Most mental health professionals, including clinicians and researchers, endorse the deficit theory. They're convinced that we wage war simply because we don't know how to make love. We desperately want loving, satisfying relationships but lack the skills we need to… — David D. Burns Copy Share Image
Surprisingly, it's forgiveness, not guilt, that increases accountability. Researchers have found that taking a self-compassionate point of view on a personal failure makes people more likely to take personal responsibility for the failure than when they take a self-critical point… — David D. Burns Copy Share Image
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 Copy Share Image
Most people do surprisingly poorly when dealing with a relative who is hurting, depressed, or anxious - we get defensive and try to solve… — David D. Burns Copy Share Image
The first principle of cognitive therapy is that all your moods are created by your 'cognitions,' or thoughts. A cognition refers to the way… — David D. Burns Copy Share Image
“In one sense, depression can feel even worse than cancer, because most cancer patients feel hope as well as self-esteem.” — David D. Burns Copy Share Image
More often than not, the belief that you are bad contributes to the "bad" behavior. Change and learning occur most readily when you (a)… — David D. Burns Copy Share Image
I had the fear of heights when I was young, along with many other fears and phobias, including the fear of dogs, bees, horses,… — David D. Burns Copy Share Image
“The attitude that depression is necessary strikes me as destructive, inhuman, and victimizing.” — David D. Burns Copy Share Image
“know about the brain's hardware and software. How does the firing of a nerve or a series of nerves get translated into a thought… — David D. Burns Copy Share Image
“There was nothing dreadfully wrong with me, I was just upsetting myself with my irrational thinking. I just couldn't admit it until I knew… — David D. Burns Copy Share Image
“Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new things… — David D. Burns Copy Share Image
“And most important, nobody could love or relate to you. It would be impossible to feel any love for someone who was flawless and… — David D. Burns Copy Share Image
Negative thinking patterns can be immensely deceptive and persuasive, and change is rarely easy. But with patience and persistence, I believe that nearly all… — David D. Burns Copy Share Image
“Many research studies, as well as my own clinical experience, have confirmed that severely depressed patients who appear very "biologically" depressed with lots of… — David D. Burns Copy Share Image
Assert your right to make a few mistakes. If people can't accept your imperfections, that's their fault. — David D. Burns Copy Share Image
