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