Feeling Good

David Burns' landmark CBT self-help book has been the number one recommended self-help title on depression by mental health professionals across surveys of over a thousand books, and six independent studies validate that it actually works as a standalone therapy tool — that is an unusually strong evidence base for a self-help book. The worksheets are practical, the writing is accessible, and the core CBT framework has held up over decades. One honest caution: Burns' skepticism about antidepressants runs more aggressive than mainstream psychiatry, so readers considering medication should talk to a doctor rather than treating this as the final word.