The Finding My Psych Podcast

The Finding My Psych Podcast


Behavioural Activation in Health Psychology - Back To Basics

February 20, 2021

“Best advice? Just do it!”



Setting up for success with Behavioural Activation

Behavioural Activation in Action

In today’s episode, I bring us back to basics in a review of how behaviour impacts wellness. I share my personal experience several years ago when I went through a depressive episode – I realize now that activating adaptive behaviour would have helped in treating difficult to manage symptoms.


Behavioural Activation techniques also apply to the field of health. I share my difficulty on the weekend with, ‘getting moving‘ in the morning. In an effort to fight my propensity to sit all day on the couch, I suggest a behavioural plan to break the cycle of waiting for inspiration, inactivity, guilt, and further inactivity.


Episode Outline

Welcome to Episode 042: Behavioural Activation and Health Psychology


  1. What We Do:
    • Behavioural Medicine and Health Psychology
    • Providing information that usually requires seeing a therapist.

  2. Today:
    • A solo episode reviewing the powerful impact of implementing Behavioural Activation techniques that support improved wellness.
    • Applying principle to Major Depression Severe Recurrent, and athletics.

  3. Kudos to Liz Garrett and her first book:

My Story of Depression, Feeling Stuck, and Behavioural Activation


  1. Behavioural Activation

  2. Application for Depression
    • Neurovegetative Symptoms
    • Focus on self-care (e.g., shower, etc.).

  3. Application for Health