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