Values Clarification for PTSD: Exercises and Metaphors

In this video, I’ll give you some examples of exercises and metaphors that can be used to help with values clarification.

For some people, it may be the case that you could simply ask them, “What is most important to you in these areas?” And they might be able to give you a direct answer. But for many other people, it’s helpful to use exercises and metaphors to help get to those points. One of the most common ones, and one of the clearest ways to talk about values and goals, is what we call the compass metaphor.   The compass is the thing that tells you direction: north, south, east, west. And this common ACT metaphor makes the distinction between values and goals because it describes a value as a direction you might find on a compass with the goals being the specific stops along the way. So, for example, if I ask you, “Which direction is most important to you to go? Which direction provides you the most meaning?”

Batten, S. V. (2011). Essentials of acceptance and commitment therapy. SAGE Publications Ltd.

And you know, you have that compass and your internal compass says, “Going west is important to me.” And so you’re starting in New York City and going west is important to you. And so you might say the goals along the way are: “First, I want to go to San Francisco, then I want to go to Tokyo, and then I want to go to Vienna.” Those are each stops and specific goals along that value of going west. But the thing is that there’s always more west to go. Even once you get to Vienna, you can keep going. There’s always more west to go. And that’s how it is with real values in your life as well.

Batten, S. V. (2011). Essentials of acceptance and commitment therapy. SAGE Publications Ltd.