Having published other books such as ‘Ten Days To Self Esteem’, ‘Therapists Toolkit: Comprehensive Treatment and Assessment Tools for the Mental Health’, ‘Let’s Get Started’, ‘Fifty Ways to Untwist Your Thinking’, ‘Selecting the Techniques that Will Work for You’, ‘When Panic Attacks’, ‘Feeling Good Together’ and ‘Feeling Great: The Revolutionary New Treatment for Depression and Anxiety’ David Burns MD published the book The Feeling Good Handbook in 1989.
A book which is filled with charts, quizzes, weekly self-assessment tests and a daily mood log, this book is a sure shot to boost activity for your mental health. An American psychiatrist and adjunct professor, David is well-known for his numerous awards and research on brain chemistry.
Having popularised Albert Ellies’s and Aaron T. Beck’s cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), he has also appeared on The Phil Donahue Show, an American Show that ran for 26 years and explored controversial and informative topics.
Having received his M.D. from Standford University, Dr. Burns also completed his psychiatry residency Dr Burns wrote the Feeling Good Handbook which focuses a lot on the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy and certain ways to improve a person’s mood and life. It is a widely popular book which is prescribed (through various studies) to treat depression and uplift moods.
A book which requires a very open mind for reading, it has more than one million copies sold and is very useful for overcoming anxiety and enjoying greater intimacy as well. The book is divided into six parts and covers topics such as moods, depression, self-esteem, fear, phobias, strengthening communication, mood-altering medication and a section on how therapists can deal with difficult patients is both a great book for both patients as well as therapists or psychiatrists/medical practitioners.
It is a great reading to help you take charge of your life in your own hands and not only understand why certain things happen to you but also adapt effective ways to overcome unhealthy behavioural patterns.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a therapy that is used to help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave. Dr Burns is considered to be one of the forefathers of CBT.
The book goes into great detail to explain each and every concept and not just provide solutions to the behavioural problems that stem from anxiety and depression. Besides this, there is also a Feeling Good App for your cell phones be it an iPhone Android or not at all a smartphone.
Even if a person does not go for therapy, it is extremely insightful and useful for mental health enhancement. Easy and simple to understand, it is also a great way to learn about cognitive behavioural therapy and face mental issues in one’s life and overcome them.
As quoted from the book, “You Can Change the Way You Feel” and you can learn to help yourself. Highly recommended and a delight for those who are struggling with issues. This book is a must-read for everyone in their life.
