology books which give you LOTS of information, all kinds of enlightenment and guidance about yourself, other people, the world, and how to live life well. THAT'S what I needed, not some stupid book telling me to work on hundreds of excruciatingly tedious exercises to show me how faulty my thinking is. I think therapists like this approach of not giving information to their patients because they don't want to cure their patients. They want their patients to focus on their problems without getting any solutions. This keeps them miserable and uncured, thus continuing to pay the therapist. This is mental torture. This is why I hate therapists. Of course you have to examine yourself first to see what your problems are, but then you need KNOWLEDGE. You need answers and solutions. That's what cognitive therapy doesn't give you. That's what therapists don't give you. And that is the wrong approach for the patient. If there was any faultiness in my thinking in the past, it was caused by a lack of knowledge, not because I'm a bad thinker. Now I have that knowledge I needed, from OTHER books, not this one. I find this book really annoying.

This book was recommended to me by my doctor. I went from facing anti-depressants....to no need for drugs at all after I read these pages. This book helped me along the way. I would recommend it to anyone.

Lots of useful worksheets and I especially liked the info on all the meds. Great book!

I bought Dr. Burns 10 Days to Self Esteem before purchasing this suggested supplement, the feeling good handbook. Though the information in both texts is easy to access and usable, there is so much repeated material it is not worth it to buy both books. Buy one or the other. Dr. Burns is getting rich selling us the same information in different books.

Cognitive Therapy is based on the premise that what you think determines how you feel. If you want to change how you feel, then change how you think. My introduction to Cognitive Therapy came from Dr. Burns' first book, Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy. It offers practical and powerful advice on treating depression without the use of drugs.

Burns' follow-up, The Feeling Good Handbook, offers a greater emphasis on application, and covers a wider range of problems than Dr. Burns' first book. He has expanded his treatment of such problems as perfectionism, procrastination, various anxiety disorders, and low self-esteem. There is even a chapter on how to use Cognitive Therapy to give more dynamic interviews!

But the biggest addition is the section on improving relationships through effective communication. Our thoughts can interfere with communication before we even open our mouths. When we feel good, communication tends to be easy. But what about when we are angry, or when we feel blamed or criticized? How well do we communicate then? According to Dr. Burns, "the key to intimacy, friendship, and success in business is the ability to handle conflict successfully." He explains the characteristics of bad communication and offers several effective techniques for improving communication in conflict situations. One of my favorite chapters is "How to Deal with Difficult People." I wish I'd learned these techniques twenty years ago!

Whether Cognitive Therapy is new to you or you've used it before, I recommend this book because of its emphasis on practical application. What Burns has given us with The Feeling Good Handbook is a comprehensive set of easy-to-understand exercises and tools to feel better about all areas of our lives. By emphasizing the paramount importance of using these tools, he makes it quite easy for the reader to start "feeling good."

(The Feeling Good Handbook is featured in the Turn On to Life! home-study course. The Turn On to Life! Free Newsletter features a new self-help book review each month.)

�2005 Curtis G. Schmitt / TurnOnToLife.com