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