Are You Facing Changes In Life? How Understanding the Stages of Change Can Help You Move Forward

Change is something many of us hope for—and sometimes it's something life demands of us. Whether you’re trying to improve your mental health, break an old pattern, build stronger relationships, or take better care of yourself, the process can feel overwhelming.

How Understanding the Stages of Change Can Help You Move Forward

Even when you know what needs to change, or even when the desire is strong, it’s common to feel stuck, discouraged, or unsure where to begin. This is how understanding the Stages of Change can help you move forward. If you’ve ever asked yourself:

• “Why do I keep falling into old habits?”

• “Why do I feel frozen when I try something new?”

• “Why can’t I just make this change already?”

—you're not alone.

The truth is: change rarely follows a straight line. It’s a dynamic process that unfolds in stages. Understanding where you are in that process can reduce shame, offer clarity, and help you take meaningful steps forward—with greater compassion for yourself along the way.

That’s where the Stages of Change Model comes in.

What Is the Stages of Change Model?

Also known as the Transtheoretical Model, the Stages of Change offers a useful framework to understand how people shift behaviours, habits, or emotional patterns—especially when it comes to mental health, trauma recovery, or lifestyle changes.

There are six predictable stages:

1. Precontemplation – You may not yet recognise a need for change, or feel too discouraged or overwhelmed to consider it.

2. Contemplation – You’re beginning to notice something needs to shift, but you may feel unsure, conflicted, or stuck in indecision.

3. Preparation – You’ve decided to make a change and are starting to plan your next steps.

4. Action – You’re actively engaging in the change, applying strategies or behaviours that support your goal.

5. Maintenance – You’re working to stay consistent and strengthen the changes you’ve made.

6. Relapse or Recycle – You return to old patterns. This is not failure—it’s a normal and expected part of the process.

At Wellness Counselling Centre, we often remind clients that relapse is part of learning, not a sign of failure. Research shows that between 40–60% of people experience setbacks when trying to change. What matters most is how you respond, reset, and continue forward.

Why Understanding the Stages Matters

Recognising where you are in the process can:

• Help you set more realistic and compassionate goals

• Reduce self-criticism during moments of struggle

• Highlight what kind of support or strategies might be most helpful

• Remind you that resistance is a natural part of growth

It also helps therapists tailor their support based on your current readiness—whether you’re just starting to explore what’s not working or you're working to maintain progress.

How Your Body Responds to Change

Change isn’t just a cognitive process. It also involves your nervous system.

When you try something new—especially something uncertain or vulnerable—your body may respond with anxiety, shutdown, or avoidance. This isn’t weakness; it’s your nervous system doing its job to protect you from perceived risk or discomfort.

That’s why change often requires not just mental clarity, but also nervous system support.

Strategies like grounding exercises, deep breathing, time in nature, or simply creating space to slow down can help your system feel safer—and increase your capacity to tolerate discomfort in the process of change.

How Therapy Can Help at Every Stage

At Wellness Counselling Centre, our therapists are trained to meet you wherever you are in your process. Whether you’re:

• just starting to consider a shift,

• feeling overwhelmed by familiar patterns,

• or actively trying to create new ways of being—

We’re here to walk alongside you with warmth, curiosity, and practical tools.

Therapy can help by:

• Identifying your current stage of change

• Offering strategies to reduce fear, avoidance, or self-doubt

• Supporting nervous system regulation

• Providing accountability and encouragement along the way

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

Change is hard—and it’s also deeply human. With the right support, what once felt impossible can start to feel manageable.

Whether you're navigating anxiety, grief, parenting stress, trauma recovery, or simply trying to care for yourself in new ways, you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Our team at WCC offers a client-centred, trauma-informed approach designed to honour your pace and your process.

📞 Book a session today by visiting www.wellnesscc.ca📍 In-person sessions in St. Catharines + Virtual appointments across Ontario

📧 info@wellnesscc.ca | ☎ 905-359-9456