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