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