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