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