CBT and DBT Skills: Behavioral Activation, Opposite Action for Depression

Behavioral Activation is a CBT technique that uses opposite action, one of the emotion regulation dialectical behavior skills. to help us improve our mood by changing our behavior.

When we’re feeling depressed we tend to not want to do much of anything, which only leaves us feeling more depressed. With behavioral activation, we work on increasing our level of activity by engaging in activities that give us a sense of pleasure, achievement, and/or social connection. Behavioral activation is one of the most effective things we can do to help lift our mood and start to pull ourselves out of a period of feeling depressed.

CBT, Behavioral Activation and Depression

You can download a sample Behavioral Activation Diary in PDF or Word format. For more videos like these, please subscribe to my YouTube Channel and follow @GregDorter on Twitter.

Guelph Therapist Greg Dorter

I’m a therapist in Guelph, Ontario specializing in evidence-based treatments such as CBT and mindfulness for anxiety, depression and stress. For more information about cognitive therapy/cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) for depression in Guelph, or to make an appointment for counselling or therapy, please call me at 226-500-4086 or email greg@guelphtherapist.ca.
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