What behavioural activation is

Behavioural activation is a way of lifting low mood by changing what you do, instead of waiting to feel better first. When mood is low, people tend to do less. Doing less removes the small pleasures and small wins that used to lift mood, so mood drops further and doing even less feels easier.

It is a core part of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for low mood. The idea is to turn that loop around, one small activity at a time, and then notice what shifts. A meta-analysis of 16 randomized studies (780 people) found that activity scheduling, the core of behavioural activation, had a large effect on depression in adults compared with control conditions.

Pathery’s version is free and interactive. You map a typical flat day, choose a few small activities, plan the next 24 hours, and come back to review what happened.

References:

Cuijpers, P., van Straten, A., & Warmerdam, L. (2007). Behavioral activation treatments of depression: A meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 27(3), 318–326. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2006.11.001
Farrand, P., McGahey, S., & Woodford, J. (n.d.). Lift your low mood [Low-intensity CBT workbook]. Clinical Education Development and Research (CEDAR), University of Exeter. https://cedar.exeter.ac.uk/resources/iaptinterventions/
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2022). Depression in adults: Treatment and management (NICE guideline NG222). https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng222

Five steps, about 10 minutes

Map a typical flat day
Tap blocks across the morning, afternoon, evening and overnight, and choose what you were doing on a recent flat day.
Choose activities you can try
Swipe right if an activity is possible, left if not for now. They come in three groups: pleasure, self-care and mastery. Tap a card to make it smaller.
Rank from easiest to hardest
Drag your picks into order, according to how hard each would feel. With only one pick, this step is skipped.
Plan the next 24 hours
Drag each activity into a block where it could realistically fit, or tap a block to edit it. Then save your plan.
Review it the next day
Mark each activity done, partly done or not done. Rate your mood after, and note what helped and what got in the way.

18 small activities, each with a smaller version

Activities come in three groups. Pleasure is anything that makes you feel more fun or happy. Self-care makes you feel more relaxed or comfortable. Mastery makes you feel more accomplished or in control. Every activity has a smaller version for when even that feels like too much.

Listen to one song I likeListen to 30 seconds of one song
Sit outside for 5 minutesStep outside for 2 minutes
Have a coffee or tea without multitaskingTake three sips without my phone
Watch one short funny clipWatch one clip under a minute
Read 2 pages of something enjoyableRead one paragraph
Message someone I like talking toSend one line to someone

A friend asks you out on Friday

The same invitation, seen through the CBT loop. Tap an arrow, or switch what you do.

BodyHeavy · ExhaustedTired · Moving

ThoughtThere’s no point · Nobody really caresMaybe it’s not that bad · An hour is enough

BehaviourSay I’m busy · Stay inSay yes · Go for an hour

Tap an arrow.

Emotion sits in the middle, following the other three, which is why we try not to start here.

The thought weighs like a stone on your body.

Feeling heavy makes the thought sound true.

Letting loose a thought lightens the body.

The heaviness doesn’t define who you are.

Staying in saves energy but doesn’t lift it.

Heavy legs make it hard to move.

An hour out, and the body is no worse for it.

You go with the tiredness instead of waiting.

Staying in reinforces that nothing matters.

Having no expectation gives you low motivation.

A little evidence that you can actually do it.

Leave when you’ve had enough.

Doing less might feel easier at first, but then there is less left to lift you.Instead of waiting to feel better, start with one small thing you can still do.

Send it as homework

One homework link

Turn behavioural activation into a QR code your client can open straight away. No account or app needed.

They plan in their own time

Your client scans the code on their own phone, maps a flat day, picks a few small activities and plans the next 24 hours.

Read what comes back

Your client sends you a link when they finish. Sign in to open their plan and review before the next session: what they did, their mood after, what helped and what got in the way.

Fits the work you already do

A natural homework task for behavioural activation and activity scheduling in CBT.

See the therapists page

Common questions

Is the behavioural activation tool free?

Yes. It is free to use online. There is no account.

Is it private?

Yes. Pathery runs in your browser, and nothing you enter is sent to Pathery. Your entries stay in this browser and are cleared after seven days without a visit.

How long does it take?

About 10 minutes to set up your plan. You come back the next day to review it.

What counts as an activity?

Small things: a song, a glass of water, replying to one message. Each has a smaller version for when even that feels like too much, and you can add your own.

What if I don’t feel like doing it?

That is expected with low mood. Starting first and waiting for motivation to follow often works better.

Do I need to know CBT?

No. The CBT tab shows the idea in a short example, but the tool works without any background.

Can I use it with clients?

Yes. Therapists can send this exercise to a client as a single link. See the Therapists tab.

Is this therapy?

No. Pathery is a self-help tool, not therapy. If you need urgent help now, call your local emergency number.

Behavioural Activation

When mood gets low,
life can start to shrink.

Add an activity

How it works