EFT Tapping and the CYCLE of CHANGE Model

The Stages of Change is a model that was developed in in 1983 by psychologists Carlo DiClemente and James Prochaska at the University of Rhode Island. They were curious about change, how and why people do it, and were eager to understand how someone could stop their addictive behaviours. The model they devised works both if the person who undergoes the change does it on their own or if they source the help of a professional (i.e. coach, therapist). While the original study was centred on how smokers managed to break their habit, the model has been found to work on any changes that people decide to make.

In their research, Prochaska and DiClemente identified 6 stages: Precontemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action, Maintenance (which can be followed by Termination) and Lapse/Relapse. They decided to represent these stages in the shape of a wheel, which they called the Wheel of Change, where every phase leads to the following one, like a cycle. The reason they devised this image is to convey the concept that people may go through these stages a number of times before coming to the end of it and sustain the desirable status they have reached.

Knowing the existence of this model and how change occurs, can really make a difference, whether you are the driver at the wheel making the change or the therapist/coach sitting next to them. If I know where I stand and what to expect, I feel more in control of my own destiny, and if I fall in a pitfall, I know it’s part of the process, and I can then adjust my route. As a facilitator, on the other hand, I can use this tool to manage my clients’ expectations by making them aware of where they are so that depending on whether they move forward or backwards on the wheel, they have that information and can use it at a later stage, even if they relapse.

What do these stages mean exactly?

Precontemplation: “I don’t have a drinking problem!”

In this phase a person is not interested in changing their behaviour. They are in complete denial of the impact that their habit has on themselves and other people. They are not aware of how damaging their behaviour is, despite receiving some pressures from others. They might have made some attempts to change by they have since thrown the towel.

Contemplation: “I might have a problem … but do I really need to stop drinking?”

This is the land of ambivalence, do I stay or do I go? Do I change or do I stay where I am? The person can see that there are some reasons for their alcohol use to be problematic but they are not ready to do something about it, they are not sure they really want it, or they are uncertain about what they can even do about it. They are simply not ready to change yet and the problematic behaviour persists.

Preparation: “I need to do something about this”

In this stage, the person is gearing up towards their decision. They are willing to take responsibility and want to change their behaviour. They are starting to think about ways to do so, even though they are still not sure of how to go about it and what that will look like. They might have started to make plans, find out information, or even initiated minor changes towards their goal but they still haven’t ended their behaviour completely.

Action: “I am done and I’m quitting today!”

This is where the change starts to happen. In this phase the person is taking concrete steps to draw a line to their behaviour and achieve their goal. This is the time for planning and putting in place the things that will help them stop the unwanted habit. They might be asking for help, actively avoid their triggers or temptations and start to replace their old ways with healthier behaviours.

Maintenance: “I’ve made it”

This is where the chrysalis has turned into a butterfly. The changes one has acted upon in the previous stage are maintained and new behaviours have now replaced the old ones. The person may still be facing challenges and be on alert to high-risk situations in this phase, but they are committed and have successfully stopped their behaviour for a significant period of time.

Termination: “This is who I am now”

If enough time passes without the person re-engaging in the problematic behaviour, they “graduate” and the ultimate stage is termination or exit. In this stage, people are not concerned about relapsing and they don’t feel the need to take concrete steps to do that.

Lapse/Relapse: “Oops, I did it again!”

Despite having made changes, some people might go back to their problematic behaviour. This can be temporary — lapse, or it can take the the shape of a full return to it — relapse. Both can happen at any time, at any of the stage in the cycle. It’s not a necessary evil and not everyone will experience them, but they are very common and might induce feelings of failure and disappointment.

How does EFT come into it?

The beauty of EFT is that it can be used at any stage in this cycle, because we can tap on absolutely anything at any point. Whatever our turmoil, ambivalence, doubts or pain, we can tackle it with tapping. In the next few articles, I will dive into every stage specifically and in-depth to show you how we can use EFT at each stage of the wheel.