Reference no: EM133828304

There is one question that mystifies most people: How do we permanently change our behavior to bring it in line with our intentions? On the surface, it sounds simple enough: You decide what you want to change and you just do it. But, as we all know, it's usually not that easy.
Let's use weight loss as a classic example. At any given time, the majority of Americans are on one of the seemingly limitless weight-loss programs available. In some of these programs, people actually lose weight. But, over time most people gain back the weight they lost plus some. Why can't they achieve and sustain the change they want? Why does permanent change seem so elusive?
Having bad eating habits is just one of many behaviors that we have a difficult time changing. Other examples include smoking, immoderate alcohol consumption, misusing drugs, gambling, procrastinating, and a tendency to be in unhealthy relationships, to name just a few of the other common behaviors that snare us.
This discussion addresses the process of change. As a life coach using the principles of positive psychology, you are acting as an agent of change in the lives of those you coach. Although we would all like to see our intended changes occur immediately, the reality is that change is an incremental process that occurs over time. Some people are able to make changes more quickly than others. But in order to be an effective change agent, you need to know how to facilitate incremental change in your coaching clients and to manage setbacks in proposed plans for change.
In Chapter 3 of your textbook and in the two assigned videos, you will be introduced to the Stages of Change model. This model can act as a valuable guide to help you assess where a person is in that change process. You first need to determine the stage that best represents their current behavior and level of motivation for change. Then you construct an intervention that matches that behavior and level of motivation. This approach makes so much more sense than giving each person a one-size-fits-all application, which is the reason most people don't achieve the change they hope for. The key to coming up with an appropriate intervention that has the best chance of creating lasting change is to first do an accurate and thorough assessment.
In this discussion, you will apply the Stages of Change model to your own life. If you can see how it works with an issue you are dealing with, it will be easier for you to apply the same stages in your coaching session.
Upon successful completion of this discussion, you will be able to:

Access the process of change using the Stages of Change model.

Background Information
This model was originally developed to address addiction-related behavior but has been shown to be an effective gauge of change as it relates to many other behaviors. Get your assignment done Now!

Instructions
1. In your textbook, Becoming a Professional Life Coach: Lessons from the Institute for Life Coach Training, read Chapter 3.
2. Read the article, The Stages of Change(new tab).
3. Watch the YouTube video "Improve Your Life Using the Stages of Change (Transtheoretical Model)":

4. Navigate to the discussion topic and respond to the following discussion prompts:
a. Think of an area of your own life in which you want to see change. It could be a habit you want to break, getting out of an unhealthy relationship, eating more healthily, exercising more, etc. Explain in some detail the behavior you would like to change.
b. Now, identify which stage of change you are in: contemplation or preparation. (You can't be in the pre-contemplation stage if you want to change, and you can't be in the action stage if you are still waiting to see change.)
c. Explain what you've tried thus far to make the desired change. What has kept you from being able to achieve or sustain your desired change?
d. What do you need to do in order to move to the next stage in the change model? Be specific.
e. What do you see as the strengths and weakness of the Stages of Change model as it relates to coaching?
5. Your initial post:
a. Should be between 400 and 500 words.
6. Your postings should also:
a. Be well developed by providing clear answers with evidence of critical thinking.
b. Add greater depth to the discussion by introducing new ideas.