You’ve been thinking about making a change for a while. Maybe things haven’t felt “right” for quite some time. The truth is by the time an individual realizes that therapy might be the next step for them, the process of change has already begun!!! Perhaps this means someone has been searching for therapists on the internet, talking to friends about their own therapy experiences, or even doing a bit of self-therapy by reading various self-help books. All of this is something that researchers, mainly those interested in health behavior change, coined the “contemplative” stage of change. And believe it or not, without this important stage, change cannot happen. In the contemplative stage, change has technically begun! I also like to look at this stage as the “awakening” stage or the “rehearsal” level of change. There is actually a stage before this one, called “precontemplative”, where your attitude might be… “change? I don’t need to change….” Anyways, back to the contemplative…in this stage you are imagining, and even believing in a better life for yourself. This first step of change is essential – so if you have reached this important first step congratulations! Sometimes we are pushed and hurried through past this initial level because change needs to occur, like, well NOW, because the way things presently stand is just too painful. If you are thinking about therapy, great! This thinking is the very initial step in making a difference in your own life and the life of those around you. Now on to the next step in the process, taking some action by reaching out to that therapist you suspect might be a good fit for you.

-Andrea

Hi! I'm Andrea K. Pihlaskari, Ph.D., and am the founder and licensed psychologist at Houston Psychology and Wellness. I love working with adolescents, young adults, and any individual who wants to be the best version of themselves in all areas of life. Struggling with the road to change?

Fill out the contact information and schedule a visit. I'm super familiar with making change happen. Or call 832.430.2015 for your free 15 minute phone consultation.

References:

Prochaska, J.O., Redding, C.A., & Evers, K. (2002). The Transtheoretical Model and Stages of Change. In K. Glanz, B.K. Rimer & F.M. Lewis, (Eds.) Health Behavior and Health Education: Theory, Research, and Practice (3rd Ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, Inc.