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