FMP 042 • Behavioural Activation in Health Psychology – Back To Basics

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“Best advice? Just do it!”

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 Best Life: Deliberately Creating The Life of your Dreams”

My Story of Depression, Feeling Stuck, and Behavioural Activation

1. Behavioural Activation
   • B.F. Skinner
   • Applied Behavioural Analysis
   • Behavioural Psychology vs. Cognitive Psychology vs. Psychology of Motivation (Inspiration Finding).
2. Application for Depression
   • Neurovegetative Symptoms
   • Focus on self-care (e.g., shower, etc.).
3. Application for Health
   • Creating Healthy Habits (e.g., early morning walking).
   • Supporting health meal prep.