Change:

Different modalities (schools of therapy) talk about change in different ways, but all of them express how fundamental it is to life and to therapy. Person Centred Therapy suggests that all humans have an inate drive toward growth and change, Neuroscience explains how the brain sees change as a threat and you will meet resistence, but the brain is plastic and can change.

Psychodynamic therapy believes in addressing the past and bringing the unconcious into the concious for change to happen, and Compassion Focused Therapy believes in affect regulation, compassionate self-talk and increased self-awareness.

Change can be very scary, and this can keep people out of therapy as for some, the comfort of the known (even if it is having a detrimental impact on our lives) is better, than the discomfort of the unknown.

A Metaphor For Change

Imagine your mind as a beautiful garden. Over the years, without proper care, weeds (representing negative thoughts, old habits, and defense mechanisms) have grown and taken over. These weeds are deeply rooted and have become a familiar part of the garden. They offer some protection by keeping the garden (your mind) from being too exposed, but they also stifle the growth of healthy plants (positive changes and new behaviors). 

When you decide to tend to this garden and initiate change, it's like starting to pull out these stubborn weeds. The weeds resist being uprooted because their roots are deep, and pulling them out is hard work. The garden might look messy and chaotic during this process, which can be discouraging. This resistance represents the difficulty and discomfort we often feel when trying to change ingrained habits and thoughts.

Just as removing weeds allows flowers and plants to thrive, overcoming resistance to change makes space for healthier thoughts, behaviors, and emotional responses to grow. Once the weeds are cleared, the true beauty of the garden can shine through. Similarly, overcoming resistance allows your true self to emerge, leading to a clearer and more authentic life. Addressing the weeds (resistance) ensures that future growth is healthier and more manageable. In life, dealing with resistance builds resilience and equips you with the tools to handle future challenges more effectively. Overcoming resistance to change leads to greater psychological well-being, reduced stress, and increased happiness.

Transtheoretical Model of Change

The Transtheoretical Model of Change, developed by James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente, outlines six stages through which individuals move when modifying behavior. These stages help understand and predict how people progress toward behavior change, especially in health-related areas like smoking cessation and addiction treatment. Where do you find yourself on these stages right now?

1. Precontemplation:

   - Description: Individuals are not yet considering change. They may be unaware of the need for change or resistant to it.

   - Key Characteristics: Denial, lack of awareness, avoidance of discussion about the problem.

2. Contemplation:

   - Description: Individuals are aware of the problem and are thinking about making a change but have not yet committed to taking action.

   - Key Characteristics: Ambivalence, weighing pros and cons, open to information about the problem.

3. Preparation:

   - Description: Individuals are intending to take action soon and may begin taking small steps toward behavior change.

   - Key Characteristics: Planning for change, gathering information, setting goals, building confidence.

4. Action:

   - Description: Individuals have made specific overt modifications in their behavior or environment to address the problem.

   - Key Characteristics: Active efforts to change, implementation of plans, visible changes in behavior.

5. Maintenance:

   - Description: Individuals work to sustain the behavior change over time and prevent relapse.

   - Key Characteristics: Long-term commitment, developing coping strategies, reinforcing new behavior patterns.

6. Termination:

   - Description: Individuals have no desire to return to their unhealthy behaviors and are confident they will not relapse.

   - Key Characteristics: Complete self-efficacy, no temptation to revert, stable lifestyle changes.

Each stage represents a different mindset and set of behaviors toward change. The model recognizes that relapse can occur and is a natural part of the change process, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and the need for different strategies at different stages. It may feel as though you are going round in circles with the pattern of behaviour you wish to change, when in reality you are going in an upward spiral.

Change is a process, one that is sometimes frustrating, just as staying the same can be frustrating also. I hope you found this page useful.