📌 NOTE FROM TED: This talk only represents the speaker’s personal understanding of depression and anxiety, and should not be considered a substitute for professional help. If you’re struggling, please reach out to a mental health provider.
Eleven years ago, Dr. David D. Burns stepped onto the TEDxReno stage and gave a talk that would ripple through the mental health world for years to come. In a moving blend of personal stories, clinical insights, and deeply human moments, Dr. Burns challenged the way we think about depression and anxiety—not as chemical flaws or permanent states, but as experiences shaped by distorted thoughts we can learn to reframe.
If you’ve ever told yourself, “I’m not good enough,” or “I’ve never done anything meaningful,”—you’re not alone. And according to Dr. Burns, those thoughts aren’t just painful—they’re often simply untrue. Through his groundbreaking work in cognitive therapy, he’s helped millions of people challenge these inner narratives and take back their sense of worth. One of the most powerful moments in his talk came from a patient who, after surviving the Holocaust and raising her children alone, realized for the first time that her life had meaning. It’s these kinds of revelations—grounded in truth and compassion—that define his work.
At the time of his talk, Dr. Burns was already an accomplished psychiatrist: magna cum laude from Amherst, an M.D. from Stanford, and teaching at Penn and Harvard. But it wasn’t the accolades that made this talk unforgettable—it was his willingness to say: I’ve been there too. When his newborn son was in the NICU, it was the very tools he taught his patients that helped him stay grounded. That honesty struck a chord with our TEDxReno audience—and it still does.
So we’ll ask you what Dr. Burns asked his audience over a decade ago: Have you ever believed something about yourself that wasn’t true?
And if so, what might change if you questioned it?
Cognitive therapy isn’t about “positive thinking.” It’s about truthful thinking. And in a world where self-doubt and anxiety are more common than ever, Dr. Burns’ message remains a lifeline: You don’t have to be blue anymore. Not forever. Not alone.
What insights did you take away from Dr. Burns’ message? Let us know—we’d love to hear.
