Stages of Change Model

Stages of Change Model

By Jake Kohl

 

     The Stages of Change model is relevant to counselors, particularly, Christian counselors because it literally moves the goal posts from one goal to the next. The Stages of Change model allows an individual to reason within themselves with the help of the counselor’s ability to ask thought provoking questions that brings awareness to the client using their own rationale, especially in the pre-contemplation stage.  In the contemplation stage the counselors thought provoking questions earlier can impact the client in thinking about changing his or her behavior. In this stage, the client begins to “think about changing behaviors of abuse, but has not made a firm decision to change and is not yet engaged in actual behavior change strategies” (Connors et al, 2013, p. 23).   The Stages of Change helps the Christian counselor because each question can be used to bring the client closer to a more intimate relationship with God, even during relapse.

     The Christian counselor gives an individual a solid foundation to build their treatment on and thus, encourages the client to trust not in their selves, as they often have in the past, but in a God who has an invested interest in their lives – even when the pressures of relapse are against them. For an individual -  knowing that there is a God who is in control releases that control from the individual to a higher power that is beyond substance abuse and addiction in which it can impact their lives in the process of treatment and throughout the rest of their lives.

     By exploring the Stages of Change model in a godly perspective allows us more opportunities to intervene successfully and, most importantly, to succeed. If an individual’s initiatives are mainly precontemplators, then an appropriate intervention might be one that assists and raises their awareness of the relative pros and cons of changing behavior rather than one that focuses on the preparation or action stages of the change process. In all, the Stages of Change model can effectively help the counselor, particularly the Christian counselor in setting goal posts that ultimately would advance the kingdom of God by carrying out the Great Commission and setting captives free!

Reference

Connors, G.J., DiClemente, C.C., Velasquez, M.M., & Donovan, D.M. (2013). Substance Abuse

            Treatment and the Stages of Change (Second Edition). New York, NY: Guilford Press.