Values Work in Therapy: Recalibrating the Life Compass

Elif had achieved every career goal but felt "an emptiness I can't explain." What looked like burnout was actually a compass problem: her life's direction was following others' expectations, not her own values. In this guide, we'll examine value identification, life domains alignment analysis, and committed action from an ACT perspective — drawing on theoretical ground from Schwartz's value theory to Wilson and Murrell's life domains framework — through a concrete case.

"I've Achieved Everything But I'm Not Happy"

You began seeing Elif through a workplace HR referral. She's 34, a partner at a major law firm. Her colleagues envy her, her family is proud, her LinkedIn profile is impressive. But Elif's first sentence to you was: "I've lost my motivation — I don't want to get up in the mornings." Your initial formulation centered on burnout: excessive workload, insufficient self-care, boundary-setting difficulties. A reasonable framework — but by the third session, things weren't quite adding up.

When you asked Elif "What does this career give you?" she paused: "Security... and people's respect." But when you asked "What's missing in your life?" her eyes welled up: "Creativity... close relationships... my own time." Elif had built a perfect life by external success metrics — but the values beneath those metrics weren't her own. She had chosen law school at her family's direction; she had seen making partner as "proof of success"; she had normalized 65-hour work weeks as "what everyone expects." It wasn't motivation loss but value misalignment — her life's compass was following someone else's coordinates.

In this article, we'll examine why values work is not a motivational exercise but a systematic formulation component. We'll explore value identification, life domains alignment analysis, and committed action on the theoretical ground spanning Hayes, Strosahl, and Wilson's (2012) ACT model to Schwartz's (2012) universal value theory, Wilson and Murrell's (2004) life domains framework to Dahl and colleagues' (2009) "values are verbs" approach — through a concrete case.

Integrating values work into formulation provides four concrete gains:

• The compass direction becomes clear: Treatment moves beyond symptom relief to target the direction of life.
• Hidden misalignment surfaces: The importance-alignment gap reveals the life domain where the client suffers most.
• Social expectation separates from authentic value: Internalized "success" rules are distinguished from the person's own values.
• Value connects to action: The committed action plan turns abstract values into concrete weekly steps.

Why Should Values Work Be Part of Formulation?

In Hayes, Strosahl, and Wilson's (2012) ACT model, psychological flexibility comprises six core processes: present moment awareness, acceptance, cognitive defusion, self-as-context, values, and committed action. Values sit at the center of these six — the compass that answers "toward what?" for the other five processes. In Elif's case, her present-moment skills are good, cognitive flexibility is adequate, acceptance capacity exists — but the compass points in the wrong direction. Even when the five components of psychological flexibility are strong, if the direction is wrong, the person remains "flexible but lost."

From Frankl's (1946) logotherapy perspective, the search for meaning is the fundamental driving force of human motivation — and values are the reflection of meaning in concrete life domains. Elif's "emptiness I can't explain" reflects Frankl's concept of "existential vacuum": external success cannot compensate for a lack of internal meaning. Skipping this dimension in clinical formulation — targeting only symptoms (burnout, motivation loss) while ignoring value misalignment — risks keeping treatment superficial. Teaching Elif self-care routines and boundary-setting skills may alleviate symptoms; but real change isn't possible without questioning the direction of her life.

Levin and colleagues' (2012) meta-analytic work demonstrates that psychological inflexibility — including living misaligned with values — is a transdiagnostic process across anxiety, depression, and burnout. This reveals that values work is a formulation component that adds value for clinicians of every orientation, not just ACT practitioners. The triggers and coping mechanisms we examined in our previous articles gain new meaning in the values context: Elif's chronic fatigue isn't a trigger response but a somatic manifestation of value misalignment; her "work harder" coping mechanism is dysfunctional because the value it serves (others' approval) isn't her own value.

What Is a Value? How Does It Differ from a Goal?

