Stages of Change
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about change and transformation.
Unsurprising I suppose given that this is at the core of my work, it’s even in the title - Rapid Transformational Therapy.
And I have seen and experienced, both personally and professionally, time and time again, just how incredibly powerful RTT is in eliciting profound healing and transformation.
But I also recognise that it will only facilitate the change you are willing to accept and are open to receiving.
But this is also what makes RTT so special and the healing so profound. Because the healing comes from within you, the change comes from within you. It doesn’t come from me. I don’t fix you.
And so I love this quote by Maryam Hasnaa which illustrates this point beautifully…
“A healer does not heal you. A healer is someone who holds space for you while you awaken your inner healer, so that you may heal yourself.”
And so I see this as my role, I simply guide you through the process, hold space for you to facilitate your own healing and support you in your journey. But I don’t do it for you. Our work is a collaboration and partnership and your role is even more important than mine.
And I completely understand that this can be hard to hear.
I can remember when I was struggling, one of the various therapists/coaches/naturopaths I saw asked me if I actually wanted to change? And at the time I thought it was such a strange question, obviously I wanted change as I had made the effort to make that appointment and come to them for help.
Obviously I wanted things to be different.
But on reflection I can see the point they were trying to make. And I don’t think I was fully open to change. I wasn’t ready to let go. And I wanted them to do it for me. I wanted to be ‘fixed’. I wasn’t owning my healing, I wanted to hand it over to someone else to do it for me.
And I can see the same for people I’ve come across in my life and perhaps you know them too. They have an energy of unhappiness. But they seem to do nothing to make change or attempt a better way of living. They are the victim. Life is unfair. And they almost seem to wallow in their victimhood.
And this is where secondary gain may be playing a role. Where from their perspective, and often this is subconscious, their negative or problematic patterns or behaviours are serving a purpose. The problem itself isn’t positive, but having this problem provides some sort of benefit that keeps them from wanting to change. And so at this moment, this person wouldn’t reap the full benefits of what RTT has to offer.
And so when thinking about change I quite like to refer to the Transtheoretical Model developed by Prochaska and DiClemente.
This model outlines five key stages of change:
1.Precontemplation
In this stage there is often denial that there is a problem at all. This person tends to be defensive and makes excuses and is not ready to seek help or support because they are not yet acknowledging that there is a problem that needs changing.
This is where the saying “You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink” is incredibly fitting. This is where it can feel so very frustrating and disheartening to be a friend, family member or loved one of someone in this stage.
2.Contemplation
In this stage, people are considering taking action and are contemplating change. Although they can recognise their problem, they may doubt that the change is worth making and that the benefits of change will outweigh the negatives of their current situation. People in this stage may be weighing up the pro’s and con’s of change and are generally receptive to information and support.
3.Preparation
In this stage the person is in the midst of making a change. This might sound like them saying “I’ve got to do something about this” or “something has to change”. This is where people might be researching options, listening to podcasts, finding websites, reading books and seeing what resources and support is available to them.
The issue with this stage is that people can sometimes skip it entirely and jump straight into action leading to failure as they haven’t truly understood or appreciated what is required of them to change and the appropriate action for them to take.
Alternatively though, and I feel this is the trap many people fall into, they get stuck in this phase. They get stuck in the research and this leads to overwhelm, indecision and not knowing what action to take. They have accepted they have a problem and know they need to make a change but they don’t know what to do or how to do it. This can feel like you are going round and round in circles, looking for answers but not making any headway.
4.Action
This is where people are not only motivated to change but they are actively participating and taking steps towards change.
This is where RTT occurs and where I can help you understand the negative and self-limiting beliefs that are holding you back. Because once you have this understanding, we are then able to upgrade and replace these old beliefs with new ones that suit you, your goals and your vision for your life.
This stage requires active participation and you must be willing to change and committed to owning your healing.
5.Maintenance
This stage is incredibly important and should not be overlooked as this is where you consolidate the changes you have made and embrace a new way of living.
And this is where the personalised RTT hypnosis recording plays an important role in keeping your subconscious mind on track with the vision for your life as you let go of old patterns and self-limiting beliefs and practice new supportive ones. It can be helpful in this stage to look back at where you started and remind yourself of how far you’ve come.
So if you are ready for change, and if you are if you are ready to commit to the process, to own your healing, to take control of your life, then RTT will work beautifully for you and I encourage you to reach out for a discovery call to see if we are a good fit to work together.
Because if you are reading this, and have got this far, there is every chance you are ready and are in a place to get the most out of what RTT has to offer.