Book Excerpts

Pages 67 - 70

Seven-Step Process For Change
The process for changing or for getting well done individually, one-on-one or in groups, is a movement from an awareness of the problem to an awareness of alternatives and a decision. I see it as a series of seven questions (the last one as a review of the first six) all of which are responded to by the individual desiring change (rather than by the therapist or by some other person.)

In an situation where change is desired an understanding of this process can be productive. The steps that take place in successful change are not always in the well-defined order given here but the movement tends to be from number “1” through number “6”. Step number “7” is frequently not considered although its inclusion sheds light on what has happened in the past to cause failure and provides some cognitive guarantee of success for present decisions.

This process for change can be used in changing the self, in helping others to change and in changing organizational process or structure. When working with others, “she” “he” or “they” may be substituted for “I” whenever “I” occurs. In working with organizations, any of the above pronouns may be pertinent and/or “the organization” may also be used, i.e. “Where does the organization hurt?” etc. The following considerations are important.

Step #1 implies that wherever change is sought it is because there is an awareness of discomfort or hurt. It is sometimes easier to uncover the hurt by going to step #2 and thinking in terms of how the individual or organization would like things to be instead of the way things are.

Step #3 carries an implication that what has been tried thus far has failed. Be aware that that may not be due to a lack of validity in what was tried and that, in fact, what has been tried in the past may be worthy of using again.

Step #4 probes at the reasons for failure in making the desired changes. We tend to keep things as they are for five reasons:

• to avoid being aware of our inward feeling,
• to avoid facing a frightening outward circumstance,
• to avoid changing the way we structure our time,
• to avoid changing our basic position toward ourselves and others,
• to avoid losing the strokes (probably negative strokes) we have become accustomed to getting for behaving in our present way.

In step #5 and step #6 it is important to allow the individual concerned to come up with the alternatives and the plan to be implemented. To do otherwise is to deny the autonomy that is essential to successful change.

Step #7 enables one to discover how and why past attempts at change have failed. Coupled with step #4 this step brings an awareness of those repetitive behavior patterns that are destructive to the changes wanted in a life or an organization. Being aware of the desired changes and the patterns that have kept them from being realized brings a powerful motivation to change.