ABSTRACT
Because things are important, threats or losses may activate unpleasant emotions that are a direct consequence of the values that are triggered. For example, loneliness is related to the value of relationships; envy is related to the value of fairness; and anger is related to the value of respect. Conscientious clients often become anxious about the possibility of failure and clients who value intimate connection become emotionally stressed when a relationship ends. The key to identifying values is to determine the hierarchy of values that is relevant. A number of interventions are described that can clarify these values: Pain with a Purpose, Living a Life Worth Suffering For, Climbing a Ladder of Higher Meaning, Taking It All Away and It’s a Wonderful Life. By clarifying the higher values, certain emotional responses become eclipsed with the recognition that the focus has been on something with only temporary or even shallow meaning.
