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