Dr David D. Burns is an Adjunct Clinical Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine. His previous roles include consultant for Stanford's Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research and Visiting Scholar at the Harvard Medical School.

Much of Dr Burns' research centers on how using assessment during routine clinical work allows therapists to change strategies if needed, providing greater accuracy of feedback on how their patients feel about them and the therapy. Dr Burns developed Testing, Empathy, Agenda Setting and Methods (T.E.A.M.) Therapy, a new approach to psychotherapy. T.E.A.M. Therapy provides basic tools which address motivational influences and inform clinical practice.

Among his great scientific achievements, Dr Burns developed a rating scale for depression called the Burns Depression Checklist (BDC) and scales to assess the quality of therapeutic alliance and effectiveness.

In addition to his academic research, Dr Burns is an eminent clinical psychiatrist and author of the best-selling, cognitive-behavioral therapy based books Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy and The Feeling Good Handbook.

Dr Burns has been acknowledged for both his research and teaching. He was thrice awarded "Teacher of the Year" by psychiatric residents at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He has received numerous awards, including the A. E. Bennett Award for his research on brain chemistry, the Distinguished Contribution to Psychology through the Media Award, and the Outstanding Contributions Award from the National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists.