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