David D. Burns

It'd be all too easy at first glance to mock this work based on the improbable premise of it's title and the all-too-happily grinning mug shot of its turtlenecked author, Dr. Burns, so I won't, other than to say I can sure see where Saturday Night Live! alumnus, Al Franken, may have found his "Stuart Smalley" inspiration.

Nevertheless, there are decent psychological exercises/question-and-answers throughout this introductory workbook designed to foster intellectual/interrelational insight show more and emotional growth, particularly for individuals who've struggled with feelings of low self-esteem and depression for whatever reasons, and who are new to the therapeutic process. Ten Days to Self-Esteem could conceivably be especially helpful in a group therapy setting as a means of initiating a safe, how-to, structure in running a therapy group for newcomers to the process or even grad students getting their feet wet in moderating group sessions. I would cautiously recommend it only for its hands-on practical value in Brief Psychotherapy, say, for its indispensable overview of positive affirmations that are like the autonomic programming codes for those in possession of healthy self-esteem. Perhaps software can be programmed in ten days, but can self-esteem? I doubt it.

Ten Days to Self-Esteem bends credulity beyond its breaking point not because of the psychology in its pages, but because of its absurdly unrealistic claim made by its title that could, conceivably, accomplish the opposite of its aims in readers who, say, after ten days of reading Ten Days to Self-Esteem, applying its precepts step-by-step, wake up on the eleventh day and realize they still feel like shit about themselves. But now, not only do they still feel like shit about themselves, they're sent reeling by crushing disappointment and possible despondency after the failure of the book. And don't you know -- don't you just know -- that such crushed readers suffering from low self-esteem and now also suffering from the piled-on agony of defeat, probably blame themselves, rather than the book and its too-good-to-be-true promise, for the failure? These sad and now possibly despondent readers with low self-esteem might as well have read Ten Days to Suicide for all the self-help the other book provided them. show less

I am embarrassed about loving a self-help book, but I do.

This book is brilliant. Practical advice and steps to help you control your own thoughts.
Even if you think you are in full control of your own mind it will probably be interesting to you as it gives you some idea of how cognitive therapy works and why it is so much more effective than everything that came before.

I don't think he's right about every feeling you have being brought about by your thoughts but, regardless of that, show more controlling them can only be useful. show less

My mother got this book to deal with her anxiety, so I was curious and read it. For the most part, I think it's pretty silly, but it did teach me an important thing-- that everyone has control over their own emotional and psycological well-being. We're brought up to believe that mental illness is just that- an illness, completely out of our control.

But, not to denigrate anyone with mental illness, a great deal of it IS under our control- and that continuing to tell people that they have no show more control will contribute to their problems. Cognitive behavioral therapy won't work for everyone, but I think it's a very helpful approach which should definitely play a prominent role in psychology's extensive repetoire. show less

Feeling Good is both utterly brilliant and yet limited. To learn about cognitive distortions, I can't imagine a better resource. It's so good, in fact, that at least 6 scientific studies have been done just on this book, studying how well simply reading it does for reducing symptoms of depression. Bibliotherapy is a thing, and this is perhaps the book for improving your life simply by reading.

That being said, the book is limited (I believe) because its premise is an overstatement. CPT show more (Cognitive Behaviorial Therapy) - the subject of the book - is based on the idea that our moods are caused by our thoughts. Therefore, by controlling your thoughts, you will control you mood. Your first impulse, or at least mine, was complete skepticism. The more I read, the more convinced I became of my own cognitive distortions. In fact, you can rest assured that your cognitive distortions affect your moods (and your life) much more than you realize, or would like to admit. That is the brilliance and power of this book, and I can hardly recommend it enough.

That being said, I happen to follow this book with another, The Body Keeps the Score, to learn the brain is much more complicated than Feeling Good lets on. Our moods/feelings are often controlled and influenced by parts of the brain that are not rational.

For the rational person, and one lucky enough to avoid much trauma, it's a perfect a resource. Or if you're wanting to learn about CBT and your own cognitive distortions, it's great! For those with more trauma, I'd recommend The Body Keeps the Score or something like it. show less