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