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