Core Values Cards
Welcome to the Core Values Cards information page.
This page contains all the information you need in order to get the very most out of your Core Values Cards
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What are Core Values?
When to use Core Values
The Cards
This deck contains 108 different Core Values Cards…
From “accomplishment” through to “wisdom”, these 108 core values have been handpicked so that any client, regardless of age, sex, race, location, will be able to select the core values that resonate with them personally.
Using the Cards
Ask the client to take the whole deck of cards, and to deal them out into three stacks. These stacks are for low, medium and high priority (i.e. high=is most important to them, low=not important). Have them sort each core value according to their immediate, gut response. They are to do this quickly, without deliberating/over-thinking:
Once that’s done, discard the medium priority stack immediately, as these are ‘neither/nor’, so they are no longer required. You’re left with the low and high priority cards:
Ask the client to briefly look through the low priority stack to see if any of these core values were previously high priority. If so, ask them to consider, for a moment, why they might have changed… Then discard the low priority stack too, so you’re left with just the high priority cards:
Now ask the client to select their ‘top ten’ core value cards from the high priority stack, and to arrange them in order from top priority down (i.e. put most important at the top, and least important at the bottom). Once this is done, you can then have them discard the bottom five (least important).
The remaining five cards are the client’s core values:
Core Values Techniques
There are various techniques that you can use once you have discovered the core values, in order to help the client engage with them, and to get the most from this new knowledge.
Connecting with core values
A great way to help clients connect with core values is to have them notice where the values were linked to past positive experiences. Have them think about a time that was amazing, perhaps an achievement, or something that went really well. Get them to notice which of their core values it resonated with. Conversely, they can think of a time that was horrible, maybe a negative experience, something stressful or upsetting, and notice which of the core values the event went against… This simple exercise lets us demonstrate to clients how their core values are an inherent part of how they react and respond to situations.
Congruence and benefit
Suggest that your client considers each core value individually, and ask how they feel when they think of each. Is each value congruent with the client? Do they ‘feel right’ and ‘fit’ well with them? Are they realistic and compatible with their nature and personality? Suggest that the client reflects on their core values every two or three months. Have them take time to notice how much of their life is congruent with their core values. Are any values receiving less attention? Has something changed? Are they going in the right direction? You can even have the client write down their core values, and create a list of things that they do that meet each value, and notice if any columns are lacking. Here’s an example, and as you can see, ‘wisdom’ is not being fulfilled:
Using core values in decision making
When they are faced with challenging decisions, have your client consider each of the options and notice how many of core values are positively connected, and whether any options work in opposition to a core value.
Using core values for habit change
Have them consider their undesirable habitual behaviours from the perspective of any friction being generated against core values. Then, ask them to consider an alternative, desirable new habitual behaviour, assessing compatibility with core values. If the proposed behaviour is only connecting to one or two core values, consider whether the new behaviour could be adapted or refocused to address more core values.
Using core values for developing healthy thoughts
Initially, work to explore present, unhealthy, undesirable or intrusive thoughts. Consider both the thoughts and the consequences of those thoughts (e.g. emotions, behaviours, symptoms) for any friction against core values. Then, focus on generating alternative, more healthy and positive thoughts. Consider these for compatibility with core values. If the proposed new way of responding is only connecting to one or two core values, consider reviewing the proposed approach with the possibility of adapting or refocusing to better resonate with more core values.
Using core values to assess secondary gains and resistance to change
At times, there may be benefits from maintaining a dysfunctional habitual behaviour or cognitive process. These may result in symptoms or conditions that give the individual a benefit or ‘gain’. For example, work-related stress, leading to physical symptoms, which result in time off work. It can be worth using the core values questioning process to help the person consider the advantages and disadvantages of continuing how they do at present:
Using core values in future-focused ecology checks
At times, new behaviours, thoughts or responses might seem a good idea, in theory, but until we do them, we may not be sure they are well focused or accurately targeted. It can be helpful, when working on new behaviours, thoughts, or responses, to ask the client to imagine themselves engaging in their life, one day, one week, one month, one year (or other timescales as appropriate) in the future, and to notice how this resonates with their core values. Is there any friction? How many core values connect? Could anything be amended or changed to strengthen the engagement with their core values?
Now Use Them!
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