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