Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) offers a dynamic framework for psychological intervention, which centers around psychological flexibility.
This flexibility is achieved through six core processes: acceptance, defusion, being in the present moment, self-as-context, values clarification, and committed action.
In this article, we will emphasize clarifying personal values and cognitive defusion. Understanding and integrating these aspects can profoundly influence therapeutic outcomes, guiding clients toward a more fulfilling life in alignment with what truly matters to them.
Understanding and Identifying Values in ACT
Values in ACT represent deeply held beliefs that guide and motivate individuals toward their truthful way of living. They are essential for fostering meaningful change. Common values that often emerge in therapy include these areas:
- Family relations: What kind of relationships do you want with your family?
- Intimate relations: What quality of relationship do you want to be a part of?
- Parenting: What qualities do you want your children to see in you?
- Friendships: What sort of friend do you want to be?
- Employment: What kind of work is valuable to you?
- Personal growth: What kind of skills would you like to develop?
- Recreation: How would you like to enjoy yourself?
- Spirituality: What kind of relationship do you want with God/nature /the Earth?
- Community: How do you want to contribute to your community?
- Physical well-being: What values do you have regarding your physical well-being?
Taken from Wilson, Sandoz, Kitchens & Roberts (2010). The Valued Living Questionnaire: defining and measuring valued action within a behavioural framework. The Psychological Record, 60, 249-272.
Exercises for Values Clarification
Values Card Sort: Use a set of cards labeled with different values. Ask clients to sort these cards into piles of ‘important,’ ‘not important,’ and ‘very important.’
- This exercise helps clients explore and prioritize their values, facilitating deeper discussions about what truly matters to them.
The Eulogy Exercise: Invite clients to imagine what they would like others to say about them at their funeral.
- This reflection encourages clients to consider the legacy they wish to leave behind, clarifying values they may want to live by more consciously.
The Role of Defusion in ACT
Defusion in ACT involves creating mental distance between the client and their thoughts, allowing them to observe and not be automatically influenced by them. This skill is crucial for managing distressing or intrusive thoughts.
Exercises for Practicing Defusion
Leaves on a Stream: Guide clients to visualize their thoughts as leaves floating down a stream and to place each troubling thought on a leaf, watching it drift by.
- This exercise helps them see thoughts as separate from themselves, reducing their impact.
Silly Voice: Ask clients to repeat their distressing thoughts aloud but using a silly voice or exaggerated tone.
- This technique helps diminish the thought’s seriousness and emotional grip, making it easier for clients to see them as just thoughts, not facts.
Practical Application: Defusion and Values Exercises — Handout
The handout offers practical exercises for therapists to employ in sessions. Moreover, it allows them to reinforce these concepts and techniques, ensuring they remain salient in the client’s journey toward change.
How to Use This Tool?
- Use this handout to reinforce the practice of defusion and values skills.
- In the “Values in ACT” section, actively engage clients in conversations about their values using probing questions to draw deeper insights.
- In the “Defusion in ACT” section, consider using visual aids or role-playing to illustrate concepts clearly.
- Conduct functional analysis to help clients differentiate between short-term benefits and long-term consequences of their behaviors.
- Encourage curiosity about internal sensations, allowing clients to approach their symptoms more effectively and less fearfully.
- Regularly refer to this handout for a quick summary of working on values and defusion with clients.
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