In Hayes and colleagues' (2012) ACT framework, values are defined as "freely chosen, verbally constructed, global, and desired life directions." Every word in this definition is clinically significant:

• Freely chosen: Adopted through one's own volition, not external pressure, guilt, or obligation.
• Verbally constructed: A conscious rather than reflexive construct.
• Global: Guiding life as a whole, not just one domain.
• Desired life directions: Not a destination to reach but a direction to continuously walk.

Elif's "creativity" value is not a goal — living toward creativity is not a completable project but a direction to be continuously maintained.

Schwartz's (2012) universal values theory identifies ten basic value types across cultures: self-direction, stimulation, hedonism, achievement, power, security, conformity, tradition, benevolence, and universalism. This theoretical framework helps categorize clients' values — but the point emphasized in ACT is not universal categories but how each client fills these values with their own experience. For Elif, "achievement" is a recognized value in Schwartz's theory — but Elif's definition of achievement is tied to social approval, not her own internal standards. This nuance carries critical information in the formulation: Elif's achievement value is actually intertwined with the power value, and her own authentic definition of achievement has yet to be discovered.

The fundamental distinction emphasized in Wilson and Murrell's (2004) ACT values work guide is between values and goals. Values are directions; goals are destinations. "Being a good mother" is a value — it's never completed, it's lived anew each day. "Taking my child to the park on weekends" is a goal — completable, measurable, checkable off a list. This distinction is vital in clinical formulation: clients frequently confuse goal achievement with valued living. Elif has achieved the goal of "making partner" — but she never questioned which value that goal served. The emptiness that comes when a goal is completed is an opportunity to question whether the value beneath the goal was truly one's own.

In Dahl and colleagues' (2009) work, values are treated not as nouns but as verbs: "honesty" is an abstract concept; "being honest in my relationships" is a value — because it contains a call to action. This perspective moves values work from abstract philosophical discussion to clinical action. When Elif's "creativity" value is concretized as "working on creative projects, designing new things, stepping outside routine," it becomes direct material for the committed action plan in treatment. Adding the answer to "what does living this value look like?" next to each value in the formulation is the most effective way to rescue values work from abstraction.

Life Domains: Where Values Take Concrete Form

In Smout and colleagues' (2014) Valued Living Questionnaire (VLQ-2) study, values are concretized through life domains: relationships and family, career and work, health and body, personal growth and learning, creativity and art, social engagement and service, spirituality and meaning, leisure and rest. Two dimensions are assessed for each domain: how important this area is to me (0-10) and how aligned I'm living with my values in this area (0-10). The gap between these two scores — the importance-alignment gap — maps the priorities for clinical intervention. In Elif's creativity domain, her importance score is 9 and alignment score is 1: this 8-point gap is treatment's most powerful leverage point.

Harris's (2009) Life Compass exercise presents life domains as a visual map: each domain is thought of as a compass direction, and the client evaluates how much they're "on track" in each direction. This metaphor transforms values work from abstract analysis into a concrete, shareable formulation tool. In Elif's life compass, the career direction is strong but narrow — oriented only toward performance metrics, with the autonomy dimension weak; the relationships direction is nearly stagnant — superficial communication with partner, disconnection from friendships; the creativity direction is completely blocked — no creative activity outside law. The compass makes the imbalance visible at a glance.

An important point emphasized in Ciarrochi, Kashdan, and Harris's (2013) positive psychology and ACT integration is the interaction between life domains. Value alignment isn't isolated in a single domain — domains affect each other. Elif's excessive investment in the career domain (65-hour work weeks) is both cause and consequence of misalignment in the relationship and creativity domains: work leaves no time for other domains; but at the same time, Elif takes refuge in work to avoid the emptiness in other domains. This cyclical relationship directly feeds the perpetuating factors section of the formulation and reframes the coping mechanisms and trigger concepts we examined in previous articles from a values perspective.

