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