ACT Values Card Sort: How Therapists Move From Values to Committed Action

What Is an ACT Values Card Sort?

An ACT values card sort helps clients clarify what matters enough to move toward, even when difficult thoughts, feelings, memories, or urges show up.

Values are not goals. A goal can be completed. A value is a direction. "Call my sister Friday" is a goal. "Connection" is a value. ACT work often links the two through committed action.

CoralEHR's free ACT Values Card Sort lets clients sort values by importance, name barriers, and choose a small committed action.

Why Values Work Matters

Many therapy conversations get stuck around symptom reduction alone. Symptom relief matters, but clients also need a reason to practice hard skills.

Values work helps answer:

• What kind of person do I want to be in this area?
• What matters even when anxiety or shame is present?
• What has avoidance pulled me away from?
• What small action would move me one step toward this value?
• What internal barrier should I be willing to make room for?

The point is not to create an inspirational list. The point is to identify a lived direction.

From Values to Committed Action

Values become clinically useful when they connect to behavior.

Example:

• Value: family connection
• Barrier: fear of being awkward
• Willingness target: make room for anxiety during the call
• Committed action: call sibling for 10 minutes on Thursday

That plan is small, observable, and reviewable.

Therapist Prompts

Try prompts like:

• "Which value feels neglected right now?"
• "Which value would you want your behavior to express this week?"
• "What does avoidance want you to do?"
• "What feeling might come along for the ride?"
• "What is the smallest action that would count?"
• "How will we know next week whether you moved toward this?"

The best committed actions are specific enough that both therapist and client can review them without guessing.

Documentation Example

Document values work as treatment-linked behavior planning:

Therapist used ACT values card sort to support values clarification and committed action planning. Client identified connection, honesty, and health as high-priority values. Client named anxiety and fear of disappointing others as barriers to values-consistent behavior. Therapist supported willingness planning and client committed to one values-based action: sending a direct scheduling message to friend before Friday. Plan will be reviewed next session.

Avoid vague documentation:

Client completed values exercise.

The useful clinical detail is what the client identified and what action follows.

Try the Free ACT Values Card Sort

Use CoralEHR's free ACT Values Card Sort with the Behavioral Activation Planner, CBT Thought Record, and Window of Tolerance Tool.

Inside CoralEHR, the larger workflow is to connect values clarification, committed action, treatment goals, progress notes, and homework review in one chart.