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