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