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