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