Free Activity-Values Mapping Worksheet: Behavioural Activation for Depression
Depression · CBT · Manualised
A worksheet that helps depressed clients map small, planned activities to personal values across life domains (relationships, work, leisure, health), increasing motivation through meaning rather than waiting for motivation to appear first.
Underlying mechanism: Values-aligned behavioural activation for depression
What it helps with
- Connecting behavioural activation to what the client actually cares about, rather than generic "get more active" advice.
- Breaking the belief that motivation must come before action: the worksheet is built explicitly around acting first.
- Keeping planned activities small enough to be achievable for a severely depressed client.
- Tracking pleasure and mastery ratings after each activity, so small wins become visible rather than dismissed.
How clinicians use it
- Used from session 2 of a behavioural activation protocol, alongside the Behavioural Activation Daily Schedule.
- Introduced by identifying three to four values across life domains before brainstorming activities for each.
- Reviewed for pleasure/mastery ratings each session, watching for rumination occurring between scheduled activities.
Clinical Implementation Guide
- Start with activities small enough to feel almost too easy: the point at this stage is momentum, not challenge.
- Record pleasure and mastery separately; a low-pleasure, high-mastery activity (like a chore) is still worth logging and reinforcing.
- Watch the gaps between scheduled activities specifically, since rumination there is a common, under-reported pattern in early behavioural activation.
What the worksheet looks like
| Value | Small Activity | Pleasure (0-10) | Mastery (0-10) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connection | Send one text to a friend, no expectation of a long reply. | 4 | 6 |
| Health | Make one cup of tea and drink it sitting down, not standing. | 3 | 5 |
| Leisure | Listen to one full song without doing anything else at the same time. | 5 | 3 |
Clinical cautions
For severely depressed clients, start with the smallest possible actions (e.g., "make one cup of tea"). Avoid overwhelming the client with large activity schedules. Monitor for rumination between activities.
References
- Martell, C. R., Dimidjian, S., & Herman-Dunn, R. (2010). Behavioral activation for depression: A clinician's guide. Guilford Press.
- Kanter, J. W., Manos, R. C., Bowe, W. M., Baruch, D. E., Busch, A. M., & Rusch, L. C. (2010). What is behavioral activation? A review of the empirical literature. Clinical Psychology Review, 30(6), 608-620.
Part of
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Foundations
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