Values Alignment Analysis: Clinical Assessment

In Luoma, Hayes, and Walser's (2007) ACT clinical guide, revealing value-life misalignment is part of the "creative hopelessness" process: the client realizes that their current strategies aren't delivering the life they want. This realization is painful — but therapeutically invaluable, as it's the source of change motivation. Elif's "I've achieved everything but I'm not happy" statement is a natural manifestation of creative hopelessness: the current strategy (achievement-oriented living) isn't working — and accepting this reality is the prerequisite for opening toward a value-directed life.

In Hayes and colleagues' (2012) ACT model, experiential avoidance typically lies behind value misalignment: the client prefers staying on a "safe" but misaligned path rather than accepting the vulnerability that living according to their values would bring. Elif's career-focused life is paradoxically an avoidance strategy: work performance offers control and predictability; but creativity brings uncertainty, close relationships bring rejection risk, and personal growth brings competency anxiety. Therapists who document this avoidance layer in the formulation find a psychological answer to "why aren't they living according to their values?" — and this answer clarifies the treatment target.

Values-life alignment analysis also requires qualitative examination beyond numerical scores. For each misaligned domain, these questions deepen the formulation: When did the misalignment in this area begin? Elif's misalignment in the creativity domain traces back to her university choice — her family's "art doesn't pay" guidance was decisive. What blocks living in this area? Workload? Competency anxiety? Fear of vulnerability? What would a small step look like in this area? Two hours of personal drawing per week? Registering for a workshop? These questions provide the material that bridges alignment analysis from formulation to the committed action plan.

From Values to Action: Committed Action

Committed action, one of ACT's six core processes, is the systematic way to translate values into behavior. Hayes and colleagues (2012) define committed action as "action patterns guided by values, undertaken flexibly and willingly." The "committed" here doesn't mean motivation — it means the client consciously and willingly creates a link between their value and their action. For Elif, committed action is the concrete answers to "what can I do for my creativity value this week?": drawing for two hours on Sunday, looking into an online design course — these are goals, but the value beneath them gives them meaning.

In the structure proposed by Wilson and Murrell (2004), short-term (this week), medium-term (this month), and long-term (this year) action plans are created for each value. This layering transforms values work from "a nice but abstract discussion" into something concretely integrated with the treatment plan. For Elif's creativity value: short-term — a personal drawing project this weekend for two hours; medium-term — registering for an illustration workshop this month; long-term — reducing work hours to 50 per week within six months and dedicating Friday afternoons to creative work. Checking whether each step is "value-driven" or a "goal trap" is important: "becoming a famous artist" is a goal trap; "keeping creative expression continuously in my life" is a value.

Dahl and colleagues (2009) emphasize that a value-directed action plan is not an "all-or-nothing" program but a flexible compass: when obstacles arise, the plan is recalibrated, the value itself isn't questioned. When Elif's weekend meeting steals her creative time, this isn't a "failure" but a replanning opportunity. When documenting committed action plans in the formulation, also recording obstacles provides valuable material during treatment: which obstacles are external (time constraints), which are internal (competency anxiety, the "I can't paint" belief), and which are manifestations of experiential avoidance (avoiding vulnerability)? This analysis directly connects values work to other formulation components — triggers, coping mechanisms, schemas.

Filled Example: Values Compass

Elif, 34 years old, partner at a law firm. Presented with chronic fatigue and a sense of meaninglessness. Below is a completed values compass template for Elif.

Section 1 — Values Inventory

Priority Values (5-7 values): (1) Creativity — "Designing something from scratch, stepping outside routine nourishes me." (2) Autonomy — "Making my own decisions, shaping my own life." (3) Close relationships — "Connections where I'm truly known, not superficial, deep bonds." (4) Personal growth — "Learning new things, discovering different perspectives." (5) Health — "Keeping my body and mind well, feeling energetic." Value Categories: Creative values (creativity, aesthetics, exploration), personal values (autonomy, integrity, authenticity), relational values (connection, trust, depth).

