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