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