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