Behavioral Activation
Behavioral Activation is a tool often used in Collaborative Care that focuses on breaking patterns of avoidance and reestablishing routines, thereby increasing pleasurable experiences and decreasing depression in patients. Many patients with depression experience the Depression Cycle, a very common pattern of behavior where when someone feels bad, they do less. Behavioral Activation aims to flip the Depression Cycle on its head, encouraging patients to do a little bit more so they feel a little bit better. The best part is patients can do this (mostly) on their own! Here, we’re highlighting helpful resources you can share with your patients to help them better understand Behavioral Activation and use it to improve their mental well-being.
RUB CBT Manual- Behavioral-Activation-for-Depression
This 43-page manual outlines everything your patient may want to know about BA. Between informational excerpts, it provides patients with worksheets to help plan their day, assess their values, and set goals. If this seems overwhelming to a patient, care providers are encouraged to pull individual worksheets from the packet to share with their patients. A few examples of these excerpts include the Positive Activities worksheet and the Change Plan Worksheet.
Behavioral Activation Quick Guide
This resource takes all the information outlined in the above resource and condenses it into an easy-to-follow infographic! It also outlines “activity goals”, a useful skill in breaking the depression cycle. We recommend pairing this infographic with some of the aforementioned worksheets.
The 10 Core Principles of Behavioral Activation
Finally, if your patients are still curious about how/why BA works, this resource outlines the principles behind it. It also serves as a helpful refresher for care providers as they identify which goals they should be focusing on with their patients.