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