Note: Questioning the "achievement" and "recognition" values Elif expressed in initial sessions revealed these weren't authentic values but expectations internalized from family and social environment (pliance). Her true values emerged in the answers to "What's missing in your life?"

Section 2 — Life Domains Alignment Analysis

Domain-by-domain assessment: Relationships/Family — Importance: 8/10, Alignment: 3/10, Gap: 5. Relationship with partner is superficial, no quality time outside work, disconnected from friends. Career/Work — Importance: 7/10, Alignment: 5/10, Gap: 2. Performance is high but autonomy is low, work provides only security and approval, creativity dimension is zero. Health/Body — Importance: 7/10, Alignment: 3/10, Gap: 4. No regular exercise, poor sleep quality, irregular eating. Personal Growth/Learning — Importance: 8/10, Alignment: 2/10, Gap: 6. No learning domain outside law, can't finish even one book per year. Creativity/Art — Importance: 9/10, Alignment: 1/10, Gap: 8. Greatest misalignment area, no creative activity since university. Leisure/Rest — Importance: 7/10, Alignment: 2/10, Gap: 5. No free time, works weekends.

Overall Values Alignment Score: 3/10

Section 3 — Misalignment Analysis

Misaligned Areas and Barrier Analysis: Creativity (8-point gap) — Misalignment traces back to university choice; family's "art doesn't pay" guidance was decisive. Barriers: (a) workload — 65-hour work weeks leave no room for creative time, (b) competency anxiety — "If I'm not professional at it, what's the point" belief, (c) fear of vulnerability — creative expression carries failure risk and Elif has low failure tolerance. Personal Growth (6-point gap) — Framing non-career learning as "waste of time"; intellectual curiosity exists but feels guilty spending time on "non-useful" subjects. Relationships (5-point gap) — Fear of "appearing weak" prevents forming close bonds, hiding behind work identity, difficulty with emotional expression.

Aligned Areas: Performance dimension in the career domain is strong (achievement metrics are being met) — however, this alignment is with internalized expectations, not with Elif's own values.

Section 4 — Committed Action Plan

Value-Directed Action Plan: Creativity value — Short-term (this week): Sunday 2-hour personal drawing/design project, phone off. Medium-term (this month): Register for an online illustration course. Long-term (6 months): Reduce work hours to 50 per week, dedicate Friday afternoons to creative work. Close relationships value — Short-term: Initiate a "how I feel outside work" conversation with partner this week. Medium-term: Make a coffee plan with an old friend. Long-term: One "screen-free" social activity per month. Personal growth value — Short-term: Choose and start reading a non-law book this week. Medium-term: Online course in philosophy or psychology. Value-Directed Goals: All goals should serve Elif's autonomy and creativity values — designed to be "lived," not "achieved."

5 Principles for Effective Values Documentation

4 Mistakes to Avoid

Judging Values as "Right" or "Wrong"

In Hayes and colleagues' (2012) ACT framework, values are defined independently of moral judgments — the foundation of the formulation is the values the client freely chooses, not the values the therapist finds "correct." When a client indicates "career success" as their most important value, the therapist finding this "superficial" or thinking "relationships should be more important" jeopardizes the therapeutic relationship and the authenticity of values work. The therapist's role is to gently investigate whether the values are the client's own choice or the product of external pressure — not to rank values hierarchically.

Treating Values Work as a One-Session Exercise

Value identification is not an exercise completed in the first session — it's a process that evolves, deepens, and sometimes changes radically throughout treatment. The difference between Elif's values in the first session (achievement, recognition) and her sixth-session values (creativity, autonomy, close relationships) is a discovery created by the therapeutic process itself. As Dahl and colleagues (2009) emphasize, values are "discovered" — a ready-made list isn't presented to the client saying "choose from these." Filling in the values section of the formulation at treatment start and never updating it creates a static document and misses the client's development.

