5 Stages of Change

The 1970s were a booming time for the therapy field. New an

d inventive ideas on how to help individuals, couples, and families experience profound change remain foundational to the field of therapy to this very day.

One such therapy model provided a clear way to guide therapists and clients alike toward change. It is called the Transtheoretical Model, also known as the 5 Stages of Change. Used in harmony with Motivational Interviewing, it was born out of helping those who were struggling with addictions. It provided a location point for anyone traveling toward recovery.

The 5 stages are:

1)     Precontemplation

2)     Contemplation

3)     Preparation

4)     Action

5)     Maintenance

Let’s do a short swim into each stage.

Precontemplation. “Problem? Never heard of it.”

It’s impossible to know at every given moment when something is an issue either for one’s self or for others. Issues start to make their way toward awareness by first evoking reactions. People will say things like “This is just the way I am”, “I’ll deal with it later”, or just have adverse reactions such as defensiveness, denying, criticizing, avoiding, or outbursts.

There are innumerable ways people cope with difficulties, but change isn’t an option in precontemplation.

Contemplation. “Problem? …eh maybe”

The sweet sound of admission and confession. Awareness starts to bud, and the discomfort of the idea of change begins.

Risk and reward. Positives and negatives. What's to be gained and lost. These are heavy on the mind of one who is contemplating change. Yet, if the gains are powerful enough and the consequences for not changing are too impactful, then it’s time to move on to….

Preparation. “Problem? Let me get my suitcase.”

On the outside, it might look similar to contemplation, but inside, a shift towards a plan is on the move. One might even hear things like “How long will it take?” and “What will I be doing when XXXX (change) happens?”

Nothing is really happening yet, but a visual map is taking shape in the mind about what this new life could look like for the one who is preparing for change.

Action. “Problem? Let’s gooooooo!”

It’s here, it's here! The moment we have all been waiting for. It’s exciting and nerve-racking at first. Like being locked into the seat harness in that rollercoaster and hearing the “click, click, click” as the coaster slowly climbs toward that first drop. And eventually it does….drop.

The human brain doesn’t really like change. Predictability is what keeps the brain feeling good. Even if it’s experiencing something bad that keeps repeating, the brain goes, “I at least know how to survive this because I’ve done it enough times”.

But surviving isn’t thriving.

In action, one can start strong, yet change is exhausting! The brain (and nervous system) is in new territory, unsure where the potential new danger actually lies, not completely convinced the new change is working, and it’s just ready for things to be normal again.

Relapsing back to the old ways is high at this stage. But if the tolerance for the discomfort can grow, ultimately, one reaches the end of that rollercoaster ride.

Maintenance. “Problem? Nevermore.”

Well, not completely “nevermore,” but a new way of experiencing life has been learned. And you can’t unlearn it. It’s there for the keeping, like a newly bought tool for the toolbox.

But it’s not like that old pattern has been forgotten, either; going back to that old tool is still possible.

Things like rituals, revisiting the change, including a community (or person) that supports the change, are some ways to sustain change for the long run and prevent relapse. But a good motto is that relapse isn’t failure. It's just another attempt.

I prefer straight lines over circles

Wouldn’t it be nice if this were just as simple as this map is laid out? Complete stage one, now move on to stage two, until the final boss is beaten or the finish line is crossed, and now there’s nothing left to do but roll out the red carpet for you….

Not quite.

In fact, it’s more normal in the process of change to sometimes go through all these stages over again. From Action to Precontemplation, then jump from Contemplation to Maintenance again. What is brilliant about this model is that it can help orient a person on the road toward change then be intentional about the next step. If changes are placed on a long view of time, the circles with the most attention given to them are moving forward.

In Summary

If you are thinking about a change, such as “Should I stay in this relationship or not?”, “Why doesn’t my teen pick up after themselves after I asked 1 billion times?”, or “How do I stop losing my keys?”, then first find where you (or they) are on the map of change, and ask what would be helpful to move to the next stage.

Take your time with it, with yourself, with the other person. Long-lasting change is worth the wait....