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