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