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