David Burns
Who They Are
David Burns, MD, is a psychiatrist, cognitive-behavioral therapist, and the founder of TEAM-CBT. He completed his medical training and is faculty at Stanford University School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, where he has trained generations of therapists through his seminal “Tuesday Group” seminar. He is best known as the author of Feeling Good, The New Mood Therapy (1980), one of the most widely read self-help books on depression and cognitive therapy, which brought cognitive therapy into the popular consciousness.
Key Contributions
- Democratized cognitive therapy: Made cognitive behavioral concepts accessible to the general public through his self-help books, particularly Feeling Good
- Developed TEAM-CBT as a transdiagnostic framework: Created a sequential, process-oriented approach that gives therapists a clear roadmap for every session
- Pioneered therapist training methodology: Introduced the Stanford Tuesday Group as an intensive, live-supervision model for training therapists in high-level skills
- Introduced routine outcome measurement: Emphasized the use of mood scales (BDI, etc.) at every session to track progress and guide therapy
- Resistance-focused approach: Systematized the idea that resistance is normal and teachable, requiring specific interpersonal skills to address before applying methods
- Emphasis on therapist accountability: Argued that therapist skill and continuous improvement matter more than patient factors in determining outcomes
Influence on Integrative Practice
Burns’ work represents a bridge between classical CBT (Aaron Beck’s cognitive model) and integrative/relational approaches. By making therapist skill and the therapeutic relationship as central as technique selection, he has influenced how integrative therapists think about training and supervision. His emphasis on measurement and outcome tracking has become influential in evidence-based practice. The TEAM framework’s transdiagnostic nature and process focus align well with integrative CBT’s goal of synthesizing techniques from multiple schools.
Sources
- 2026-04-20-feeling-good—the-new-mood-therapy-revised-and-upd — Burns, D. D. (1999). Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy, Revised and Updated. Avon. Foundational CBT text that brought cognitive therapy to the general public.
- 2026-04-20-deliberate-practice-team-cbt — Katz, M., Christensen, M. J., Vaz, A., & Rousmaniere, T. (2023). Deliberate Practice of TEAM-CBT. SpringerBriefs in Psychology.
Associated Frameworks
Key Works
- Feeling Good, The New Mood Therapy (1980) — Foundational text on cognitive therapy for depression; became one of the most widely read self-help psychology books
- Feeling Great: The Revolutionary New Treatment for Depression and Anxiety (2020) — Major TEAM-CBT text emphasizing Resistance to change, Positive Reframing, and the four “Great Deaths” of the self
- The Feeling Good Handbook (1999)
- Feeling Good Together (2010)
- Tools not Schools for Therapy (1997)