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