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