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