Van Deurzen places central importance on work with values as the foundation of life's meaning. Meaning is not given in advance — it is constructed through clarity about what is truly important. Therapy helps the client move from a vague sense of meaninglessness to a concrete understanding of their commitments and direction. Special attention is paid to the difference between inherited values and those the client has consciously chosen.
Step-by-step guide
- Inquire what the client calls important, valuable, meaningful — without hasty judgments, through concrete stories
- Check: does the client's life match the declared values, or is there a gap between them?
- Find out the hierarchy of values: what is most important if a choice has to be made?
- Inquire into the source of the values: inherited, chosen, revised, or not yet?
- Help the client formulate how the values can shape concrete choices and actions in life
When to use
- In depression and the sense of meaninglessness
- In burnout ("I do a lot, but for what?")
- In midlife crises and life transitions
- When working with the loss of identity and the sense of "I am not living my own life"
- In a conflict of values — when important things contradict each other
Key phrases
What is truly important for you in life — not what should be important, but what is really important right now?
Follow-up questions
If you knew you had a year left — what would you start doing differently?
Whose values are you carrying — your own or those that were received without your choice?
Where in your life is there a gap between what is important and how you live?
Alternative phrasings
When do you feel most alive, most yourself — at which moments does it happen?
Warnings
- ⚠️ Do not impose "correct" values on the client — the goal is not the therapist's meaning, but the client's meaning
- ⚠️ Do not rush: values become clear gradually, through concrete stories, not abstract declarations
- ⚠️ The gap between values and life is a painful topic; it requires a supportive atmosphere
Source: van Deurzen E. 1997, 2002, 2012, 2015
Materials are informational and educational and summarize publicly available scientific sources. They are not medical or psychological advice, are not intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment, and do not replace consultation with a qualified professional.