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