Behavioral Activation Worksheets

## **What is a Behavioral Activation Worksheet?** Behavioral activation is a therapeutic approach initially under cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that emphasizes immersion in enjoyable activities to improve mood and overall well-being (Jacobson et al., 2001). Behavioral activation is a central part of brief behavioral activation treatment for depression, a therapeutic treatment program for helping patients manage depressive symptoms. At its most essential, behavioral activation uses behaviors to influence and/or alter a client's emotional states. Often, behavioral activation is used to treat patients who are experiencing depression symptoms, since this treatment method is essentially using positive reinforcement to re-engage with behaviors that can ease depression; after all, individuals with depression tend not to do anything, giving them fewer opportunities to feel pleasure. The types of behaviors that a patient engages in will differ depending on the issues they are facing and their desired clinical outcomes. Still, these may be related to improving enjoyment, reducing unpleasant experiences, or focusing on strengthening relationships. According to a randomized trial by Dimidjian and colleagues (2006), behavioral activation produced outcomes comparable to antidepressant medication, with both significantly outperforming cognitive therapy in acute treatment of major depression. Although typically part of cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT), behavioral activation can also function as an independent therapy because it is equally effective as full CBT in reducing negative thinking patterns (Jacobson et al., 1996). One of the best ways to encourage patients to engage in positive behaviors is to get them to brainstorm and visualize what these behaviors may be. As such, we've designed a worksheet to be completed by patients. The worksheet is structured as a table and is designed to be filled in weekly, generating short-term and achievable goals for the patient. The Behavioral Activation Worksheet is particularly useful for patients experiencing depression, anxiety, addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder, divorce and relationship issues, financial stress, loneliness, and isolation, as it helps these individuals overcome negative behavioral patterns and re-engage with meaningful activities. In this guide, we'll introduce you to our worksheet and outline some of the various benefits associated with using it. Let's get started!