From Avoidance to Activation: Reclaiming Life One Step at a Time

Depression doesn’t always show up as sadness. Sometimes, it’s an empty calendar, a growing pile of laundry, the unopened mail, and the job application we never finish.

This is the invisible hand of avoidance[1]; and in the face of pain, our natural instinct is to pull back. Yet, while avoidance offers short-term relief, it has long-term costs. Days blend into weeks, life starts to fade into the background, and before we know it, we’ve become strangers to ourselves.

Behavioral Activation is a clinically proven approach that interrupts this cycle.[2] Instead of analyzing the past, BA focuses on the now, on what we can do today to move in the direction of life. We start small, we act on values, and we reclaim the sense of “I can.”

It’s not about pushing through. It’s about practicing presence with action; and it works like this[3]:

• Identify what matters most (relationships, health, growth)
• Track which behaviors move you closer or further from those values
• Gently shift behavior toward connection, mastery, and pleasure
• Build accountability and celebrate each step

What makes BA unique is that it doesn’t require insight first.[4] It starts with movement, even when motivation is low for action creates energy, not the other way around.

“When I started walking again, just five minutes a day, I didn’t think it would help,” said Anne. “But after a week, I realized I was looking forward to it. That was the first thing I’d looked forward to in months.”

Behavioral Activation reminds us: we are not our symptoms; rather, we are our next step.

🌟 Ready to deepen your understanding and sharpen your skills?
We invite you to the Behavioral Activation Virtual Conference:
🗓️ Friday, July 11, 2025 | 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
🎓 4 CE credits available nationwide
💻 Join us from anywhere
🔧 Learn from leading experts and gain tools you can apply immediately

This is more than a conference. It’s a catalyst.
Register now, and let’s activate a new chapter—together.

[1] Ramsay, J. Russell. “A cognitive therapy approach for treating chronic procrastination and avoidance: Behavioral activation interventions.” Journal of Group Psychotherapy Psychodrama and Soiometry 55.2-3 (2002): 79-93.

[2] Barraca, Jorge, Marino Pérez-Álvarez, and José Héctor Lozano Bleda. “Avoidance and activation as keys to depression: Adaptation of the Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale in a Spanish sample.” The Spanish journal of psychology 14.2 (2011): 998-1009.

[3] Kanter, Jonathan W., et al. “What is behavioral activation?: A review of the empirical literature.” Clinical psychology review 30.6 (2010): 608-620.

[4] Kanter, Jonathan W., Andrew M. Busch, and Laura C. Rusch. Behavioral activation: Distinctive features. Routledge, 2009.