Values clarification — identifying what matters most to you at the deepest level — is a cornerstone of ACT therapy for attachment and provides direction when attachment removes other navigational tools.
Why Values Matter for Attachment
Attachment often disconnects us from our values through avoidance, withdrawal, and reduced capacity. Reconnecting with values provides:
- Direction when attachment has eliminated other motivation
- Meaning that persists even through difficult attachment periods
- A basis for action independent of how attachment makes you feel
Clarifying Your Values with Attachment
Ask yourself: 'If my attachment 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 Attachment
ACT therapy teaches: act according to values even when attachment is present. Small values-aligned actions, despite attachment, are more sustainable than waiting for attachment to lift first.