Feeling Good Podcast | TEAM-CBT - The New Mood Therapy · David Burns, MD

Hopelessness: A New Approach

September 1, 2025·55 min·5 clips

Mike Christensen explains why hopelessness became his best friend during a personal crisis.

Dr. David Burns and guest therapist Mike Christensen explore the clinical and personal dimensions of hopelessness. Mike Christensen is a seasoned TEAM-CBT therapist from Canada who credits Burns's work with his own recovery. This episode examines hopelessness not as a problem to be fixed, but as a meaningful psychological state with potential benefits. Mike shares his personal story of feeling hopeless after a failed career venture with a religious organization, which forced him to move his family back in with his parents. He recounts a pivotal moment looking in a mirror at a hardware store job and thinking of an acquaintance, John, who died by suicide. Dr. De Brain, a physician who had attended a David Burns lecture, empathetically recommended the book "Feeling Good," which began Mike's recovery journey. The conversation centers on the paradoxical idea that hopelessness can serve as a protective mechanism, a form of validation for deep pain, and even a twisted form of revenge. They discuss how traditional attempts to cheer someone up can trivialize their suffering, whereas empathy and "positive reframe" techniques build trust. A key insight is that exploring the benefits of hopelessness—like its role in setting realistic expectations or validating the significance of a loss—can be a profound empathy tool. Mike describes how his own hopelessness felt like a "best friend" that protected him from being hurt again. The hosts demonstrate the "Feared Fantasy" or "Externalization of Voices" exercise, role-playing attacks like "You're a failure" and "You're an embarrassment to me." Through this exercise, they model how accepting the label of "failure" can disarm its power and even reveal it as an opportunity for connection and growth. Mike concludes that hopelessness can signal deep care and important core values, such as a desire for justice or meaningful relationships. The tone is conversational, educational, and deeply personal, blending therapeutic instruction with candid storytelling. Listeners interested in cognitive behavioral therapy, especially TEAM-CBT methods, or anyone grappling with feelings of failure will find valuable perspectives. Those seeking a purely clinical or detached academic discussion might find the personal narrative and role-play exercises less appealing.

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Feeling Good Podcast | TEAM-CBT - The New Mood Therapy