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