The Fifth Core Process of ACT: Values

The fifth core process of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on values clarification, which serves as a guiding principle for meaningful living and psychological flexibility. Values are ongoing life directions that inspire action, distinct from concrete, achievable goals. Genuine values clarification in ACT emphasizes identifying what truly matters to individuals, independent of societal pressures or expectations. This process often involves exercises to articulate values across various life domains. Acceptance of reality is central to ACT; recognizing distressing facts, like biodiversity loss and climate change, allows for authentic values-driven action. Denial of these realities hinders the connection between values and responsible action, creating a value-action gap where professed values are contradicted by avoidance. Responsibility, inherent in our interdependence with others and the environment, cannot be disregarded. The consequence of denial is a life disconnected from authentic values, leading to self-deception and incongruence between stated beliefs and actions. For individuals to live genuinely according to their values, they must engage with present realities, fostering deeper connections and responsible actions in addressing existential challenges.