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