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