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