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