Care For All in Education:
May 2024 Spotlight
Care For All in Education: May 2024 Spotlight
Welcome to MAY! Spring has sprung; you MAY be thinking with the fresh start of the season, it’s time to start working on that goal you’ve been thinking of. Or MAYbe you’re not. MAYbe you’re contemplating a decision and wondering where to begin? MAYbe you’re not even aware of where you may want or need to consider making changes.
Change is hard!
How do we shift from a “MAYbe” to “yes” or even a solid “no”? How do we go from a place of ambivalence, a state of freeze or indecision to a place of action or knowing when it comes to making changes in our lives, even when we know the changes will improve things overall or be worth the effort?
One of the most helpful models in understanding how we create and engage in change, is by learning about the Stages of Change. Have you ever wondered why, when you or someone you know, tries to implement changes; for example, lessening how much sugar or social media is consumed, sometimes there is success in achieving these goals and other times, the momentum gets lost, self-sabotage happens or external factors get in the way? Why is it that sometimes we are more successful than other times in making changes?
The Stages of Change model is useful in knowing ourselves and others, in where we may be in the process of readiness, evolution, self-awareness and personal development. Once we know where we are at, we have a better idea of where we are going or if we want, and maybe need, to stay where we are, at least for the time being.
The model operates on the assumption that people do not change behaviours quickly and decisively. Rather, change in behaviour, especially habitual behaviour, occurs continuously through a cyclical process. Change is gradual and it is normal for relapses to occur along the way.
For each stage of change, different intervention strategies are most effective at moving the person to the next stage of change and subsequently through the model to maintenance, the ideal stage of behavior.
- Precontemplation – In this stage, people do not intend to take action in the foreseeable future (defined as within the next 6 months). People are often unaware that their behaviour is problematic or produces negative consequences. People in this stage often underestimate the pros of changing behaviour and place too much emphasis on the cons of changing behaviour. There can be an element of denial or ignorance of the problem. Intervention strategies include:
- Rethink your behaviour
- Analyze yourself and your actions
- Assess risks of current behaviour
- Contemplation – In this stage, people are intending to start the healthy behaviour in the foreseeable future (defined as within the next 6 months). People recognize that their behaviour may be problematic, and a more thoughtful and practical consideration of the pros and cons of changing the behaviour takes place, with equal emphasis placed on both. Even with this recognition, people may still feel ambivalent toward changing their behaviour. Intervention strategies include:
- Weigh pros and cons of behaviour change
- Confirm readiness and ability to change
- Identify barriers to change
- Preparation (Determination) – In this stage, people are ready to take action within the next 30 days. People start to take small steps toward the behaviour change, and they believe changing their behaviour can lead to a healthier life. There may be some experimentation with small changes or collecting information about the change. Intervention strategies include:
- Write down your goals
- Prepare a plan of action
- Make a list of motivating statements
- Action – In this stage, people have recently changed their behaviour (defined as within the last 6 months) and intend to keep moving forward with that behavior change. People may exhibit this by modifying their problem behaviour or acquiring new healthy behaviours. Intervention strategies include:
- Reward your successes
- Seek out social support
- Maintenance – In this stage, people have sustained their behaviour change for a while (defined as more than 6 months) and intend to maintain the behaviour change going forward. People in this stage work to prevent relapse to earlier stages. Intervention strategies include:
- Develop coping strategies for temptation
- Remember to reward yourself
To succeed, it’s necessary to understand these three elements in changing a behavior:
- Readiness to change: Do I have the resources and knowledge to make a lasting change successfully?
- Barriers to change: Is there anything preventing me from changing?
- Likelihood of relapse: What might trigger a return to a former behavior?
Exploring these elements invites us to be proactive about potential barriers that may derail our progress, identify what resources and people we have as supports and acknowledge triggers that may cause us to reengage in the unhelpful behaviours we want to change. The Stages of Change can help us shift from maybe or maybe not, to more concrete answers and authentic understanding that “yes!”, we are ready for change, or “no, we need more time, resources, skills work, support etc”. to make the changes we want and need.
If you want to discuss any changes you are considering making in your own life or learn more about the Stages of Change; reach out to a Care for All in Education Wellness Specialist at:
