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