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