Values clarification — identifying what matters most to you at the deepest level — is a cornerstone of ACT therapy for appetite and provides direction when appetite removes other navigational tools.
Why Values Matter for Appetite
Appetite often disconnects us from our values through avoidance, withdrawal, and reduced capacity. Reconnecting with values provides:
- Direction when appetite has eliminated other motivation
- Meaning that persists even through difficult appetite periods
- A basis for action independent of how appetite makes you feel
Clarifying Your Values with Appetite
Ask yourself: 'If my appetite were less present, what would I be doing more of? What kind of person would I be?'
Values are not goals (achievable and done) but ongoing directions: being a present parent, creating beauty, contributing to others.
Values-Based Action in Appetite
ACT therapy teaches: act according to values even when appetite is present. Small values-aligned actions, despite appetite, are more sustainable than waiting for appetite to lift first.