Behavioural Activation
How often have you said or thought “I’ll start doing things again when I feel better”?
Behavioural Activation (BA) is a concept in a therapeutic setting where we flip that concept, and start doing before we feel better, or before we feel any particular way about the situation at all. In fact, motivation often shows up after we start doing the thing and not before. BA has been found to improve symptoms of depression, rumination, and social functioning in individuals diagnosed with a depressive disorder (Saberi et al., 2024).
When people are feeling low, burnt out, or overwhelmed, life tends to feel small.
- You stop texting people back (even the ones you like).
- That hobby you swore you loved? Suddenly irrelevant.
- Basic tasks start to feel like you’ve been asked to summit a mountain with no snacks.
- Naturally, we avoid (Barnese, 2017).
While avoidance makes sense in the moment, it quietly fuels a cycle: the less we do, the worse we feel and then and the worse we feel, the less we do.
BA interrupts that spiral, and allows you to remain unmotivated. Instead of waiting for a magical surge of energy, BA invites you to take small, intentional actions anyway. Not huge life overhauls. Not “new year, new me” energy.
A big part of this process is getting clear on what actually matters to you. Not what you should care about, or what looks good on paper—but what feels meaningful in your real, messy life.
Maybe it’s:
- Being a supportive friend or parent
- Taking care of your body
- Simply having moments of peace in your day
These values become your compass when motivation decides to leave you.
From there, it’s about choosing actions that line up with those values even in the smallest ways.
Want to feel more connected? Send one text.
Want to care for your mental health? Step outside for five minutes.
Want to tackle that overwhelming task? Open the document. That’s it. Just open it.
This is about building momentum and not perfection.
And here’s the key: you don’t need to feel good while doing these things.
In fact, you probably won’t at first. BA isn’t about pretending everything is fine. It is about making space for your feelings and still nudging your life forward, one tiny step at a time, imperfectly.
BA works especially well for depression, burnout, ADHD, and grief because it doesn’t rely on willpower alone. It relies on structure, values, and a healthy respect for how hard things can feel.
So if you’re waiting to feel ready, consider this your permission to start before that happens. Not in a dramatic, life-altering way, but in a small, doable ways. At Through the Woods Psychology in Calgary, we not only have psychologists and counsellors but also counselling therapist interns that can offer low-cost or no-cost therapy to those who are unable to afford sessions or do not have insurance. Sessions are done in person or online.
Visit our website to learn more or to book your free consultation today. You can also get in touch by email at info@throughthewoods.ca or phone at (403) 984-7922.
References
Barnese, D. (2017). Behavioral Activation for Depression. Society of Clinical Psychology. https://societyofclinicalpsychology.org/psychological-treatments-archive/behavioral-activation-for-depression/
Saberi, S., Ahmadi, R., Khakpoor, S., Pirzeh, R., Hasani, M., Moradveisi, L., & Saed, O. (2024). Comparing the effectiveness of behavioral activation in group vs. self-help format for reducing depression, repetitive thoughts, and enhancing performance of patients with major depressive disorder: A randomized clinical trial. BMC Psychiatry, 24(1), 516. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-05973-z