Confusing Social Expectations with Personal Values

In ACT terminology, "pliance" — following verbal rules to gain others' approval or avoid punishment — is the most insidious trap in values work. Elif's "achievement" value is actually the product of pliance: compliance with her family's and social circle's "be successful" rule. The client presents this as a value because they've lived by this rule for years and can't distinguish between "mine" and "others'." The therapist's task is to make this distinction visible through sensitive inquiry: the question "If this value didn't exist, if nobody knew, would you still live this way?" can reveal the difference between pliance and authentic values.

Ignoring the Values-Action Gap

Between identifying values and living according to values, there's often a deep gap — and this gap itself is the formulation's richest material. In Hayes and colleagues' (2012) model, psychological inflexibility — experiential avoidance, cognitive fusion, getting stuck in past/future — is the primary cause of the values-action gap. Elif knows creativity is important but can't move to creative action: "What if I fail?" fear (experiential avoidance), "it has no value unless I'm professional" belief (cognitive fusion), "it's too late now" thought (stuck in the past). Simply saying "live according to your values" without documenting these barriers is like prescribing the problem itself as the treatment.

Values Work with Mindora

The value identification, life domains alignment analysis, committed action plan, and value-goal connection we discussed in this article — documenting all of these in a structured way requires a systematic framework. Mindora's Values module offers three different templates for this need.

Value Definition: Documents the detailed definition of a single core value. Includes value name, the client's own definition (client quote), importance of the value, reflection across eight life domains, a 0-10 alignment score, and alignment-misalignment examples. The ideal structure for the "define values in the client's words" principle discussed in this article.

Values Compass: A comprehensive template that combines all values in a single map. Includes priority values inventory, seven value category classifications, importance and alignment scores across eight life domains, aligned and misaligned area analysis, overall alignment score, and action plan sections — the structured counterpart of the life compass exercise discussed in this article.

Value-Goal Alignment: Analyzes which values specific goals serve. Includes value and goal definition, a 0-10 alignment score, aligned and misaligned aspects, improvement strategies, and value-based action plan sections. Makes visible the "goal trap" risk we discussed in this article: is the value beneath a goal truly the client's own?

In Mindora, value templates live in the client's clinical timeline; each value definition and compass is documented in the structured note editor alongside its session, keeping the value map that evolves throughout treatment alive.

References

• Ciarrochi, J., Kashdan, T. B., & Harris, R. (2013). The foundations of flourishing. In T. B. Kashdan & J. Ciarrochi (Eds.), Mindfulness, Acceptance, and Positive Psychology. Context Press.
• Dahl, J., Plumb, J., Stewart, I., & Lundgren, T. (2009). The Art and Science of Valuing in Psychotherapy. New Harbinger.
• Frankl, V. E. (1946/2006). Man's Search for Meaning. Beacon Press.
• Harris, R. (2009). ACT Made Simple: An Easy-to-Read Primer on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. New Harbinger.
• Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (2012). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: The Process and Practice of Mindful Change (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
• Levin, M. E., Hildebrandt, M. J., Lillis, J., & Hayes, S. C. (2012). The impact of treatment components suggested by the psychological flexibility model. Behavior Therapy, 43(4), 741–756.
• Luoma, J. B., Hayes, S. C., & Walser, R. D. (2007). Learning ACT: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Skills-Training Manual for Therapists. New Harbinger.
• Schwartz, S. H. (2012). An overview of the Schwartz theory of basic values. Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, 2(1).
• Smout, M. F., Davies, M., Burns, N., & Christie, A. (2014). Development of the Valued Living Questionnaire (VLQ). Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 3(3), 164–172.
• Wilson, K. G., & Murrell, A. R. (2004). Values work in acceptance and commitment therapy. In S. C. Hayes & K. D. Strosahl (Eds.), A Practical Guide to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Springer.